Seven years ago the odds on sighting a Spaniard anywhere near the Wimbledon quarter-finals were roughly the same as All England Club officials booking Napalm Death to serenade the Centre Court during rain delays.
Those were the days when grass was for cows, when the clay court game's leading lights were embroiled in a boycott of the Championships over organisers' insistence on doctoring the rankings to reward grass-court prowess.
It is a measure of the extent to which Latin attitudes have mellowed that this year Juan Carlos Ferrero, one of the loudest protesters back in the day, should find himself in the last eight for the first time.
Fresh from a polished performance oozing grass-court pedigree to see off James Blake in the previous round, Ferrero duly wrapped up a 7-5 6-3 7-6 win over Janko Tipsarevic to set up a clash with a well-rested Roger Federer.
Former champion Lleyton Hewitt made light of the interminable delays by polishing off Argentinian Guillermo Canas to book his place back in the quarter-finals.
Resuming at one set all and 3-1 ahead, the Australian, who has made his way through the draw comparatively unnoticed, wrapped up a straight-forward 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4 success.
But the 16th seed admitted that despite his relatively serene progress, the conditions had tested him to the maximum.
Sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko will meet Marcos Baghdatis in round four after the Russian saw off France's Gael Monfils 6-3 7-5 6-3 on Tuesday.
Mens Singles 3rd rd:
(28) Robin Soderling (Swe) is tied with (2) Rafael Nadal (Spa) 4-6 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-4 4-4, (6) Nikolay Davydenko (Rus) bt Gael Monfils (Fra) 6-3 7-5 6-3, (16) Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) bt (22) Guillermo Canas (Arg) 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4, Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) is tied with (4) Novak Djokovic (Ser) 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6).
Mens Singles 4th rd:
(3) Andy Roddick (USA) leads Paul-Henri Mathieu (Fra) 6-2 6-5, (20) Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa) bt Janko Tipsarevic (Ser) 7-5 6-3 7-6 (7-5).
