Andre Agassi's fourth-round loss to Australian power-server Mark Philippoussis on Monday deprives the tournament not just of its showman in chief but leaves the event wide open.

And should Spanish third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero fail to overturn his two sets to one deficit in his unfinished meeting with Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean - they complete their encounter Tuesday afternoon - then the last eight would consist of men with not one Grand Slam crown between them.

They comprise a mixture of experienced contenders with a history of near misses and youngsters whose potential appears as enormous as it is yet unfilled.

That lends extra spice to a tournament which opened with the exit of last year's champion, Aussie top seed Lleyton Hewitt, to Croatian qualifier Ivo Karlovic.

Andy Roddick, just 20, is the youngster with the trophy firmly in his sights.

Having seen off Thai Paradorn Srichaphan, Roddick, the US fifth seed and his country's lone survivor, now meets Swede Jonas Bjorkman, who beat him on grass at Nottingham in their only previous meeting.

Roddick came here having won Queen's by beating Agassi and Grosjean, and the youngster has a steadying hand on the tiller in Agassi's long-time mentor Brad Gilbert.

"Brad's philosophy is you've gotta win seven matches. There are eight guys left - I'm just one of them," said Roddick, who could meet Swiss fourth seed Roger Federer in the semis - provided Federer, plagued by a back problem in Monday's win over Spaniard Feliciano Lopez, can oust Dutch eighth seed Sjeng Schalken.

Roddick is not looking that far ahead.

"Bjorkman is my biggest threat right now. He's the guy I've got to play next."

The only predictable element this fortnight has been the weight of expectation on the shoulders of British tenth seed Tim Henman.

Henman, four times a semi-finalist in the past five years and crushed by Hewitt 12 months ago, epitomises the nearly man label.

If defeat by Hewitt was no surprise, Henman should have seen off Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic two years ago in a semi where he held the whip hand before rain stretched the match out three days.

Ivanisevic went on to win the title - something no British man has done since Fred Perry in 1936.

Henman, whose season got off to a slow start following shoulder surgery last November, is on fire after seeing off Argentine David Nalbandian, last year's finalist.

"It's a great opportunity and I could not be happier," he said. "But I know if my level drops I'll lose. If I keep doing the right things I've got a great opportunity."

Henman, who lost to Grosjean at Queen's Club and to eventual winner Ferrero at the French Open, insists he is drawing strength from the fans.

"The crowd support is always pretty incredible. They gave me such a lift and it was a pleasure to play in an atmosphere like that," he said.

Henman says if he meets Grosjean he will be ready.

"Grosjean played really well at Queen's but my game has come on massively."

Philippoussis, who meets Alexander Popp, a German with an English-mother, is also ready to seize his chance. He fired 46 aces past Agassi to level Ivanisevic's 1997 mark.

The 26-year-old Australian has had to fight back from three bouts of knee surgery in 14 months but is determined to improve on three previous runs to the quarters.

"To finally get past him, the way it happened, I'm very pleased," said the man nicknamed Scud.

"My self belief is going up. I've been working hard, things have paid off.

"The good thing is I've been in the quarter-finals a few times. That definitely helps."