Brazil's Kuerten, who came from nowhere to lift the French Open title in 1997, hadn't won a match in two previous visits to the All England Club -- but he stormed into the last 16 yesterday with a fearsome showing against Yugoslav qualifier Nenad Zimonjic.

The 22-year-old clay specialist won 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to the delight of a mass of Brazilians thronging the court and still has to drop a set.

And he says that, against all his expectations, he's actually enjoying himself out there.

Kuerten would now face Swiss outsider Lorenzo Manta, who ousted 1996 champion Richard Krajicek late yesterday.

Kuerten, a mainstay of his country's Davis Cup team, says he doesn't mind who he faces on this form. ``I thought I could play well and get increasing confidence. When I came here before, I had a lot of fun but Ididn't have so much luck and confidence that I'm having now.''

The Brazilian reached the quarter-finals of his last major at the French Open before falling to Andrei Medvedev -- and has used the break to good purpose.