Henin has won 29 consecutive sets at Roland Garros

Top seed Henin breezed past Austrian Sybille Bammer 6-2 6-4 while Williams overwhelmed 10th seed Dinara Safina.

Henin and Williams have not met at Roland Garros since the Belgian won a controversial semi-final in 2003.

Also through are third, fourth and sixth seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic and Nicole Vaidisova.

Williams wrapped up a 6-2 6-3 win over Russian Safina in just 77 minutes to reach the last eight for the fifth time.

The eighth seed raced through the first set in 36 minutes and although Safina put up more resistance in the second, the 2002 champion was just too strong.

Williams is now contemplating avenging her defeat to Henin four years ago when the American left the court in tears to boos from the Paris crowd, who were backing the underdog Belgian.

I have matured and if the crowd gets involved, I can just zone out Serena Williams on meeting old rival Justine Henin next

"Justine is really good here but I am playing the clay court game really good," said Williams.

"I don't want to reflect on what happened in 2003 any more. This is a new year and we are both different people.

"I have matured and if the crowd gets involved, I can just zone out."

Henin was also quick to play down any suggestions of a grudge match.

"What happened in 2003 was one of the best memories of my career and I will never forget that moment," she said.

"But it's four years ago now and a lot of things have happened and we've grown up a lot."

606: DEBATE Your reaction to Williams' victory in Paris

Russian Kuznetsova beat Shahar Peer of Israel 6-4 6-3 and now meets Serbia's Ana Ivanovic, who saw off Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-3 3-6 6-3.

Jankovic crushed French player Marion Bartoli, who was suffering with a back problem, 6-1 6-1 and now meets sixth seed Vaidisova, who brushed aside Italy's Tathiana Garbin 6-3 6-1.

Bartoli's exit means there will be no French player in the men's or women's quarter-finals for the first time since 1999.

Czech player Vaidisova, who was a semi-finalist last year, has altered her service action after a shoulder injury and said the change was paying dividends.

"I've been working on it to cut out the mistakes and it's been working," she said.

"I've been under no pressure here as I have been out for a month. It's just great not to have any pain."

Ninth seed Anna Chakvetadze beat Amelie Mauresmo's conqueror Lucie Safarova in three sets.

The Russian came through 6-4 0-6 6-2 against the 20-year-old 25th seed.