Marat Safin was bounced out of the Australian Open in the third round by Andy Roddick in a bad-tempered dogfight on Friday as Serena Williams announced she is back with a vengeance.
World number one Roger Federer also made the fourth round, as did women’s champion Amelie Mauresmo and Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.
Roddick won 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), overcoming the 2005 champion who had repeated run-ins with the chair umpire over line calls and the state of the court, which got wet before the retractable roof was shut when rain began falling.
”This wasn’t routine. Last time he was here he was lifting the trophy,” said the American sixth seed, who will now play Croatia’s ninth seed Mario Ancic.
”I knew I had to play well and I definitely lifted my game in the last two sets. I had to or I would be going home. It is nice to get through a tough one like this.”
In his last four trips down under Safin had been champion and runner-up twice, missing his title defence last year with a knee injury.
Williams, unseeded here after an injury-hit 2006, ousted fifth seed Nadia Petrova, proving her fitness by coming from behind to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a gruelling 2hrs 5mins in the biggest women’s upset so far.
The 2003 and 2005 champion showed the fighting qualities that won her seven Grand Slams to set up a fourth-round match with Serb 11th seed Jelena Jankovic, who overcame Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.
”I’m excited, I’m having fun out here,” she said, revelling in beating a player who before the match said Williams no longer possessed the aura that intimidated opponents.
”I felt like I was doing everything right in the first set and then she was killing me and I was like ‘what to do?’, so I’m glad I was able to change it up,” added Williams, ranked 81 in the world.
Defending champion Federer is now on a run of 32 straight wins after having no trouble dispatching Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny, who has never beaten the Swiss in eight attempts.
In all those matches, the 24th seed has only taken two sets off the undisputed top player in the world, and failed miserably again Friday in a 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) defeat.
The victory pits Federer against exciting Serbian teen Novak Djokovic, who ended the hopes of Thai star Danai Udomchoke in four sets.
”I beat Djokovic twice last year in the Davis Cup and at Monaco. He’s definitely improved since,” said Federer,
”He’s come through his rounds fairly comfortably. Seems like he is playing pretty good. It’s a dangerous match for me, that’s for sure.”
Second seed Mauresmo showed her killer touch in trouncing Eva Birnerova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-1 to set up a fourth-round tie with another Czech Lucie Safarova.
”Yes, it can get better,” said the Frenchwoman.
”There’s still a long way to go and I’m really just trying to focus on each day and to improve and get the feeling on court. So far it has gone well but obviously it will get tougher and tougher.”
Kuznetsova displayed similar instinct in her all-Russian clash with Maria Kirilenko, humbling the 26th seed 6-1, 6-4 to remain on course for a quarterfinal against Williams.
In other matches, Russian seventh seed Elena Dementieva beat Italy’s Maria Elena Camerin while tenth seed Czech starlet Nicole Vaidisova downed Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik.
Among the men, Spanish seventh seed Tommy Robredo beat Sam Querrey of the United States while ninth seed Ancic ended the run of Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty. — AFP
