MELBOURNE, 26 January 2004 — Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Lindsay Davenport kept the stars and stripes flying high above Melbourne Park yesterday with a trio of sizzling performances in the Australian Open fourth round.
Defending champion Agassi blazed a trail into the quarterfinals, blasting away Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan 7-6, 6-3, 6-4.
He was swiftly joined by top seed Andy Roddick who made beating Dutchman Sjeng Schalken look as easy as 1-2-3 — triumphing 6-1, 6-2, 6-3.
Women’s fifth seed Davenport was just as emphatic, beating 11th seed Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-3, a thrashing that left the Russian in tears.
Davenport will play Justine Henin-Hardenne next after the top seed remained on track for a first Australian Open crown with an economical 6-1, 7-6 defeat of unorthodox Italian Mara Santangelo.
France’s fourth seed Amelie Mauresmo also advanced, made to fight all the way before beating brave local hope Alicia Molik 7-5 7-5.
Agassi recovered from an early loss of serve to win the first set against Paradorn and never looked back.
Agassi will meet Sebastien Grosjean for a place in the semis after the Frenchman beat American Robby Ginepri 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Roddick followed Agassi on to Rod Laver Arena center court and took just 79 minutes to wipe Schalken.
The Dutchman simply had no answer to Roddick’s power off the ground or pace of serve.
Roddick will next face former world number one Marat Safin after the Russian overpowered American James Blake 7-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.
The match featured a spectacular shot from Safin to break Blake a final time when the Russian appeared to throw the racket at the ball — an illegal shot.
Blake refused to blame that one point for the defeat.
Safin said: “It was just pure luck, 100 percent. I think I just threw it...I don’t know how it happened.”
