Glamour girls bite the dust

Glamour girls bite the dust
PHILIPPE NAUGHTON

MELBOURNE, JAN 23: Americans Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras are on course for a semi-final clash of the titans at the Australian Open after impressive fourth-round victories at Melbourne Park on Sunday.

World number one Agassi dropped his first set of the tournament as he swerved past local hero Mark Philippoussis, while Sampras, seeded three after a difficult 1999, also took four sets to down Czech Slava Dosedel 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-1.

The big upset of the women's draw came from Japan's Ai Sugiyama, who beat former champion Mary Pierce 7-5 6-4 with a superb counter-punching display.``It's great. This is the first time I've reached the quarter-finals,'' said Sugiyama, after the best Japanese showing at a Grand Slam since Kimiko Date made the semi-finals of Wimbledon in 1996.

Former teen queen Jennifer Capriati reached her first Australian Open quarter-final in seven years by beating Switzerland's Patty Schnyder, while Anna Kournikova fell victim to her fourth-round jinx, losing 6-4 6-3 to second seed LindsayDavenport.

Capraiti now 23, confirmed her return to the top flight with a 6-3 4-6 6-1 win over the talented Schnyder. The last time Capriati made the quarter-finals in Melbourne was in 1993. She was just 16, with a shiny new olympic gold medal and a virtually unlimited potential.

Joining her will be another losing quarter-finalist from the 1993 Open. France's Julie Halard-Decugis was leading Jana Kandarr 6-1 3-0 when the German retired hurt.

The mercurial Halard will next meet world number two Davenport, who was typically efficient as she downed Kournikova 6-4 6-3.

Hicham Arazi took the Moroccan flag on a victory tour of Melbourne Park after beating Frenchman Nicolas Escude. He was joined by compatriot Younes El Aynaoui, who won his delayed third-round match against Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero. Arazi is the only male player yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Tennessee journeyman Chris Woodruff ousted Britain's Tim Henman, beating the 11th seed 7-5 1-6 6-4 3-6 7-5 in an error-strewn marathon on awindy outside showcourt. Woodruff's victory takes him to his first quarter-final in 12 Grand Slam outings. His next opponent, Sampras, has already won 12 Grand Slam singles titles and is hoping to leave Melbourne with a record 13th.
(Reuters)

AP adds: Agassi's cunning and consistency overwhelmed Philippoussis' brute power so thoroughly that the frustrated Australian smashed his racket into the shape of a gnarled Zucchini. ``I had to let some frustration out or else I'd kill someone. Better to do it with the racket,'' Philippoussis said. ``I was just thinking I'm glad I'm not the racket,'' said Agassi.

Agassi served just eight aces in the match, but committed only 25 unforced errors to Philippoussis' 55. Next up for Agassi is Morocco's Hiram Arazi, a 6-4 6-37-6 (7) victor over Frenchman Nicolas Escude.

Results

Men's singles (4th round): 1-Andre Agassi (US) bt 16-Mark Philippoussis (Aus) 6-4 7-6 (7/4) 5-7 6-3; 3-Pete Sampras (US) bt Slava Dosedel (Cze) 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-1;Chris Woodruff (US) bt 11-Tim Henman (GBR) 7-5 1-6 6-4 3-6 7-5; Hiram Arazi (Mor) bt Nicolas Escude (Fra) 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-5). 3rd round: Younes El Aynaoui (Mor) bt Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa) 7-6 4-6 4-6 7-6 6-4.
Doubles (3rd round): 8-Wayne Black (Zim)/ Andrew Kratzmann (Aus) bt Lleyton Hewitt/ Sandon Stolle (Aus) 6-4 6-4; 11-Jiri Novak/ David Rikl (Cze) bt Simon Aspelin/ Johan Landsberg (Swe) 4-6 6-2 8-6; Joshua Eagle/ Andrew Florent (Aus) bt 14-Martin Damm (Cze)/ Max Mirnyi (Blr) 2-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-2
Women's singles (4th round): 2-Lindsay Davenport (US) bt 11-Anna Kournikova (Rus) 6-4 6-3; Ai Sugiyama (Jpn) bt 4-Mary Peirce (Fra) 7-5 6-4; 9-Julie Halard-Decugis (Fra) bt Jana Kandarr (Ger) 6-1 3-0 retired hurt; Jennifer Capriati (US) bt Patty Schnyder (Swi) 6-3 4-6 6-1
Doubles (3rd round): Erika de Lone (US)/ Nicole Pratt (Aus) bt Annabel Ellwood (Aus)/ Rika Hiraki (Jpn) 6-3 2-6 6-3. 2nd round: Debbie Graham (US)/ Nana Miyagi (Jpn) bt Irina Spirlea (Rom)/ Caroline Vis(Ned) 7-6 (10/8) 6-3; Els Callens/ Dominique van Roost (Bel) bt Alexandra Fusai/ Nathalie Tauziat (Fra) 6-3 6-3; Jennifer Capriati (US)/ Jelena Dokic (Aus) bt Karina Habsudova (Svk)/ Anne-Gaelle Sidot (Fra) 7-6 (7/4) 6-4.