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WASHINGTON, Aug 4: Former world number one Marat Safin booked a spot in the quarter-finals of the Legg Mason Classic with a 7-6, 7-6 victory over top seed James Blake on Thursday.
Blake, the 2002 champion, sprayed his shots all over the court and never found his rhythm against Safin, a two-time Grand Slam winner whose ranking has plummeted to 92 following a string of injuries.
Joining Safin in the last eight will be third seed Lleyton Hewitt, who served his way to a 6-1, 6-4 triumph over Germany's Denis Gremelmayr.
In the last eight, Hewitt will face 11th seed Arnaud Clement of France, who blasted nine aces and never lost his serve during a 6-3, 6-2 upset of fifth seed Dominik Hrbaty.
Elsewhere, American Mardy Fish also advanced with a 6-3, 6-1 whipping of Andrea Stoppini, the Italian who stunned Andre Agassi in straight sets on Tuesday.
Thursday’s results:
Third round: 7-Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) beat Hyung-Taik Lee (South Korea) 6-7 (10-12), 7-5, 6-3; 14-Tim Henman (Britain) beat Jan-Michael Gambill (US) 6-1, 6-3; Wesley Moodie (South Africa) beat Kenneth Carlsen (Denmark) 6-3 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (8-6); Marat Safin (Russia) beat 1-James Blake (US) 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5); 8-Andy Murray (Britain) beat 12-Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 7-5, 6-2; 16-Mardy Fish (US) beat Andrea Stoppini (Italy) 6-3, 6-1; 3-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat Denis Gremelmayr (Germany) 6-1, 6-4; 11-Arnaud Clement (France) beat 5-Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) 6-3, 6-2.
INTRIGUING CLASH
SAN DIEGO: Top-seed Kim Clijsters tested the limits of her endurance with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Jelena Jankovic to move into the quarter-finals of the Acura Classic on Thursday.
Clijsters was joined by second seed Maria Sharapova, who beat fellow Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-4.
Sharapova will face Mary Pierce in the quarters after the defending champion blitzed Finland's Emma Laine 6-2, 6-1.
Belgian Clijsters will face eight seed Martina Hingis in an intriguing last-eight clash after the Swiss beat Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
In other matches, fourth seed Elena Dementieva of Russia came back from a break down in the third set to beat India's Sania Mirza 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
She will face fifth seed Patty Schnyder, who beat Argentine Paola Suarez 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
Czech seventh seed Nicole Vaidisova defeated Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-2 and will play 19-year-old Russian Anna Chakvetadze, who upset 14th seed Ana Ivanovic 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Results:
Third round: 8-Martina Hingis (Switzerland) beat 12-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1; 6-Mary Pierce (France) beat Emma Laine (Finland) 6-2, 6-1; 2-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 6-4, 6-4; 5-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat Paola Suarez (Argentina) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1; Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) beat 14-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia & Montenegro) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1; 1-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Jelena Jankovic (Serbia and Montenegro) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; 4-Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat Sania Mirza (India) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3; 7-Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic) beat 11-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) 6-4, 6-2.—Reuters
