January 20, 2003	Monday	Ziqa'ad 16, 1423

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MELBOURNE, Jan 19: Justine Henin-Hardenne fought through the pain barrier to win a dramatic three-hour battle with former world number one Lindsay Davenport to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals here in Sunday.

Henin-Hardenne, who had never beaten ninth-seeded Davenport in five previous meetings, clinched a 7-5, 5-7, 9-7 victory despite collapsing in agony towards the end of the 3hr 13min epic.

In the men’s tournament it was a routine day for second seed Andre Agassi, who made it safely into the quarter-finals after Argentinian opponent Guillermo Coria retired injured with Agassi leading 6-1, 3-1.

In energy-sapping afternoon heat, Belgian fifth seed Henin-Hardenne beat Davenport in the most compelling match of the Grand Slam event so far.

Henin-Hardenne collapsed with cramps after attempting to serve at 0-15 down and the match poised at 7-7 in the final set.

When she returned she produced a second service ace and held before clinching the match.

Henin-Hardenne will now play Spain’s Virginia Ruano Pascual in the next round, who defeated the Czech Republic’s Denisa Chladkova 6-3, 6-3 in their fourth round match earlier on Sunday.

There was an unconvincing win for women’s second seed Venus Williams, who looked way off her best in disposing of Australia’s Nicole Pratt 6-3, 6-2.

Four-time Grand Slam winner Williams will play Daniela Hantuchova in the next round after the Slovakian seventh seed earned a 7-5, 6-3 win over Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder.

After Williams’ shaky performance, Hantuchova will fancy her chances of causing problems again for an opponent she took to three sets in last year’s Open.

It was a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance from Williams, who mixed some ballistic groundstrokes and wonderful work at the net with a high number of unforced errors and a patchy service game.

In the men’s event, second seed Agassi will face Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean in the quarter-finals, after fourth round opponent Guillermo Coria retired injured as Agassi led 6-1, 3-1.

Grosjean, the 12th seed, defeated Spaniard Felix Mantilla 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, battling from two sets down to advance.

Spanish fourth seed Juan Carlos Ferrero meanwhile had too much class for young Croatian Mario Ancic.

Ferrero advanced to his first Grand Slam quarter-final outside his preferred French Open with a 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 win in 1hr 41min.

The Spaniard will play South African Wayne Ferreira in the last eight on Tuesday.

Ferrero is treating an adductor muscle injury with anti-inflammatories, message and unltrasound.

Ferrero’s quarter-final opponent Ferreira progressed with a 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Armenia’s Sargis Sargsian.

Fourth round results (prefix number denotes seeding):

MEN’S:

12-Sebastien Grosjean (France) beat Felix Mantilla (Spain) 3-6 2-6 6-3 6-3 6-3; 2-Andre Agassi (U.S.) beat Guillermo Coria (Argentina) 6-1 3-1 retired; Wayne Ferreira (South Africa) beat Sargis Sargsian (Armenia) 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3; 4-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat Mario Ancic (Croatia) 6-0 6-3 6-2

WOMEN’S:

5-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) beat 9-Lindsay Davenport (U.S.) 7-5 5-7 9-7; Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain) beat Denisa Chladkova (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-3; 2-Venus Williams (U.S.) beat Nicole Pratt (Australia) 6-3 6-2; 7-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat 12-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 7-5 6-3—AFP/Reuters