INDIAN WELLS (California), March 16: Americans Pete Sampras and Todd Martin stole the quarterfinal spotlight at the Indian Wells Masters Friday.

Wild card Martin, 31, outplayed Russian world number three Yevgeny Kafelnikov 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 while 13-time Grand Slam winner Sampras bru0shed aside Germany’s Rainer Schuettler 6-2 6-4 to move a step closer to ending a near two-year title drought.

Britain’s Tim Henman, who has played in 48 Masters Series events but has rarely been spotted in the last four, also advanced with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Argentina’s Gaston Gaudio.

Only top seed Lleyton Hewitt’s 6-4 6-4 win over Swede Thomas Enqvist could not be mistaken for a desert mirage, the Australian world number one racing to his 16th consecutive triumph on American soil, a run stretching back to last year’s U.S. Open victory.

The $2.95 million tournament has produced some strange scenes this week, including a desert sandstorm that twice delayed play, but the strangest may be yet to come.

Can Sampras turn back the hands of time as he claims he can and go on to capture his first title since winning Wimbledon 2000?

Can Henman win the Masters title that has consistently eluded him, or can Martin complete a Goran Ivanisevic-style fairytale by winning the tournament he went begging to get into?

Playing with an authority and confidence seldom seen during his title drought, Sampras appeared to enjoy every minute on the centre court and a smile lit up his face when he broke Schuettler to go 4-1 in front in the opening set.

Schuettler, who has won more matches (19) than any other player on the ATP Tour this season, attempted to fight his way back into the contest in the second set.

But Sampras would not be denied, sending a stinging forehand passing shot by the German to make the decisive break and take a 5-4 lead, pumping his fist in delight as the crowd leapt to their feet.

The victory set up an intriguing semifinal clash with Hewitt, the man who defeated Sampras at Flushing Meadows last year to deny the American a fifth U.S. Open crown.

Unbeaten since returning to action after a bout of chickenpox sent him reeling at the Australian Open in January, the energetic Hewitt’s play has steadily gained momentum this week.

Although Hewitt had beaten Enqvist in four-of-five career meetings, the Swede represented a potentially tricky opponent having upset Australian Open champion and eighth seed Thomas Johansson in the opening round and disposed of 12th seed Roger Federer of Switzerland.

Quarterfinal results