MELBOURNE, Jan 31: Marat Safin is looking confidently towards winning more grand slam tennis tournaments after breaking through for his first victory at the Australian Open.

The Russian fourth seed got the monkey off his back with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 triumph over Lleyton Hewitt in Sunday's final to add the Australian title to the 2000 US Open crown when he beat Pete Sampras in straight sets.

Safin recovered from a horrible beginning when he conceded a double service break to surge home and dash Hewitt's hopes of becoming the first home winner of the Australian Open since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

The likeable Russian was desperate not to become the ninth man in the professional era of tennis to lose three consecutive grand slam finals and grew in confidence after looking out of it in an error-ridden opening set.

Safin lost to Roger Federer in straight sets in last year's final and was upset by Swedish 16th seed Thomas Johansson in the 2002 final. But now the 25-year-old Russian has plenty of optimism ahead for the remaining three grand slams, particularly on the clay at Roland Garros and on hard court at the US Open.

"It's a relief for me. Two grand slams, it's already something. But with this one I worked really hard for it," he said. "Basically, I would love to win a couple more. I think I have a chance if I continue this way.

"If (coach) Peter Lundgren will stick around with me and wants to work with me for a bit longer, I think I can make it. "Of course, if I have the opportunity to become number one in the world, I would love to achieve it, but I already have (November 2000).

"But I want concentrate a little bit more on the grand slams." A Safin victory at Wimbledon is unlikely however. "I don't feel comfortable on that surface," he said. "I'll play, but with no expectations. Every year I go and practice, spending so much time on the practice court.

"But all of a sudden you come and play to guys that don't even know to get in the main draw." Safin ended world number one Federer's all-conquering run with a sensational come-from-behind victory in the semi-finals.

He claimed the last two sets to upset the Swiss defending champion 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (8/6), 9-7 in 4hrs 28min in what will be remembered as one of the greatest matches in Australian Open history. Federer had been the raging favourite to carry off his third straight grand slam crown after winning Wimbledon and US Open last year.

The victory snapped Federer's unbeaten 26-match run stretching back to last August and it was the first time a top-10 player had eclipsed the world's premier player after 24 straight wins since Federer last lost to former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero in October 2003.

American Andre Agassi refused to speculate on whether he would be back in Melbourne for another crack at the Australian title after he was outplayed by Federer in the fourth round. The 34-year-old eight-time grand slam winner was left shell shocked by Federer with a clinical 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, victory.

"It's disappointing," Agassi said. "I've spent a lot of years coming down here and having some real memorable matches and leaving with the trophy. I'd wanted tonight to be memorable but it's one I'd probably prefer to forget."

Asked if he knew whether he would return next year, Agassi was non-committal. "No. That would be my plan, but a year's a long time," he said. Second seed Andy Roddick served 31 aces and hit 66 winners but was still bounced out in the semi-finals by Hewitt, who came from behind to win 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4), 6-1.

Roddick's game fell away in a welter of unforced errors in a lopsided fourth set as Hewitt surged into the final. It was the second time Roddick had lost in an Australian Open semi-final having been defeated by German Rainer Schuettler in 2003.

Hewitt got to the semi-final through epic five setters against Spanish prodigy and Argentine ninth seed David Nalbandian. Hewitt's obsession to become the first home winner of the Australian Open for almost three decades upset a few of his rivals along the way.

The tournament reached flash point during Hewitt's third-round encounter with Juan Ignacio Chela when the Argentine spat towards him during a changeover in the fourth set. Chela was subsequently fined 2,000 US dollars for "un sports manlike conduct."

The financial penalty was one of the heaviest issued at a grand slam since Britain's Greg Rusedski was fined 2,500 USD for an expletive-laden tirade at Wimbledon in 2003. -AFP