MELBOURNE, Jan 24: Venus Williams' comeback from a six-month injury lay-off came to a sensational halt at the Australian Open Saturday as Swiss ace Roger Federer advanced safely into the fourth round.

Williams was ousted in the third round by American veteran Lisa Raymond, who gave an inspiring performance to beat her fellow American, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).

"I'm pretty much in shock," said Williams after her worst Grand Slam performance since losing in the first round of the 2001 French Open.

Raymond, who will now play French schoolgirl Tatiana Golovin in the last 16, was ecstatic after a bold gamble to attack Williams paid off.

"I couldn't have done any better today," said Raymond, who made her first appearance in a WTA event back in 1989.

Williams came to Melbourne after being sidelined with an abdominal injury for a six-month spell that also saw her have to deal with the trauma of her half-sister's murder.

Her defeat was the biggest upset on a day which saw most other seeds in the women's and men's draws win.

Williams' elimination left Belgian second seed Kim Clijsters with little competition to reach the final. Clijsters on Saturday crushed unseeded Russian Dinara Safina 6-2, 6-1.

The 20-year-old took just 57 minutes to down Safina, sister of men's star Marat Safin, and will face 20th-seeded Silvia Elia Farina of Italy in the final 16.

The top-seeded player still in her half of the draw was sixth-ranked Anastasia Myskina, who beat fellow Russian Maria Sharapova, 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.

In other play, wildcard giant-killer Golovin of France eliminated her second seeded opponent of the tournament, beating 23-ranked Russian Lina Krasnoroutskaya 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) to move to her fourth-round showdown with Raymond.

On the men's side, world number two Federer of Switzerland showed the form that won him Wimbledon last year as he blew past Australian wild card Todd Reid in straight sets 6-3, 6-0, 6-1 in an hour 14 minutes.

Federer broke the 19-year-old's service eight times and went on a run of 14 unbeaten games from 2-3 in the first set to 4-0 in the third set.

Federer will now meet Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, who has beaten the Swiss player in seven out of nine encounters and is seeking to become the first Australian to take the home Grand Slam in 28 years.

Hewitt defeated repulsed a magnificent challenge from Spanish prodigy Rafael Nadal to win 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5) 6-2 in 2hr 29min in the night match on centre court.

The pick of the men's matches saw Tim Henman lose an epic five-hour battle with Argentina's Guillermo Canas.

The English 11th seed squandered a three-game lead in the final set as Canas fought back from two sets down to clinch a remarkable 6-7 (5/7), 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 9-7 victory in 4hr 53min.

Henman was disconsolate in defeat having led 4-1 in the decider.

The other remaining Australian, Mark Philippoussis, beat Croat Mario Ancic Saturday 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.

Eighth seed David Nalbandian of Argentine lived up to his status as a dark horse to win the tournament with an impressive show of power during a 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 victory over experienced South African Wayne Ferreira. Nalbandian now plays Canas on Monday.

Elsewhere, 14th seed Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic was ousted by unseeded Romanian Andrei Pavel in a five-set marathon 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4.

Pavel now faces French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in the last 16. Ferrero defeated Swedish giant Joachim Johansson 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (5/7), 6-4.

Men's singles (Third Round): Roger Federer (SWI) bt Todd Reid (AUS) 6-3, 6-0, 6-1; David Nalbandian (ARG) bt Wayne Ferreira (RSA x31) 6-2, 6-4, 7-5; Mark Philippousis (AUS) bt Mario Ancic (CRO) 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2; Andrei Pavel (ROM) bt Jiri Novak (CZE) 4-6, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4; Juan Carlos Ferrero (SPA) bt Joachim Johansson (SWE) 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (5/7), 6-4; Guillermo Canas (ARG) bt Tim Henman (ENG) 6-7 (5/7), 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 7-5, 9-7; Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) bt Rafael Nadal (SPA) 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5), 6-2; Hicham Arazi (MOR) bt Albert Costa (SPA) 2-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2, 6-1

Women's singles (Third Round): Nathalie Dechy (FRA) bt Saori Obata (JPN) 7-5, 6-1; Silvia Farina Elia (ITA) bt Amy Frazier (USA) 4-6, 6-1, 7-5; Chanda Rubin (USA) bt Elena Likhovtseva (RUS) 6-3, 6-2; Lisa Raymond (USA) bt Venus Williams (USA x3) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5); Kim Clijsters (BEL) bt Dinara Safina (RUS) 6-2, 6-1; Tatiana Golovin (FRA) bt Lina Krasnoroutskaya (RUS) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4); Anastasia Myskina (RUS) bt Maria Sharapova (RUS) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2; Patty Schnyder (SWI) bt Paola Suarez (ARG x12) 7-5, 6-3.-Agencies