Safin, Federer cruise through

Top seed and defending champion Jennifer Capriati booked her fourth round place at the Australian Open on Saturday but looked far from comfortable during her 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 win over Eleni Daniilidou.

The world number one struggled with her serve and movement around the court against the big-hitting Greek.

Capriati is suffering with a niggling hip injury and called for courtside attention from a trainer several times during the match. She had both thighs heavily strapped.

"She was a tough opponent today. I'd never played this girl before and never seen her play so it was important for me to pull through this one," Capriati said.

"I had to fight for it which is good for me."

Fourth seed Kim Clijsters had no such problems, though, ruthlessly ending wildcard Cindy Watson's dreams 6-1, 6-2 at Melbourne Park.

But American 10th seed Meghann Shaughnessy was dumped out, beaten 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 by unseeded German Marlene Weingartner.

In the men's field, ninth seed Marat Safin advanced with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over fellow Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

But Safin landed himself in hot water after reacting furiously to being given a code violation after a ball he struck hit a line judge.

In-form Roger Federer cruised into the fourth round with a 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 win over German Rainer Schuettler.

Federer has not dropped a set all tournament and is now one of the favourites for the title after winning a lead-up event in Sydney last week.

UNDER PRESSURE

"It was hot out there and I was struggling a bit, but managed to stay cool under pressure," the Swiss 11th seed said.

Federer meets German seventh seed Tommy Haas in the fourth round after Haas outlasted American Todd Martin 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Haas twice fought his way back from a set down before finally sealing victory in an epic match that lasted three hours 40 minutes on a sweltering hot day at Melbourne Park.

Chile's former world number one Marcelo Rios reached the fourth round for the first time in four years when he downed Spaniard Alberto Martin 6-4, 6-3, 7-6.

Runner-up here in 1998, Rios is unseeded after struggling with injuries last year but completely dominated the first two sets against Martin, who shocked ailing world number one Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the first round.

Rios plays Nicolas Lapentti in the next round after the Ecuadorian battled back from two sets down to beat Argentine Gaston Gaudio in a four-hour 11 minutes five-set marathon.

Lapentti had looked down and out while trailing by two sets on hot Melbourne day, but mustered all his energy to prevail 4-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.

Capriati breezed her way through the opening set as Daniilidou took time to find her range. When she did find it, though, she was devastating.

UNFORCED ERRORS

Having lost the first set Daniilidou raced through the second 6-3 with some powerful hitting and serve-volleying.

Her inexperience told in the third set, though, as she allowed Capriati to change the momentum and the American polished off the win.

Clijsters's win could have been even more emphatic - the Belgian's serve was at times shaky and she committed 24 unforced errors to Watson's 18.

But Clijsters still had plenty in reserve as she brushed aside Australian Watson in a mere 47 minutes on the Vodafone Arena court.

Clijsters will face Slovakian Janette Husarova in the fourth round. She would then most likely face compatriot and sixth seed Justine Henin in the quarter-finals.

Shaughnessy required courtside treatment for a back complaint during her match.

She fought on but her movement was hampered. Weingartner, who had never before made it past the third round of a grand slam event, played with her left thigh heavily strapped in what at times looked like a battle of the walking wounded.

Weingartner will play seventh seed Amelie Mauresmo who was too powerful for Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn. The French woman won 7-6, 6-1.

Federer was pushed all the way by Schuettler in their match but was able to raise his game on the big points to complete a straight sets win.

In-form Roger Federer cruised into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday with a 7-6 7-6 6-4 win over German Rainer Schuettler.

Federer has not dropped a set all tournament and is now one of the favourites for the title after winning a lead-up event in Sydney last week.

The 11th-seeded Swiss was pushed all the way by Schuettler but was able to raise his game on the big points to complete a straight sets win.

He plays either Tommy Haas or Todd Martin for a place in the quarter-finals.

Also read:
- Unpredictable Rios conquers Martin
- Paes-Bhupathi crash out in round two
- Venus, Seles survive scares to advance at Open
- Venus says she's bored by tennis

Images from the Australian Open:
Day 5 | Day 4 | Day 3 | Day 2 | Day 1