New York, Sep 01: Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Lindsay Davenport all advanced to the quarter-finals Sunday at the US Open. A pumped-up Andre Agassi polished off former world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3 7-6 6-4 on Sunday to reach the U.S. Open fourth round. He was followed into the winners' circle by a restrained Andy Roddick who let his tennis do all the talking in a brutal 6-1 6-3 6-3 demolition of Brazilian Flavio Saretta. Having been accused of influencing linesmen with his animated behaviour by Ivan Ljubicic in a charged second-round clash, Roddick was subdued throughout the 87-minute match. His tennis certainly did not suffer, however, and he heads into the next match against Belgian Xavier Malisse or Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov a deserved favourite to win his first grand slam. Top seed and world number one Agassi barely put a foot wrong once his match, held over from Saturday night, resumed under cloudless skies with the American leading 6-3 0-1.


Twice a winner at Flushing Meadows and three-times runner- up, including last year, the 33-year-old Agassi underlined his determination to win a ninth grand slam with a top-notch performance.


Earlier, 22nd seed Younes El Aynaoui thrilled a Grandstand Court crowd with a pulsating 7-6 5-7 3-6 6-3 7-6 win over 10th-seeded Czech Jiri Novak. The delighted Moroccan ripped off his shirt and hurled his rackets into the crowd after clinching victory. El Aynaoui meets Spain's Carlos Moya in the fourth round.

In the women's draw, third seed Lindsay Davenport became the first woman through to the quarter-finals when she struggled past Russian Nadia Petrova 6-0 6-7 6-2. Davenport, the 1998 U.S. Open champion, had a pain-killing injection in her toe before the season's last grand slam, and she appeared to be moving gingerly towards the end of the one hour 52 minute match.


Davenport next meets Paola Suarez, the 24th seed from Argentina, or Russian Elena Likhovtseva in the last eight.



New Yorker James Blake was taught a lesson by an imperious Roger Federer, the second seed and Wimbledon champion winning 6-3 7-6 6-3, and in the women's draw 17th seed Meghann Shaughnessy was walloped 6-2 6-4 by world number one Kim Clijsters.


Belgian top seed Clijsters will next meet fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France, who overpowered Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-2 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals. Federer next meets David Nalbandian of Argentina.


Nalbandian, who leads Federer 4-0 in matches played, saw off Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis 7-5 6-7 6-3 6-2.


Bureau Report