Bad day for the Brits

NEW YORK, SEPT. 1. Belgian Xavier Malisse shocked ninth-seeded Brit Tim Henman 6-7 (8-6), 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 in the U.S. Open on Saturday to pull of a major third round upset.

Malisse was watched throughout the match by his new coach David Felgate, the man who coached Henman for nine years before they parted company this spring.

Henman struggled on his serve throughout the three hour, 47 minute clash posting 14 double faults and only four aces and was inconsistent on his forehand.

The 43rd-ranked Malisse, who hit 62 winners and made 39 unforced errors to Henman's 37 winners and 68 unforced errors, had trailed the Briton 3-0 in the final set.

But once the Belgian levelled at 3-3 in the final set, he turned his game up a notch to go on to clinch the set and the game.

Another Brit, Greg Rusedski followed Tim Henman. As the 30th seed was upset by Argentina's Mariano Zabaleta 6-7 (5- 7), 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2).

Easy for Rafter

Patrick Rafter, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras advanced into the fourth-round with straight set victories.

Three-time champion Sampras beat 54th-ranked Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 and two-time champion Agassi downed qualifier Ramon Delgado of Paraguay 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3.

Another two-time champion Patrick Rafter got past Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, 6-2 to book a date with Sampras, who last won a title when he beat the Australian in last year's Wimbledon final.

Agassi, Rafter and Sampras have combined for eight U.S. Open titles, including seven in a row before Russia's Marat Safin upset Sampras in last year's final. But only one of them can reach the semifinals from the toughest quarter of the draw.

The draw is much easier for the reigning champion Safin, the third seed who beat Morocco's Hicham Arazi 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). Swede Thomas Johansson, Safin's next opponent, is the lone seed between the Russian and the semifinals.

Swiss 13th seed Roger Federer had a straight sets win over Dutchman Sjeng Schalken 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3). Federer now faces Andre Agassi.

``The guy has a big game,'' Agassi said. ``There are going to be problems. I'm going out there asking myself to play my best and looking forward to the challenge.''

The women's fourth-round field was completed, with second-seeded Jennifer Capriati, the fourth seed, Venus Williams, fifth-seeded Kim Clijsters and eighth-seeded Amelie Mauresmo advancing with straight-set victories.

Williams ousted fellow American Lisa Raymond 6-3, 6-4 in 62 minutes and will now face 18th seed Sandrine Testud of France. Williams was unhappy with her powerful serve after seven double faults and two aces.

``I just didn't serve as well as I wanted to,'' Williams said. ``It seems like I can pull my serve together or pull my serve out when I need to. I'm pretty confident with my serve and what I can do with it.''

Australian and French Open champion Capriati conquered Spain's Virginia Ruano-pascual 6-4, 6-4 rallying from a 4-2 first-set deficit to advance into a match-up with Austrian 19th seed Barbara Schett.

Belgium's Clijsters defeated Slovakia's Henrieta Nagyova 6-3, 7-5 to book a date with Russia's Elena Dementieva and French woman Amelie Mauresmo, a four-time WTA winner this year, downed American Chanda Rubin 7-5, 7-5. She next plays compatriot Nathalie Tauziat.

The results (prefix denotes seedings):

Women: Third round: 2-Jennifer Capriati (U.S.) bt Virginia Ruano Pascual (Esp) 6-4, 6-4; 4-Venus Williams (U.S.) bt Lisa Raymond (Usa X30) 6-3, 6-4; 9-Nathalie Tauziat (Fra) bt Jana Nejedly (Can) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3; 11-Elena Dementieva (Rus) bt 17-Anke Huber (Ger) 6-3, 7-5; 18-Sandrine Testud (Fra) bt Maja Matevzic (Slo) 6-2, 6-0; 19-Barbara Schett (Aut) bt Alicia Molik (Aus) 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Kim Clijsters (Bel) bt Henrieta Nagyova (Svk) 6-3, 7- 5; Amelie Mauresmo (Fra) bt Chanda Rubin (U.S.) 7-5, 7-5.

Men: Third round: 2-Andre Agassi (U.S.) bt Ramon Delgado (Par) 7- 5, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; 3-Marat Safin (Rus) bt 28-Hicham Arazi (Mor) 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5); 6-Patrick Rafter (Aus) bt 26-Nicolas Lapentti (Ecu) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, 6-2; Xavier Malisse (bel) bt 9-Tim Henman (Gbr) 6-7 (6-8), 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 6- 4; 13-Roger Federer (Sui) bt 24-Sjeng Schalken (Ned) 6-4, 7-5, 7- 6 (7-3); 14-Thomas Johansson (Swe) bt Marcelo Rios (Chi) 6-4, 2- 6, 6-3, 6-2; Mariano Zabaleta (Arg) bt 30-Greg Rusedski (Gbr) 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2).

10-Pete Sampras (U.S.) bt Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

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