The Russians came and the Argentinians arrive - that was the story of the third round in the women's and men's singles at the Australian Open yesterday.
After a fierce struggle with comely Slovkian Daniela Hantuchova, Russia's Elena Dementieva became the sixth of seven Russians to reach the last 16
of the women's singles event.
It remains to be seen whether they can topple top seed Lindsay Davenport (USA), who crushed Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic) 6-2, 6-4 and who will face a difficult challenge in the next round against Karolina Sprem (13th seed) who convincingly saw off another Russian, and 18th seed, Elena Likhovtseva 6-4, 6-3.
But the Russians will still have the numbers on their side as Dementieva and Anastasia Myskina joined Svetlana Kouznetsova, Vera Douchevina, Maria Sharapova, Nadia Patrova and Evgenia Linetskaya in the fourth round.
French Open champion Myskina was handed an easy passage into the fourth round when 25th seed Lisa Raymond withdrew before their match with a stomach muscle injury.
The American thrashed Czech Klara Koukalova to reach the third round but injured a left stomach muscle after only one game of a second-round doubles match on Friday.
Myskina, in a bid for her third successive appearance in the Melbourne quarter-finals, will play Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy, the 19th seed, who beat Italian Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-3, 6-3.
In the men's competition, Argentina's army of tennis baseliners soldiered into the fourth round.
French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria, highly-rated ninth seed David Nalbandian and a resurgent Guillermo Canas all marched on to guarantee Argentina at least one quarter-finalist in the first Grand Slam of 2005.
World No 2 Andy Roddick also advanced with a minimum of fuss. And don't the Argentines love it.
The sixth-seeded Coria buried 2004 semifinalist Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 to set up a showdown with Nalbandian, who joined his countryman in the last 16 with a workmanlike 6-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Chilean 23rd seed Fernando Gonzalez.
"Today I felt excellent," Coria beamed. "It was a difficult match and I had to be very focused."
Coria insisted the slower courts were not the only reason behind Argentina's strong representation in the fourth round.
"It's the attitude with Argentinian players," he said.
"They are all very young and motivated and looking forward to making history back in their own country."
Canas will joust with Davydenko for a quarter-final berth as the 12th seed continues his impressive comeback from wrist surgery.
Backing up after capturing three titles from four finals last season, the 27-year-old thumped Czech Radek Stepanek 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 to confirm his standing as the dark horse in the bottom half of the draw. Canas now stands within one more win of a likely clash with Roddick, who comfortably blew away Austrian left-hander Jurgen Melzer in straight sets. 6-2, 6-2, 7-5.
- REUTERS
The Russians came and the Argentinians arrive - that was the story of the third round in the women's and men's singles at the Australian Open yesterday.
After a fierce struggle with comely Slovkian Daniela Hantuchova, Russia's Elena Dementieva became the sixth of seven Russians to reach the last 16
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