Safin ends Ferrero's hopes

The third-round contest had the potential to produce fireworks since Australian Open [Images] champion Safin had accused the Spaniard of acting like a 14-year-old after losing to him in the second round in Hamburg earlier this month.

But the Russian third seed stuck to his task on court and ended the challenge of the 2003 Roland Garros champion with an emphatic smash after three hours 45 minutes.

"I think the crowd should get a video cassette of this match because it was a classic," said Safin as he left court with sweat dripping off his face.

"I'm taking this tournament very seriously and in this sort of match you have to take your opportunities when they come."

The 25-year-old Safin has been a crowd favourite in Paris since reaching the fourth round as a qualifier in 1998 and treated the crowd to a high quality contest.

Although Safin has often been undone by his own volatile temperament, on Saturday he simply kept a lid on his emotions as he attempted to secure his first win in two years over the Spaniard.

Fererro, who is on the comeback trail after illness and injury ruined his 2004 season, held an early break in each set, only to see Safin wipe out the advantage on another sweltering day in the French capital.

"I had many chances to win...but when you don't take them, you go to the shower losing.

"Against Safin, you have to be 100 percent to win ... but today he just surprised me physically. He didn't look tired and just fought till the end."

After Safin had edged into a two-set lead, Ferrero finally broke the pattern in the third when the Russian appeared to take his foot off the pedal.

The players stepped up the pace in the fourth as each searched for the vital breakthrough.

Trading searing groundstrokes from the baseline, there was little to separate the pair as they headed into a tiebreak.

But with victory in sight, the world number four eventually piled on the pressure by racing into a 6-2 lead.

One match point was all he needed in the end as he kept his eye on the ball to punch away the smash and take his place in the last 16 for the second year running.

He will next face another Spaniard, Tommy Robredo, who overwhelmed compatriot David Sanchez.

© Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.