Federer survives scare

Roger Federer passed his first serious test at the Australian Open yesterday by beating unseeded Tommy Haas in five sets to reach the quarter-finals of the first grand slam of the year.

The world number one's game inexplicably fell apart after he had cruised into a two-set lead but he regained his composure in time to win 6-4 6-0 3-6 4-6 6-2.

"I wouldn't call it an escape tonight. I was up two sets to love so I was never really close to losing this match," Federer said.

"I like to be pushed like this. I'm happy I had a tough one now and I'm still in the tournament."

Federer's Swiss compatriot Martina Hingis also drew on her vast experience as a former Open champion to survive a testing fourth round match with Samantha Stosur, the last local player in the draw.

Playing her first grand slam since the 2002 US Open, Hingis held her nerve in a tense second set to win 6-1 7-6 and reach the last eight without dropping a set.

"This is definitely one of the more relieving matches I've had," said Hingis, who returned to tennis this month after a three-year break.

Hingis was given a wildcard entry and is the only unseeded player left in a women's draw that features seven of the eight highest-ranked players in the world, including six who have held the number one ranking.

Hingis will play second seed Kim Clijsters tomorrow after the Belgian, who has been troubled by hip and back problems, limped into the quarter-finals with a 7-6 6-4 win over Italian Francesca Schiavone.

"My injury's not gone. The pain is gone because of the tablets I'm taking," Clijsters said.

"So that's a good sign that I can be out there and play without feeling the pain. But I know that once I get home there's going to be some work to do."

Third seed Amelie Mauresmo sounded a warning that this could finally be her year with another power-packed display, hammering Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova 6-1 6-1 in just 52 minutes.

Mauresmo, yet to win a grand slam singles title, will meet Patty Schnyder for a place in the semi-finals after the Swiss seventh seed overwhelmed Anastasia Myskina 6-2 6-1.

On the men's side, matches all went according to script, with Russian Nikolay Davydenko, Nicolas Kiefer of Germany and Sebastien Grosjean of France all winning.

Fifth seed Davydenko recovered from two sets down to beat Dominik Hrbaty 4-6 4-6 6-4 6-2 6-3, ending the Slovakian ironman's incredible run in the tournament.

Hrbaty became just the fifth player since tennis turned professional in 1968 to play four consecutive five-set matches but the effort had obviously taken its toll.

"I was already tired after the second five-setter, it was already quite enough," Hrbaty said.

Grosjean thrashed compatriot Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-5 6-2 6-2 to reach the last eight for the fourth time. The 25th seed's next opponent is Kiefer, seeded 21, who dismissed Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela 7-6 6-3 6-3.

Federer looked to be cruising to his fourth consecutive straight-sets win when he ripped through the first two sets in an hour before Haas staged a remarkable fightback to force the match into a deciding fifth set.

"When you play him, it's great to jump on him, get right on top and show him that you're there and in for a battle," Haas said. "I think I pushed him as much as I could today."

Federer saved his best for last, hitting 18 clean winners in the final set and making just six unforced errors. He got the vital break in the sixth game when his German opponent missed an easy volley and broke again in the eighth game to set up a clash with Davydenko.

Today's QFs: (men) Nalbandian vs Santoro; Ljubicic vs Baghdatis. (Women) Sharapova vs Petrova; Davenport vs Henin-Hardenne.