Agassi Comeback Win, Gonzo Tops Safin Wednesday at LA

Third seed Fernando Gonzalez claimed his third win in three months over Marat Safin to reach the quarterfinals of the Countrywide Classic in Los Angeles Wednesday. The hard-hitting Chilean brushed aside Safin 6-4, 6-2, repeating recent victories over the Russian at Wimbledon and Roland Garros.

"It's another tough match for me that is really disappointing because I played quite well yesterday," Safin said. "But I guess it will take me some time to get back from the injury. I'm working because the confidence is everything in tennis. I guess I'll have to play a lot of matches, a lot of tournaments to be able to play well. Let's see what's going to happen and wait for the best times."

For the second consecutive match (Muller), Gonzalez faced just two break points and saved both. He next faces four-time winner and defending champion Andre Agassi.

Agassi fired down 18 aces, winning 44 of 50 points on first serve, in his 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-1 night-match win over Bastl in one hour and 42 minutes.

"As the match went on I tried to find my level," Agassi said. "Early in the second I said to myself I really need to pick up the pace of my ground strokes. It feels good to find my game out here. Tonight I found myself playing at a level I had not been before in the last few months. The way I was reacting and moving tonight made me feel like this is the last little piece to keep me going."

Top seed Andy Roddick, a finalist in Indianapolis last week, charged into the second round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over South African Rik de Voest. Roddick went down 0/40 when serving for the match but fought back to close out the game and the match 6-4, 6-4.

Sixth seed Tommy Haas, chasing his third title on US hard courts this season, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win over Chilean Paul Capdeville.

The German former World No. 2 will play American Paul Goldstein, who defeated Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 6-4. Goldstein is chasing his third semifinal appearance of the season (Las Vegas, Houston).
-- ATP