Davenport, Coria, Agassi advance at US Open
(AP)
Updated: 2005-09-06 10:23

NEW YORK (AP) _ Lindsay Davenport reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open with in straight sets Monday, while eighth-seeded Guillermo Coria needed more than 4 1/2 hours to subdue Chile's Nicolas Massu in the longest match of the tournament.

The No. 2-seeded Davenport took 57 minutes to dispatch 15th-seeded Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy, 6-0, 6-3, while Massu needed to rally to beat Massu, 6-4, 2-6, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2 in a match that saw the two exchange words in the final set.

No. 7 Andre Agassi also advanced, beating back Belgium's Xavier Malisse 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-2.

Other featured matches Monday, the American Labor Day holiday, included No. 6 Elena Dementieva, last year's runner-up, against No. 11 Patty Schnyder, and No. 7 Justine Henin-Hardenne against Mary Pierce in a night match that was a replay of the French Open final.

Davenport, who next plays the Dementieva-Schnyder winner, hasn't lost a set since the tournament began, hasn't had a match last longer than 71 minutes and has lost only 18 games in four rounds.

"Today was the best match I've played since Wimbledon," Davenport said. "It's the kind of tennis I want to play."

Davenport, who won the U.S. Open in 1998, made only eight unforced errors in reaching the quarterfinals for the 11th time in 12 events this season. She is seeking her third final this year in a Grand Slam.

"I want to win this title again," Davenport said. "I think that you are really, at the end of the day, judged on how many Grand Slam titles you have, and probably how many titles you have."

Coria required 4:32 to prevail over Massu, breaking the Chilean twice in the final set. He celebrated by thrusting his arms upward, bending to one knee and putting a finger in the air to resemble Chilean and River Plate striker Marcelo Salas, and hopping the net to shake Massu's hand.

The handshake was almost a hand slap after the two exchanged words during the changeover following the third game of the final set.

Coria gestured at Massu from his chair, causing the Chilean to walk toward him. An official stepped between them, Massu did not encroach past the umpire's chair, and eventually sat down while Coria continued to speak to him.

Coria broke Massu in the next game to go up 3-1 and broke him again in the final game.

The victory sent him to a quarterfinal meeting against either No. 13 Richard Gasquet of France or Robby Ginepri, who met later in the day.

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