Defending champion Jennifer Capriati survived a marathon second-set tie-break to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in Melbourne today.
Capriati and Italian Rita Grande, the 20th seed, were given a standing ovation after the US top seed won 6-3, 7-6.
The tie-breaker was taken 11/9 by Capriati - but only on her fourth match point after she had saved two set points.
The drama was such that at 9/9 Capriati was about to serve when the umpire stopped her and told the two players to change ends. Grande then sent a forehand long and double-faulted to go out.
A relieved Capriati said: "I didn't even know the score - I was just trying to suck air. In the second set she played really well, really picked up her game and was not missing at all". Capriati next plays 1999 runner-up and seventh seed Amelie Mauresmo after the French woman beat German Marlene Weingartner 6-0, 4-6, 7-5. Also through is sixth seed Justine Henin, a 6-0, 6-3 winner over 12th seeded Russian Elena Dementieva.
The other half of the draw has Venus Williams against Monica Seles and Martina Hingis against Italian Adriana Serra Zanetti.