Mauresmo is left defenseless

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA —  Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo and third-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova dropped out in upsets today, and Andy Roddick survived a five-setter to remain alive in the Australian Open.

The second-seeded Mauresmo dropped a 6-4, 6-3 decision to 70th-ranked Lucie Safarova, and Kuznetsova fell, 6-4, 6-2, to Shahar Peer in the women’s fourth round.

The sixth-seeded Roddick defeated No. 9 Mario Ancic, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, to set up a men’s quarterfinal against old friend and housemate Mardy Fish.

“I felt like at the end of the fourth set he had the momentum and was really being offensive in the points,” Roddick said. “I knew that in the fifth set, win or lose, I had to turn the tables on the aggression. I was lucky to get through.”

The unseeded Fish was the first men’s player into the quarters, beating No. 16 David Ferrer, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 7-5. Fish lived with Roddick and his family for a year in 1999 and said the pair were like brothers.

In a post-match interview with former No. 1 Jim Courier, Roddick joked that Fish could repay the rent by losing the quarterfinal.

“I have a hard time thinking he’s going to agree with it, but heck, I might as well propose it,” Roddick said.

Mauresmo lost to a 19-year-old Czech player who had won only one match in six previous Grand Slam tournaments.

“It’s amazing. I still can’t believe it,” Safarova said. “I’m so happy. It’s incredible.”

It was Safarova’s first time on center court at the Australian Open and her first match against Mauresmo.

“I came out this morning and said, ‘Wow this is a big court.’ But I felt really comfortable here,” Safarova said.

Now she’s into a quarterfinal against fellow Czech player Nicole Vaidisova, who beat seventh-seeded Elena Dementieva, 6-3, 6-3.

She thanked her coach and later, her boyfriend -- 13th-seeded Tomas Berdych, who beat Dmitry Tursunov, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1, in a rain-delayed third-round match.

Mauresmo had her Grand Slam breakthrough last year in Melbourne, winning her first major title seven years after reaching her first final, also in the Australian Open. The 27-year-old player added the Wimbledon title and spent most of 2006 ranked No. 1.

In third-round matches delayed until today by heavy rain, China’s Li Na upset No. 9 Dinara Safina, 6-2, 6-2; 12th-seeded Anna Chakvetadze beat Jelena Kostanic Tosic, 6-4, 6-4, and No. 15 Daniela Hantuchova edged Ashley Harkleroad, 6-7 (6), 7-5, 6-3.

On the men’s side, No. 12 Tommy Haas beat Florian Mayer, 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-3.

After recent heat then rain, it was a nearly perfect day for tennis.

Mauresmo looked to be in good shape after an early break. But the left-handed Safarova, her right thigh heavily taped, quickly reversed roles and soon was hitting like the favorite. She had Mauresmo running and lunging all over the court, nailed crisp volleys and passed the Frenchwoman seemingly at ease.

Mauresmo, her confidence clearly waning, was shouting at herself as her mistakes piled up.

It looked as if nerves might get to Safarova as the pressure ratcheted up at 4-4 in the first set. She completely missed a backhand as Mauresmo was serving to make it 30-30. But Mauresmo returned the favor, double-faulting to set up a break point, then netting a backhand.

Safarova had no nerves in finishing off the set, hitting a forehand winner down the line that Mauresmo could only watch.

The crowd seemed stunned as Safarova got two quick breaks in the second set and served at 4-1. Mauresmo, shaking her head in disbelief, got one break back, then held to pull to 4-3, getting a pair of aces when she successfully challenged line calls.

Mauresmo fended off two match points before Safarova converted the third when Mauresmo netted a backhand. Safarova shouted, pumped her fists and raised her arms as she looked toward her coach.

Kuznetsova, troubled recently by a respiratory problem that forced her out of a warmup tournament, dropped serve five times against the 16th-seeded Peer, who spends time in her off-season fulfilling mandatory military service in the Israeli army.

“I feel like I’m on a soccer field,” Peer said of the noisy crowd. “It will be the first time for me to get to a quarterfinal in a Grand Slam, so I had nothing to lose.”