Five Americans reach quarterfinals in Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Brian Vahaly continued his improbable run in the Pacific Life Open on Thursday, topping a group of five Americans who advanced to the quarterfinals.

Marat Safin had a bad day on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Vahaly, who climbed from No. 403 in the world in 2001 to No. 97 last year, defeated Tommy Robredo 6-2, 7-5 in their third-round match. Vahaly barely made it into the event as a qualifier.

Robby Ginepri, another qualifier, defeated seventh-seeded Marat Safin -- who was weakened by flu-like symptoms -- 6-0, 6-1. Ginepri, 20, got a free pass in the second round when opponent Jiri Novak withdrew because he was ill, also with flu-like symptoms.

James Blake, 23, advanced by beating Carlos Moya 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 for the first time in four career meetings.

Vincent Spadea, 28, known in part for setting the men's tour record by losing 21 consecutive matches during a stretch of 1999 and 2000, defeated Olivier Rochus 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

The sixth-seeded Roddick, 21, advanced with a 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (1) victory over No. 11 Sebastien Grosjean in their night match.

The last time as many as five Americans played in the Indian Wells quarterfinals was when Jimmy Connors, Michael Chang, Andre Agassi, Brad Gilbert, Tim Mayotte and Jay Berger made it in 1989. Connors and Chang advanced to the semifinals, but both lost and Czechoslovakia's Miloslav Mecir won the tournament.

It also has been seven years since four or more U.S. players made the quarters of a Tennis Masters Series event. Six did it in the 1996 Miami tournament, won by Agassi.

Longtime U.S. stars Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras are not at Indian Wells. Agassi pulled out with a sore right shoulder just before the tournament began, and Sampras is taking an extended break from tennis.

Top-ranked Lleyton Hewitt, the defending champion, bounced back after dropping the first set to defeat Guillermo Coria 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-3.

Vahaly, who grew up in Atlanta and is a former University of Virginia star, dominated Robredo after upsetting third-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 a day earlier, and defeating Fernando Gonzalez 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round.

Vahaly said he already considered the tournament a success after beating Ferrero, his first win ever over a top-10 player.

"All I wanted to think about was my win over Ferrero and leave the tournament on that,'' he said. "I would have been happy just with a win over Robredo, that would have been my best win of my life coming into this tournament.''

Vahaly said he got a call late last week informing him he was in tournament qualifying and, "They said I'm the worst guy in the qualifying.''

Hewitt, who lost just one set at Indian Wells last year and defeated Tim Henman 6-1, 6-2 in the final, has had a tougher go this year. Hewitt, who won the Scottsdale tournament last week, has been forced to three sets twice already this week.

The 22-year-old Australian faced three match points in the second set before he came back to beat Younes El Aynaoui 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the first round.