German Tommy Haas saved three match points to beat sixth seed James Blake 4-6 6-4 3-6 6-0 7-6 in a pulsating fourth-round encounter at the US Open on Monday.

 

 

James Blake of the US (L) and Tommy Haas of Germany await the result of Haas' challenge in the fifth set tie break during their match at the US Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York September 3, 2007. Haas initiated the challenge and won the point and the match. (AP)

 

After hitting back from two sets to one down to lead 4-2 in the fifth set, Haas allowed the American back into the contest and had to save three match points at 4-5 before taking the tiebreak 7-4.

 

"Such a close score at the end, it was like a thriller in the fifth, being up, (Blake) coming back and saving match points at 4-5," 10th seed Haas told the crowd.

 

"I tried to stay calm and fight for every point. It's great. To be in the quarter-final once again is an awesome feeling."

 

The scintillating, see-saw match saw some brilliant shot-making.

 

 

Haas is celebrating his victory.

 

Haas belted 69 winners, while Blake had 75. The combatants were virtually matched in unforced errors with just 39 for the German and 38 for the American.

 

"The whole fifth set was very dramatic," Haas told reporters. "I think we both played unbelievable tennis in the fifth set. I think it was a lot of winners from both sides."

 

Blake looked to have the momentum when he led by two sets to one but Haas won eight games in a row to go 2-0 up in the fifth.

 

The German also had a point for 5-2 but Blake rallied to level before holding his match points, only for Haas to save all three with big serves.

 

Haas won a crucial point in the tiebreaker after a rousing rally that saw Blake make a great retrieval of a deep lob only to see the German launch another lob for a winner to take a 4-3 lead he would never relinquish.

 

"What a point, yeah," the 29-year-old Haas said. "I think if I would have lost that point, the crowd would have gone absolutely ballistic. That might have given him an extra edge."

 

Haas went through to the last eight for the third time in four years, his 18th ace securing victory.

 

"He served great when I had match points, made every first serve," Blake said. "I had chances in the breaker and didn't take them."

 

Haas next plays fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, a straight-sets winner over South Korean Lee Hyung-taik.

 

(China Daily via Reuters September 4, 2007)