World number-one tennis player Roger Federer of Switzerland and women's number-two Kim Clijsters have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.
Federer scored a straight-sets win over Max Mirnyi of Belarus, 6-3, 6-4, 6-3, on a day when temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius. The Swiss player takes on Germany's Tommy Haas in the quarterfinals. Haas defeated Australian Peter Luczak (4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4).
Clijsters scored a straight-sets win over Roberta Vinci of Italy (6-1, 6-2). The Belgian faces another Italian, Francesca Schiavone, in the quarterfinals.
In other matches, men's fifth-seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia scored a four-set win over Aussie Nathan Healey (6-2, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5). Davydenko plays 12th-seed Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia in the final eight.
Sebastien Grosjean ousted sixth-seed Guillermo Coria (6-2, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4). Nicolas Kiefer of Germany beat 15th-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in four sets (6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2).
In women's play, third-seed Amelie Mauresmo of France advanced when her opponent, Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands, retired with heat stress. The on-court temperature was so high that organizers closed the roof of the Rod Laver Arena to protect the players and fans.
Also Saturday, seventh-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland and compatriot Martina Hingis advanced to the quarterfinals. Schnyder beat Japan's Aiko Nakamura (6-2, 6-3). Hingis defeated Czech player Iveta Benesova (6-4, 6-1).
Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.