the scoop: australian open, day 8

Aussie Day: Molik vexes Venus; Hewitt negates Nadal
Picks: Agassi over Federer, Hrbaty to take down Safin

By Matthew Cronin, TennisReporters.net

	Cynthia Lum/WirePhoto.com Alicia Molik, top, continues her WTA Tour-topping play this year, beating Venus Williams in straight sets.

Aussie day came early at the Australian Open and local fans are hoping for a whole lot more. Alicia Molik pulled off the biggest win of her career, ousting Venus Williams 7-5, 7-6(3) in the fourth round on Monday, while fellow Aussie Lleyton Hewitt overcame a sore right hip to take out Spanish phenom Rafael Nadal 7-5, 3-6, 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-2.

Molik became the first Australian woman to reach the quarters since Anne Minter did it 17 years ago. She'll have a much tougher task on Wednesday, when she has to confront '00 champion Lindsay Davenport, who blew out off Karolina Sprem 6-2, 6-2.

"This is a huge feat, I beat Venus," said Molik, who is in her first Slam quarter. "I beat her playing my tennis, and I didn't wait for her to make mistakes, and that's something I can be pretty proud of."

Molik stood strong most of the match, trading service bombs with Venus and rarely being pushed around from the backcourt. She certainly has the physique and weaponry of a Slam winner to be, but has never been mentally consistent enough to threaten the elite players. But at least for one night, she believed in herself and now she's just three matches away from going down as an Aussie legend.

It was the fifth straight Slam that Venus was essentially a non-factor and now the four-time Slam champ has to reconsider where her career is headed. In 2002, it was obvious that Serena had become a better player than she was, but at least Venus reached three Slam finals. She even got to the final here in 2003 and nearly toppled her younger sister. But now, it seems like she's vulnerable to anyone inside the Top 20.

"I can still play so there's no doubt about that," Venus said. "I would say players are playing better, but I would definitely also say that when I'm playing well, I feel like I'm the best. Today was not my best, absolutely not my best. Obviously she's playing better but I just didn't play that well. If I was playing five percent better, this match is going to be mine."

HEWITT RECOVERS FOR FIVE-SET WIN
As expected, Hewitt wore down Nadal when the match grew late and tight, but what was unexpected was that he was able to do it with a sore hip down two sets to one.

"This crowd is second to none," said Hewitt. "I was hurting a little bit in the third set. You try to get all of the negative thoughts out of your mind. It's amazing how many matches I've been able to win throughout my career by giving a hundred percent out there. That never-say-die attitude, yet again, it gets me through another big match." Hewitt said the injury shouldn't affect him in the quarters, when he will face the winner of the match between Guillermo Coria and David Nalbandian, which was stopped with Coria leading 7-5, 4-3.

American Andy Roddick wasn't thrilled with his play, but he got past German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-1. Roddick will face the red hot Nikolay Davydenko, who upset No. 12 Guillermo Cañas 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Two notable Russian women fell, when Anastasia Myskina was shocked 6-4, 6-2 by Nathalie Dechy, and No. 6 Elena Dementieva let go of a two-break lead in the second set and went down 6- (6), 7-6(4), 6-2 to No. 12 Patty Schnyder, who reached the semis here last year.

Picks: Agassi over Federer, Hrbaty to take down Safin
Roger Federer v. Andre Agassi: This is it for Andre, or is it? Even though he's not racking up titles anymore, the 34-year-old has been in contention at every Slam he's played the last year, including this one, where he fell to Marat Safin in a classic. He was also deep into the US Open four months ago, before he let his foot off the pedal in the third set against Federer and lost that set before going off for a rain break. Had Andre won that set and taken a two sets to one lead into the following day instead of being down two to one, he may have taken down the great Swiss, but couldn't manage to win two sets in the howling wind and fell in five. Andre knows what he has to do to beat Roger: pound at his backhand until it breaks down and make him work for every point. The way the Swiss is playing, that's a Herculean task. But, if anyone can do it, it's Agassi, who doesn't get nervous and, for the most part, trusts his shot selection. Federer is a better overall player and is certainly faster. If he serves well and takes his opportunities at the net, he could win this one in straight sets. But the crowd will be solidly behind four-time champ Andre and the gut feeling here is that Agassi is due for one more great win, even if it comes at the expense at the best player we've seen since Pete Sampras hung up his laces. Agassi in a five-set barnburner.

Cynthia Lum/WirePhoto.com

Dominik Hrbaty appears ready to defeat Marat Safin in the fourth round.

Maria Sharapova v. Svetlana Kuznetsova: All signs point to a Kuznetsova win here: she's playing terrific, doesn't mind the heat and appears to be supremely focused after the doping allegations. Plus, she's a better outdoor player than Maria is. However, Sharapova appears to be improving by leaps and bounds with every match she plays. She has a bigger serve, more lethal backhand and about a serial killer's instinct. She'll have to push her mind and body through the heat, but in the end, Maria will take apart Sveta's second serve and triumph in three.

Serena Williams v. Amelie Mauresmo: How many times must we try to select Mauresmo in a big match over Serena and watch her fall in three? She lost to her in two wonderfully played contests at Wimbledon and the WTA Championships last year. She has the weapons to compete with her but isn't as tough as the six-time Slam champ at crunch time. It's a simple as that. Until Mauresmo actually beats Serena in a match that matters, there's no reason to doubt Ms. Williams. Serena in three.

Marat Safin v. Dominik Hrbaty: Here's the upset special of the day, as Hrbaty has been playing incredibly well and Safin has been straining. Both men have substantial firepower, with the Russian owning a bigger serve. But the Slovak's groundies are more secure and he's trusting himself again. Take Hrbaty in four.