The Great Australian Blight, also known here as the men's singles tournament, snared another victim at the quarter-final stage of the Australian Open when South Africa's Wayne Ferreira, having won successive five-set matches, discovered his ailing body to be in rebellious mood against Russia's Marat Safin and pulled out of their match after 28 minutes when 5-2 down.

Safin was delighted, doubly so when his semi-final opponent, Germany's Tommy Haas, took more than three hours to defeat Marcelo Rios of Chile in yesterday's second quarter-final in the Rod Laver stadium.

"I don't think it will be a factor," said Haas. "I have a day off before playing Marat."

Safin, unsurprisingly, did not agree. "For me it's great. I've been able to save my energy." And he needed to after his epic fourth-round victory over Pete Sampras.

Haas, on the other hand, has had two extremely tough matches back-to-back, having defeated Switzerland's Roger Federer in five sets in the previous round.

Ferreira had felt a twinge in his stomach muscles while warming up and feared the worst. It was an injury he had experienced before in his career, and one he knew had serious implications. But this was his 45th consecutive grand-slam appearance and only his fourth quarter-final, so he was not about to make any decision lightly.

The 30-year-old South African was desperate to carry on, but also knew that if he continued it might ruin the rest of his year. And so he quit, much to the disappointment of the 15,000 crowd.

The assumption is that whoever wins between Safin and Haas will become champion, although being the favourite has been a poisoned chalice here.

Haas, the number seven seed, won four titles last year, climbing to number eight in the world rankings. Back problems had previously stymied his progress but for the last eight months he has been pain free. His serve is now a fearsome weapon, as Rios discovered, while his forehand has improved immensely to complement his wonderfully flowing top-spin backhand.

Safin, providing he concentrates as hard as he did against Sampras, will have the edge. But nothing, absolutely nothing, can be taken for granted.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Capriati moved into top gear in the women's singles championship. The defending champion shot out Amelie Mauresmo 6-2 6-2.

She was a class above the French woman on the Rod Laver Arena. "Last year, that's the best I've ever played," Capriati said. "But today, when I went out there I kind of had that same feeling."

It was a belligerent display of consistent baseline hitting by the 25-year-old, who has seemed to revel in her top seeding here in Melbourne.

"I think I played my best tennis right from the start. I came out playing really well and that's how I got the lead," she said.

Victory over Martina Hingis in last year's final was followed by a second slam title at the French Open.

Capriati, eager to make amends for her slump of the mid-1990s, had an assured confidence afterwards.

"I was very confident out there, and hitting my shots pretty hard," she said. "I had a mission and I played like I was on a mission and, last year, that's how I played.

"I think that's how I feel right now.

"It's pretty tough to top last year. I think that's the best I've played."

Kim Clijsters won the "Battle of the Belgians", finding that her relationship with Lleyton Hewitt is making her a popular figure with the Melbourne Park crowds.

Hewitt was courtside as Clijsters swept to a 6-2 6-3 win over Justine Henin to reach the semi-finals. Henin was below par and out-hit by her powerful compatriot.

"It is tough to play your best friend," said Clijsters after sweeping through. "It is not easy, as I would like to see both of us doing well in a grand slam.

"When we are on court we fight against each other and hate each other, but when the match is finished we are friends again."

Guardian Service.