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NEW YORK - 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 tennis tournament today.
After hitting back from two sets to one down to lead 4-2 in the decider, 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 quarterfinal once again is an awesome feeling."
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 then 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 will fourth seed Russian Nikolay Davydenko who powered past South Korean Lee Hyung-taik 6-1 6-3 6-4.
The Russian, a semifinalist last year, never lost serve and faced only two break points in a demolition job at Louis Armstrong Stadium that lasted two hours three minutes.
Davydenko cracked 31 winners against 13 for Lee to secure a a rematch of last year's quarterfinal won by the Russian.
The fourth seed will also be out to avenge a quarterfinal defeat by Haas in this year's Australian Open.
- REUTERS