Comeback Queen ends Stosur's campaign

Samantha Stosur's Australian Open campaign has come to an end after former World No.1 Martina Hingis held on for a 6-1 7-6(8) victory to qualify for the quarter-finals.

The last remaining Aussie hope started poorly as 'comeback queen' Hingis eased through the opening set. But with a sell-out crowd at Rod Laver Arena behind her, Stosur rallied to force a second-set tiebreak and appeared ready to force a deciding third set when she edged ahead 5-2 in the breaker.

But the Swiss Miss showed she had lost none of her big-game experience during her three-year hiatus from tennis by working her way back to the lead and eventually overcoming her gritty opponent, claiming victory on her fourth match point.

In the second match of the night session, Roger Federer made it a successful double for Switzerland but only after being stretched to the limit by German Tommy Haas, winning a high-quality encounter 6-4 6-0 3-6 4-6 6-2. The reigning World No.1 eased through the opening two sets but a resurgent Haas struck back to level the match. But Federer lifted in the final set to progress through to yet another final-eight appearance.

Earlier, Patty Schnyder kicked off the successful Swiss run on Day Eight with a comprehensive 6-2 6-1 victory over former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina. Her quarter-final opponent, Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo, was equally impressive, the number three seed cruising into the last eight with an easy 6-1 6-1 win over Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova.

Despite suffering from back and hip problems, Kim Clijsters continues to sweep aside her opposition, a 7-6(5) 6-4 result over in-form Italian Francesca Schiavone earning her a quarter-final berth. But the Belgian will face her toughest test in the tournament so far with Hingis winning through to become her quarter-final opponent.

In other mens singles action, fifth-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko fought back from two-sets-to-love down to eliminate Dominik Hrbaty 4-6 4-6 6-4 6-2 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals for the second straight year. The Slovakian had already endured three five-setters on route to the fourth round but after looking a certain winner after two sets, could not prevent the Russian from launching a successful fightback. Davydenko's reward is a clash with Roger Federer.

The last of the quarter-finals will see French veteran Sebastian Grosjean take on German Nicolas Kiefer. Grosjean had little trouble dispensing of countryman Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-5 6-2 6-2 while Kiefer overcame Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela 7-6(4) 6-3 6-3.

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