Norman 'lets' chance slip

A noble gesture by Magnus Norman on match-point ensured the Australian Open lost its top four men's seeds after a smoking flare had interrupted a doubles match involving Anna Kournikova on Monday.

A 15-year-old boy was arrested but later released when he threw the flare on to the court during Kournikova's third round doubles match. No-one was hurt in the incident but organisers said security arrangements were being reviewed.

Norman, the fourth seed from Sweden, was knocked out 7-6, 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 by Sebastian Grosjean in the fourth round. After the final point the Frenchman was already celebrating the biggest win of his career when the chair umpire called a let.

Norman told the umpire that he did not think the ball had hit the net tape and insisted the point should stand.

"That has never happened to me, certainly not on match point," Grosjean said.

"I don't know why he did it -- but Magnus is a nice guy. He is a competitive player but he is very fair."

Norman's loss meant that none of the world's top four men have made the quarter-finals after Gustavo Kuerten, Marat Safin and Pete Sampras were all beaten in the first week.

But former champions Martina Hingis and Yevgeny Kafelnikov had no problems on Monday as the remaining results went according to script.

Kafelnikov, winner in Melbourne in 1999 and runner-up last year, blasted past Swede Andreas Vinciguerra 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 while Hingis, three times Australian Open champion, was merciless in a 6-0 6-3 demolition of unseeded Italian Rita Grande.

NOW FOR THE WILLIAMS SISTERS

The Swiss top seed has reached the Australian Open final for the past four years but this year is likely to have to beat both Serena and Venus Williams to reach that stage again.

Hingis will meet 1999 U.S. Open winner Serena in the quarter-finals after the younger of the two Williams sisters beat Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-2.

Big sister Venus then beat 1999 Australian champion Amelie Mauresmo 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. She will play Amanda Coetzer after the 10th-seeded South African beat Paola Suarez of Argentina 6-1, 6-4.

Arnaud Clement joined his compatriot Grosjean in the last eight when he ended British hopes in the tournament by routing Greg Rusedski 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.

Spaniard Carlos Moya, returning from a back injury, also had cause to celebrate when he beat German Rainer Schuettler 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach his first grand slam quarter-final since the 1998 U.S. Open.

Moya, runner-up in Melbourne in 1997, has slumped to 42 in the world rankings after the injury almost ruined his career. He will now play Grosjean.

TEENAGER DETAINED

The early results were overshadowed by the mid-morning security breach.

A bright orange flare was thrown from the stands as Kournikova was preparing to serve late in the first set of her match with partner Barbara Schett against Japanese pair Shinobu Asagoe and Yuka Yoshida.

"I was hitting the ball...suddenly something just dropped in front of me," Kournikova said.

Schett said "suddenly everything was orange" but added that neither she nor Kournikova felt afraid.

"It wasn't a bomb or anything," the Austrian said.

Play was interrupted for 12 minutes while an official painted over a scorch mark left on the court by the flare.

Tournament spokeswoman Lysette Shaw said the boy was cautioned then released. "We don't want to react to a one-off situation. We'll take it on board for coming years," she said.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Any cloud of concern following the incident was swept away by Norman's sporting gesture on the final point of the day.

Norman, 24, said he had felt compelled to concede: "The ball was clearly above the top of the net, even though the umpire told us both there had been a let.

"If I had taken it and the match had turned around, I'm not sure I could have gone home feeling good about myself.

"My mother always told me when I was growing up that I should play hard but also fairly.

"Anyway, I didn't deserve to win. I did not play a good match, I made too many mistakes."

Russia's Kafelnikov will meet Clement in the quarter-finals after the Frenchman's surprisingly easy dismissal of Rusedski.

"I don't think I've seen him play a better match," Rusedski said. "He's so fast, I think he's the fastest man on tour right now and with footwork like that he's going to play well."

Rusedski complained about time-wasting by Clement during the match as the Frenchman changed his shirt and sweatbands at the end of each set. Clement was given a time violation by chair umpire John Blom at the start of the third set.

"Somebody told me after the match...maybe Rusedski asked for the warning for me. I don't think it's fair play," Clement said.