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Agassi climbs back from the brink

Second seed Andre Agassi staged a stunning comeback at Wimbledon today, saving two matchpoints in an epic 6-4 2-6 7-6 2-6 10-8 defeat of fellow American Todd Martin.

Returning to centre court two sets to one up after an overnight break in the second round match, Agassi looked a lost man as he dropped the fourth set and was broken early in the fifth.

The Las Vegan served a double fault to go 5-2 down and it looked all over for last year's losing finalist.

But, watched by partner Steffi Graf, Agassi fought back tenaciously, breaking Martin's serve twice in a row and saving two matchpoints in the ninth game.

He drew level at 5-5 as Martin's confidence began to ebb, suddenly finding his touch with groundstrokes from the baseline and beautiful volleys. Martin's nerve finally broke in the 18th game when he netted a backhand on Agassi's first matchpoint.

''Once he was in a position to win he gave me a little window and I realised if I really worked hard and kept the ball in play it could really happen,'' Agassi said.

''It's one of the best arenas - there's so much energy you can feel it.''

Meanwhile, women's top seed Martina Hingis survived early service problems before stamping her authority on Croatia's Silvija Talaja 6-2 6-2.

She now meets German 11th seed Anke Huber and the Swiss teenager says she is in the mood to take on all-comers, including the Williams sisters.

''I am feeling very focused, very concentrated and physically I am feeling 100 percent,'' the 19-year-old said after her third round victory.

American Jan-Michael Gambill today reached the last 16 of a grand slam tournament for the first time in his career after ousting fellow American Paul Goldstein 7-6 6-2 6-2.

Gambill, who has never quite fulfilled his promise, has shown much sharper focus and determination at Wimbledon where he knocked out second favourite Lleyton Hewitt

Zimbabwe's Byron Black also sailed into the last 16 for the first time.

The unseeded Black, a rare grasscourt specialist in his half of the draw, thrashed Spaniard Albert Portas 6-2 6-0 6-4 in barely 90 minutes.

With the early culling of seeds -- Magnus Norman, Greg Rusedski, Richard Krajicek and Cedric Pioline have all vanished from Black's quarter of the draw -- the veteran Zimbabwean now has no seeded players between him and the semifinals.

He will next face Italian veteran Gianluca Pozzi, at 35 the oldest player in the men's singles, who ended the giant-killing run of Belgian qualifier Olivier Rochus 6-3 3-6 7-6 6-2.

Rochus, at 19 the youngest player among the men, could never quite recapture the fire that helped him topple number three seed Norman in the last round.

The Italian, who last reached the 16 at a grand slam back in 1994 in the United States, out-thought and outfoxed Rochus.

Belarus qualifier Vladimir Voltchkov, a former boy's singles champion here, defeated Younes El Aynaoui 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 7-6 and will play Wayne Ferreira in the last 16 after the South African beat Andrei Pavel 3-6 7-6 7-5 6-3.

The towering Moroccan was trailing 6-7 5-5 when he twisted his left ankle at the baseline while trying to return Voltchkov's serve.

El Aynaoui received treatment from the trainer and had his ankle heavily strapped, but the injury restricted his movement during the rest of the match.

Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman steered a safe course into the fourth round with a 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory over qualifier Neville Godwin of South Africa.

It was the 28-year-old doubles specialist's best performance at the championships since his first appearance here in 1994 when he also reached the last 16.

His next opponent could well be top seed Pete Sampras who match against fellow American Justin Gimelstob was postponed due to bad weather to tomorrow.