Tennis: Sampras crashes out of Australian Open

Russian Marat Safin has dumped US star Pete Sampras out of the Australian Open.

He did it in a thrilling fourth set tie break to win 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7) and 7-6 (10-8).

Sampras, stretched to the limit by Frenchman Nicolas Escude in the third round, was in trouble straightaway against Safin, yet to drop a set in the championship.

Beginning with a double fault just as Henman had, Sampras was broken in his first two service games and ninth seed Safin took the set 6-2.

Sampras, unable to take any of four break-back chances in the first set, also started the second set with a double fault and faced two break points, but superb serving got him out of a deeper hole.

He could not do the same at 2-2, however, and Safin’s stranglehold tightened as he took the set 6-4 to go two sets up, Sampras weakly netting a forehand and looking thoroughly deflated.

The American also appeared angered by a comment from the crowd after questioning a line-call, but his main concern was what to do to preserve his title ambitions.

Safin is the man who beat Sampras in the final of the 2000 US Open, but Sampras had his revenge in last year’s semi-final before losing to Lleyton Hewitt.

At least Sampras opened the third set with an ace, but he was broken again in the third game and since he had yet to break Safin, the end looked nigh.

But he summoned the will to pressure Safin at 3-4 and got the break back.

At 5-5 Safin was exasperated by a line-call and at the changeover umpire George Diaz gave him short shrift.

‘‘It would be easier to win the lottery than overrule at over 200 (kilometres per hour) down the centre,’’ he said.

The set went into a tie-break and Sampras - fighting for his life, letting out loud yells and rousing an already animated crowd - took it 7-6.

He was in another late night show. It was approaching 11.15pm.

And the match was to extend even longer as Safin took the last set tie-breaker at 10-8.