Kuerten wakes up to win as Safin is dumped out

Top seed Gustavo Kuerten eased past first-year pro Robby Ginepri of the U.S. 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the $400,000 Mercedes Benz Cup.

However, Belgium's Xavier Malisse caused the biggest upset of the tournament so far when he ousted second-seeded Russian and reigning U.S. Open champion Marat Safin 7-5 6-3.

"Today I was a little lazy on the court and I made it quite difficult for myself," said world number one Kuerten, who arrived in California on Monday after capturing his fifth title of the year in Stuttgart a day earlier.

"I felt a little sleepy. It's tough to stay awake, but you must do it or you cant readjust."

Safin could never get his game into gear against an inspired opponent, who needed only 75 minutes to secure victory.

"I think I played one of my best matches of the year," said Malisse, the world's 48th ranked player.

"Everything was really good today."

Safin showed flashes of the form that took him to his first and only Grand Slam win, but he was often kept on the defensive against the hard-hitting baseliner, who fired down eight aces in the match.

"He played well but that was also because I let him," Safin said. "I don't feel confident on the court at the moment so I must keep persevering and hope that it will come."

Malisse, however, could do no wrong. After capturing the opening set with a decisive service break to love, the 21-year-old hit peak form.

"I started getting on a roll, and when I broke him at 6-5, I felt I couldn't miss anymore," he said. "Everything worked. Any ball that came, I felt I could get there and hit it clean."

Though Kuerten felt fatigued, the three-time French Open champion managed to find enough energy to extend his unbeaten streak to 14 matches, setting up a clash against Tommy Haas in the process.

The eighth-seeded German bounced American Bob Bryan 6-2 6-3 in another second round contest.

Earlier, seventh-seed and last year's runner-up Jan-Michael Gambill bolted out of the blocks to oust fellow American Paul Goldstein, 6-1 6-4 in just 65 minutes.

Hard-serving local favourite Taylor Dent benefited from a double-fault by Max Mirnyi of Belarus in the 11th game of the third set to post a 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 7-5 victory in just under two hours.