Asian number one Paradorn Srichaphan reached the third round of the Australian Open for the first time after Jerome Golmard retired with a thigh injury on Wednesday.

The 13th-seeded Thai, who had never been past the second round in four previous visits to Melbourne, had won the first set 6-3 when French qualifier Golmard pulled up clutching his right hamstring in the next game.

"It's great to get to the third round for the first time at the Australian Open," said crowd favourite Paradorn.

"To be honest, I didn't want him to get hurt. The bad thing is I would love to have played more games and sets."

Paradorn will next play former world number one Gustavo Kuerten. The Brazilian ended his own Melbourne jinx by advancing past the second round for the first time in eight attempts.

"I got to the second week of my last two Grand Slams (at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2003), so I want to do the same here," said Paradorn, who is a national hero in Thailand.

"But Kuerten is a tough player and it will be difficult. He is very dangerous from the back of the court, so I will try to stay focused and serve well to put him under pressure."

Paradorn insisted his 6-4, 6-4 win over Kuerten in their only previous meeting would have no bearing on the match, the winner of which could face champion Andre Agassi in the fourth round.

"One of us has to win and one has to lose. I'm not thinking about Agassi right now, only Kuerten," said the 24-year-old from Bangkok.

The 19th-seeded Kuerten, who finished the 2000 season as the top-ranked men's player, beat Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3.