Roddick, Agassi, Safin advance; Henman ousted

MELBOURNE, Australia — Andy Roddick served 22 aces and hit 41 winners — including a passing shot played between his legs — and beat Austria's Jurgen Melzer 6-2, 6-2, 7-5 Saturday to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open.

The second-ranked Roddick had the crowd buzzing after starting his first service game with a pair of aces. He unleashed serves at up to 139 mph.

"I thought I moved really well. I got up two sets, the third one got a little tight, but I was able to get through," said Roddick, who noted his serve is well short of his world record 155 mph. "I'm holding serve though, that's the most important thing."

In the third game, the 32nd-seeded Melzer drew Roddick into the net with a drop shot, then sent up a lob that landed just inside the line. Roddick raced back and flicked the ball back between his legs and down the line as Melzer barely moved.

He repeated the shot later in the match, but missed it the second time.

"I got greedy. The first one felt good, so I needed more," he said.

Roddick was greedy with his serve. He saved three break points in the fourth game, which went to deuce four times.

They were Melzer's only looks at a break point.

Tim Henman hit a reflex volley behind his back, catching Nicolay Davydenko by surprise, to rival Roddick for the shot of the day.

But the ball Henman smashed into the stands in anger in the third set was his cleanest hit in a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 third-round loss to the 26th-seeded Davydenko.

The seventh-seeded Henman was a semifinalist at the French and U.S. Opens last year and a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon. But he seemed distracted Saturday, making 32 unforced errors and five double-faults.

"I feel totally gutted, really," Henman said. "My expectations were obviously for a lot more."

Davydenko next faces 12th-seeded Guillermo Canas, a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 winner over Radek Stepanek.

French Open finalist Guillermo Coria beat former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

Women's French Open champion Anastasia Myskina joined Russia's two other Grand Slam title holders in the fourth round when American Lisa Raymond withdrew from their match with an abdominal tear Saturday.