Kafelnikov stunned at Australian Open

A shell-shocked Yevgeny Kafelnikov was dramatically bundled out of the Australian Open second round on Wednesday, beaten 6-3 7-5 6-3 by qualifier Alex Kim.

"I guess that was one of those days... I felt so flat I couldn't play three consecutive shots," the Russian said afterwards.

"I don't remember when I played that terrible in a grand slam ever. But I have to take it and that's that."

The sensational second round defeat means for the first time in the history of the grand slam tournament the event has none of its top five seeds left in the third round.

Top seed Lleyton Hewitt and second seed Gustavo Kuerten both lost in the first round while third seed and last year's champion Andre Agassi withdrew injured hours before his opening match.

Fifth seed Sebastien Grosjean lost to Francisco Clavet 6-4 3-6 6-0 5-7 6-4 earlier on Wednesday.

The result leaves Britain's Tim Henman, at six, the highest seed left in the draw.

Kim, a player ranked 230 places below Kafelnikov, used his economic strokeplay and lightning speed around the court to pound the 1999 champion into submission on the Vodafone Arena court.

He forced a backhand error to complete one of the biggest upsets of the tournament and the best victory of his short career.

The win was only the third tour level victory for the 234th-world ranked American who turned professional just last June.

It was also the first time Kafelnikov has failed to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open since his debut in 1994.

POWER BATTLE

Henman came through his second round match safely, though, with an imperious performance to sweep aside Vladimir Voltchkov 6-3 6-4 6-1.

Henman will face Greg Rusedski in an all-British showdown after Rusedski out-served home hope Mark Philippoussis in a battle of power on the Rod Laver Arena court.

Rusedski's 7-6 6-3 6-4 victory leaves the Open without an Australian in the third round of the men's draw for this first time since 1969 - the first Open of the professional era.

"The key today was me taking away his serve," Rusedski said of Philippoussis. Looking ahead he added: "There is a lot of pride at stake, I want to win and he wants to win.

"The good thing is that we are guaranteed one British player in the fourth round."

Henman was in fine form as he dismissed Belarussia's Voltchkov.

"Certainly when I needed to - and we all know it comes down to some very important points - I really served very, very well," he said afterwards.

ADVANCED SMOOTHLY

The top women advanced smoothly, as a ruthless Martina Hingis hammered German qualifier Greta Arn 6-1 6-2 to reach the third round and keep her return from injury on track.

Hingis, Australian Open champion from 1997-99, is playing her first big tournament since tearing ligaments in her right ankle in Filderstadt last October.

Eighth seed Monica Seles joined Hingis by crushing Zimbabwe's Cara Black 6-1 6-1 in equally ruthless fashion.

Fifteenth seed Amanda Coetzer - twice a semifinalist here - beat Paraguay's Rossana Neffa-De Los Rios 6-3 6-1 while 18th-seeded American Lisa Raymond ended compatriot Jill Craybas's challenge 6-3 6-3.

Bulgaria's Magdalena Maleeva, seeded 13th, also followed the script, beating Czech Kveta Hrdlickova 6-4 7-5.

Second seed Venus Williams continues her assault on the title when she tackles fellow American Kristina Brandi to start the night session later on Wednesday while Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic takes on France's Jerome Golmard.