Blake aces past Goldstein to save quarter-final place

Los Angeles - James Blake rode a roller-coaster before firing three straight aces to see off fellow American Paul Goldstein 6-0, 1-6, 7-5 and  reach his first quarter-final since April at the Countrywide Classic on Thursday.

 Second-seed Blake, who won six events in 2006 but only one in early January in this season of letdown, had to battle momentum shifts against an opponent who has reached the second round or better in all four of his previous attempts at the tournament.

 Blake swept the first set, dropped the second and had to save a match point in the penultimate game before his tenth, eleventh and twelfth aces eventually secured the win in 90 minutes.

 "He made me work, I had no chance in the second set," said Blake. "In the third we played great tennis. It was a high level.

 "It feel good to get through. Paul is a tough competitor, he turns great serves into great returns."

   The 30-year-old Goldstein, ranked 97th, won his only ATP match against Blake seven years ago. He has twice reached the quarter-finals at the event. His loss to the number nine was his 16th against a Top ten player.           

    Blake will play Friday against compatriot Vince Spadea, who handed himself a 33rd birthday present as he bounced back from the brink to send 2006 finalist Dmitry Tursunov out in the second round 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-3.

 The winner also received a cake on court with the crowd singing "Happy Birthday" to the number 62.

 Czech Radek Stepanek continued a long-running recovery from a neck disc injury to reach the last eight for the second week in a row.

 Stepanek, engaged to women's star Martina Hingis, moved into a match against American success story Zack Fleishman, a wild card who reached the last eight for the first time over Robert Kendrick 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

 Stepanek earned his spot with a straightforward 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth seed Mardy Fish, whose first-round victory this week snapped an eight-match loss streak.

 Florida-based part-time rapper Spadea looked down and out as the Russian fifth seed Tursunov served for the match.

 But after two hours and 17 minutes, it was the American doing the victory honours at an event where he had lost in six of his nine previous appearances in the first round.

 His victory duplicated a 2003 LA quarter-final, marking his seventh this season.

 "It was a good win for me," said Spadea, who broke into raps during his post-match interview. "I'm beating players half my age - or whatever they are, 25, 26."

   Spadea broke Tursunov as the seed tried to serve it out leading a set and 5-4. Another break from the inspired American sent the contest into a deciding set, where Spadea rode a final break to the unexpected win.

 Sweeping the last four games of the match gave the light-hearted veteran confidence.

 "You loosen up when you're behind and start playing like you should. I tried to keep him off balance. He's got a lot of talent and a lot of weapons.

 "His level dropped at the end and I stayed consistent." dpa