MIAMI, March 26 (UPI) -- Andre Agassi, the oldest player left in the field, Tuesday defeated Thomas Johansson of Sweden to reach the quarterfinals of the $6.44 million NASDAQ 100 Open.
Seeking his fifth title at this event and second in a row, the 31-year-old Agassi advanced in straight sets, 7-5, 6-2. This is just his fourth tournament of the year after being sidelined with a wrist injury.
In an afternoon women's quarterfinal match, No. 2 Venus Williams overcame Elena Dementieva, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, in just over two hours of humid conditions.
The humidity took its toll on players and gave way to rain several times throughout the day. The wet weather postponed four matches, including one in progress and another involving Serena Williams.
Eighth-seeded Serena Williams was to have met rival Martina Hingis of Switzerland but will have to wait until Wednesday. Hingis is seeded third but has lost the last six meetings with Serena Williams on hard courts in the United States.
Hingis won the title here in 1997 and 2000.
In other fourth-round men's action Tuesday, No. 5 Tim Henman lost the first set, 6-2, to Roger Federer of Switzerland before retiring with a stiff neck.
Federer was awarded his first victory in five meetings with Henman.
Gaston Gaudio of Argentina also was forced to retire late in his match against countryman Juan Ignacio Chela due to severe cramping. Chela was ahead, 4-3, in the decisive set after they split the first two, 6-1, 5-7.
No. 20 Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador survived his match against unseeded Romanian Adrian Voinea, winning 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Lapentti improved to 2-0 in the lifetime series.
No. 31 Marcelo Rios of Chile, who beat Agassi to win the title here in 1998, also made the final eight with an easier than expected victory over 16th-seeded Spaniard Alex Corretja, 6-2, 6-2. Rios is 17-6 at this tournament.
Top seeded Lleyton Hewitt takes on unseeded American James Blake after a tough three-set contest Monday night against American Jan-Michael Gambill.
Hewitt has reached the semifinals at Miami the past two years and won 13 straight matches since returning from a bout of the chicken pox earlier this year. He also has won 20 consecutive matches on American hard courts dating to the U.S. Open.
Also washed out Tuesday was the match between Romanian Andre Pavel and Franco Squillari of Argentina.
Another seeded player who will have to wait until Wednesday was No. 6 Marat Safin of Russia, who may have his hands full when he faces Chilean qualifier Fernando Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, one of the hardest hitters on the circuit, eliminated Pete Sampras on Monday. He has been a surprise in his first appearance at Miami, where he is trying to become the first qualifier to reach the quarters since Steve Campbell in 1998.
Gonzalez, who also made the Australian Open fourth round as a qualifier, improved his season record to an impressive 13-3 with nine victories over top-100 players.
