The temperamental Russian yesterday copped a code violation for belting a ball out of Rod Laver Arena before outlasting wily veteran Todd Martin. In the dark old days, Safin may have imploded after dropping the second and third sets. There was the usual verbal with linespeople and, for a while, he felt lost.

But in ominous warning to the title favourites, one of the most dangerous unseeded floaters in history found a way home to win 7-5 1-6 4-6 6-0 7-5.

It was wrapped up by a searing backhand return that rendered the net-rushing Martin's magical hands useless.

Safin surprised even himself. For someone returning from a wrist injury and who last year finished outside the top 50 for the first time since 1997, it was a huge step.

"It's quite impressive, actually. I didn't expect I would win so many matches straight away," Safin said.

"I'm really satisfied on myself. I could be worse. It would be really worse. "I tried and I tried and I took my chances. That's what counts."

Safin, the 2000 US Open winner, finds himself in the fourth round of a grand slam event for the first time since 2002. And he has a winnable match against American James Blake to come.

So should everyone be getting worried?

"I think they are not really worried, but they keep in mind that I am still there . . . which is a good thing," Safin said with a grin.

"It's a really good win for me. The legs are getting back in shape like they used to be."

Safin, not satisfied with simply launching his assaults from the familiar territory of the baseline, has a plan to approach the net much more in his comeback.

"The baseline sometimes is not enough. You have to bring up something, something new to your game," he said.

Martin, desperately unlucky to lose in a high-quality match, is one who thinks Safin is just about back.

"I thought he competed really well today and still, geez, (he's) still not short on talent. He certainly outfired me in the last two sets," Martin said.

Martin, impressed by Safin's perseverance, said the Russian was a serious threat for the title.

"He hung in there after having the tide turn on him," Martin said. "Game-wise, he's got as much as pretty much anybody here." Safin's next opponent Blake had it much easier in a 6-1 6-3 6-2 win against French qualifier Olivier Patience. Blake has had a dream draw since his round-one opponent Carlos Moya withdrew with an ankle injury.

"I'm going to go out and play to win, go for my shots," Blake said of the Safin showdown.

"If they (shots) are missing, I'm probably going to lose."

By Ossian Shine

MELBOURNE, Jan 23 (Reuters)

Marat Safin survived a mini Melbourne Park meltdown on Friday before pulling his act together in the nick of time to beat Todd Martin in five sets and reach the Australian Open fourth round.

Safin outlasted American Martin 7-5 1-6 4-6 6-0 7-5 in an unseeded showdown on centre court.

The tortured Tartar was at times brilliant but also often resembled a park player, frequently venting his anger by slamming his racket into the ground.

A former world number one before an injury-plagued 2003 saw him slip to his current ranking of 86, Safin was a dark horse coming into the first grand slam of the season.

At his best, the big Russian is more than capable of adding to the U.S. Open crown he won in 2000.

But on Thursday he could only produce his best tennis sporadically and can consider himself fortunate to take a place in round four.

Both frustration and fury racked the Russian and for large parts of the match all Martin had to do was keep the ball in court and wait for an error.

On paper there are similarities between the two.

Both have been runner-up here, Martin in 1994 and Safin eight years later. Both have also reached the U.S. Open final: Martin lost in 1999 and Safin won the following year after beating Martin in the semi-finals.

In reality, the characters could hardly be more different.

Martin has always been a player who plays the percentages -- never flashy and always safe.

Aged 33, the American is not as old as his greying temples suggest but he has been around long enough to spot the signs of a player in distress and knows how to capitalise.

RUSSIAN EXPLODED

He kept his first serves rolling in, made Safin play the extra ball and kept it in play until the volatile Russian exploded.

Martin didn't panic after losing the first set and his patience was rewarded when Safin shanked countless balls out, losing the second set 6-1.

The annoyance stayed with the Russian and he lost the third in a flurry of errors and self-recrimination.

Seemingly all shouted-out, Safin got his mind back on tennis in the fourth set and quickly grabbed a break of serve in the second game before stretching it to a 3-0 lead.

Martin began to look a little less sure of himself, his serves lost a little of their consistency and Safin started to look like he was enjoying himself more.

He tore a forehand past Martin for a break point in the next game and streaked to a 4-0 lead when Martin netted a low backhand volley. He duly served out for 5-0 before breaking again for a love set to force the decider.

Putting tennis balls down the back of his shirt to ease back pain at changeovers, Martin looked ill at ease going into the fifth set with all momentum the Russian's way.

Safin has the better five-set record, winning 15 of the 22 he has played against Martin's 22 of 37, and he nosed ahead as Martin allowed a handful of close calls to unsettle him.

Finally, though, the elder man won a game for 1-1, fighting off a break point along the way, heralded by an uncharacteristic whoop of joy from the quiet American.

Safin's serve found its range and he held comfortably before latching on to Martin's serve, forcing him to work hard to hold.

But the American matched Safin game for game, albeit less convincingly.

Safin kept his nose ahead with solid serving and, leading 6-5, attacked the Martin delivery with renewed vigour.

A fiercely dipped return forced Martin into half-volleying wide and Safin then tore a backhand return past the advancing American for victory after three hours and 25 minutes.

He will meet James Blake next. The American easily beat France's Olivier Patience.

Marat Safin conquered his demons in the nick of time Friday to reach the fourth round.

Former world number one Safin, now a lowly 86th in the world after an injury-plagued 2003, overcame American campaigner Todd Martin in a dramatic 7-5, 1-6, 4-6, 6-0, 7-5 center court clash to stay on track for a return to the pinnacle of tennis.

Known as "Big Red" for his booming serve and imposing presence, Safin was at times brilliant but also often resembled a park player, frequently venting his anger by slamming his racket into the ground.

"You know, was frustrating," he said, smiling to himself. "I couldn't find a way to break him, I was looking for so many ways I got a bit upset."

Safin could only produce his best tennis sporadically and can consider himself fortunate to take a place in round four.

A former U.S. Open champion and finalist here in 2002, the Russian will tackle another American in round four, James Blake.