Martina Hingis knocked off second seed Lindsay Davenport Tuesday in the fourth round of the 5.29 million US dollar Indian Wells Masters 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 in California.

Hingis, the former world number one, whose return to tennis has been marked by solid play from early January, improved her record in the series to 11 wins against 14 losses to the American. The win puts Hingis into her fifth quarter-final from seven events. Hingis won in 1998 in Indian Wells.

Russian fifth seed Anastasia Myskina was upset by 10th-seeded compatriot Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-3, while seventh-seeded German Anna- Lena Groenefeld continued into the last eight over Maret Aniof Estonia 6-1, 6-4.

Martina Hingis & Lindsay Davenport

Two men's seeds, number seven Gaston Gaudio and number nine Lleyton Hewitt, exited in the third round. Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis beat Argentine Gaudio 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-2, while powerful young Czech Tomas Berdych eliminated Hewitt, last year's losing finalist to Roger Federer, 7-5, 6-3. French 16th seed Richard Gasquet got through against Dominik Hrbaty 6-3, 6-4.

Editor: Donald