TORONTO -- Andre Agassi, working to match his popularity with his ranking, moved into the quarterfinals of the $1.72 million Canadian Open tennis tournament with a tough 3-6, 6-1 7-6 (9-7) victory over fellow-American David Wheaton.


In another third-round contest Thursday, 14th-seeded MaliVai Washington upset third-seeded Michael Chang 6-4, 6-4.


The 20th-ranked Agassi, 24, was ranked as high as third in the world back in 1988 and continued his top 10 prowess for five years. But injuries last year helped lower his ranking.


"I haven't felt this good about my game in a couple of years," Agassi said after the two-hour, 10-minute match. "I feel I'm moving well."


The sixth-ranked Chang was effectively challenged by the 36th-ranked Washington's strong groundstrokes during the one-hour, 39-minute match.


"I was able to beat him doing what he does best," said Washington, who trailed Chang 5-1 in career meetings going into Thursday's encounter. "There were not many points won from the net. I was happy I was able to play strong from the baseline."


Agassi will meet top-seeded Sergi Bruguera in the quarterfinals. Bruguera, the Spaniard who won the French Open, won 6-3, 6-3 against Karsten Braasch of Germany.


Bruguera was making his Canadian debut at the tournament as he tries to improve his hard-court game.


"If you want to be a very good player you have to play on all the surfaces," he said.


U.S. Women's Hardcourt Championship. Conchita Martinez is different to the player who won here last year.


"I'm much more confident now," Martinez of Spain said on Thursday, after cruising into the quarterfinals.


She crushed Karin Kschwendt of Germany, 6-2, 6-0 in 53 minutes.


"The confidence, I guess, comes from winning Wimbledon," said Martinez, 22, ranked third in the world and seeded second in the tournament.


It was the only match completed as rain and fog played havoc with the program at Stratton Mountain, Vermont.


Dutch Open. In Hilversum, Netherlands, Chilean Marcelo Rios and Czech Karel Novacek both won in straight sets Thursday to claim semifinal places.


In a match of baseline rallies, the Chilean wild-card entry's ground strokes were too deep and powerful for experienced Frenchman Guy Forget, and he won 6-3, 6-3.


(Reuters, AP)