Belgium's Xavier Malisse saved two match points before ousting 2002 champion Albert Costa in a French Open third round thriller today.
Malisse triumphed 6-4 2-6 4-6 7-6 8-6 in a match spanning two days to advance to the fourth round, where he will face Australia's Lleyton Hewitt.
The Belgian fought off two match points late yesterday evening while trailing 5-4 in the fourth set before bad light stopped play at 5-5. Today, he snatched the first service break to force a fifth set.
Costa grabbed the initiative, however, and served for the match at 5-4. When Malisse broke him to level 5-5, the enraged Spaniard smashed his racket to pieces before tossing what was left of it high over his shoulder.
Tim Henman came back from the dead again to reach the quarter-finals for the first time with a 6-7 4-6 6-4 6-3 9-7 victory over wildcard Michael Llodra. He plays Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela, the 22nd seed, in the last eight.
