NEW YORK -- Defending champion Marat Safin marched into what he called a 'no-lose situation' in the semifinals of the U.S. Open by routing outclassed Mariano Zabaleta 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday.

	Lleyton Hewitt defeated Tommy Haas and will meet Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals.

The third-seeded Russian, who won the Open crown last year in a stunning, straight-set dismissal of four-times champion Pete Sampras, knew he would meet either Sampras or Andre Agassi.

"It's a big honor for me to play against (either of) them," Safin, 21, said.

"The way they played the other day was ridiculous," Safin said about the fourth round. "Sampras against (Patrick) Rafter and Andre against (Roger) Federer was like a joke.

"They played too good. I don't want to look ridiculous against them on the court."

But Safin, who has struggled this year through a back injury, does not rule himself out.

"For me it will be a big honor to play against Pete or Andre," said Safin, who won seven titles last year but is without a win this season.

"It would be perfect preparation for me for in the final if I win, and if I lose I would be going out against a big guy."

Earlier on a sunny, breezy day in Flushing Meadows, fourth seed Lleyton Hewitt made the most of a fresh start as he bounced back to win his suspended match against 16th seed Tommy Haas 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals.

Germany's Haas had been leading their fourth round contest 6-3, 2-2 on Tuesday when the match, which had been delayed by rain, was suspended so it would not run into the scheduled night program.

When play restarted on Wednesday, 20-year-old Hewitt took full advantage of the delay and used his speed and consistent groundstrokes to frustrate Haas.

Hewitt pushed the second set to a tiebreak, which he dominated 7-2 after winning the first five points, including three on backhand errors from Haas.

The lightning fast Australian maintained his momentum by breaking Haas in the opening game of the third set and never looked back as he set up a two-hour, 46-minute victory, which he ended with a smash on his first match point.

"It definitely helped me coming out today," Hewitt said about the delay.

"He was serving huge yesterday afternoon and I couldn't really get on it. I had to try and gut it out.

"But I had a great tiebreaker, went up early and went on from there."

Safin, seeded third, smacked 29 winners against the 103rd-ranked Zabaleta, who had ousted eighth-seeded Sebastien Grosjean and 30th seed Greg Rusedski of Britain on the way to the quarterfinals.

Safin might not think he is quite ready to take on Agassi or Sampras, but his vanquished opponent thought otherwise.

"I think he played unbelievable today," said 23-year-old Argentine Zabaleta. "He won last year and I think he might win this year too."

Hewitt advanced to a quarterfinal match against rising American Andy Roddick, who beat fellow 19-year-old Tommy Robredo in the fourth round.

Hewitt has beaten the big-serving Roddick in their only two previous matches, in the quarterfinals in Miami and in the third round of the French Open.

Hewitt knows Roddick is playing some of his best tennis of the year at Flushing Meadows.

"I think everyone is sort of pinning their hopes on Roddick being the next Andre or Pete," he said about the latest U.S. tennis sensation.