Former world number one Marat Safin is through to the quarter-finals of the ATP tournament in Munich after beating local hero Michael Berrer in a tight game.

With a host of top names pulling out of the event - including local heros Tommy Haas and Philipp Kohlschreiber - the clay-court event has been shorn of big names.

Alongside second seed Fernando Gonzalez, towering Russian Safin is one of the biggest names left in the tournament, but he had to dig deep to beat Germany's Berrer after the first two sets went to a tie-break.

Having slipped down the ATP rankings to 84th after a long injury break, Safin was given a wildcard entry by the Munich organisers, but is in the last eight after beating Berrer 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-3.

It is a far cry from November 2000 when the 28-year-old was world number one, but he is on course to meet Gonzalez in the quarter-finals, if the Chilean beats Belgium's Kristof Vliegen in the second round.

There was an upset as qualifier Younes El Aynaoui from Morocco beat seventh seed Steve Darcis from Belgium 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.

He will face either Argentina's Juan Martin Del Porto or fourth-seed Russian Igor Andreev for a place in the semi-finals

AFP