Henman said: "I don't think there's anything tougher than Rafter in Melbourne It's similar to the support that I have at Wimbledon But I'm really looking forward to the match.". As the new generation of brash young women monopolised the limelight at the Australian Open this week, Monica Seles was quietly working her way through the early rounds with barely a camera lens in sight. As the new generation of brash young women monopolised the limelight at the Australian Open this week, Monica Seles was quietly working her way through the early rounds with barely a camera lens in sight. Last night, wearing a blue and white two-piece that was almost dowdy compared with the glitzy outfits of Mary Pierce and Anna Kournikova, the No 4 seed efficiently disposed of Emilie Loit of France 6-3, 7-5 to reach the final 16 of a tournament where she has a near unblemished record.Seles won the Australian Open title three years running, from 1991-93, and was crowned champion again when she returned in 1996. At her next appearance in 1999, she reached the semi-finals, where she was beaten by Martina Hingis, now the No 1. Last year she was injured; now she is back, and producing tennis worthy of a player who has spent a decade in the top 10.There was, as is clear from her Melbourne history, a lengthy gap - 27 months, to be precise - when Seles could hardly bear to pick up a tennis racket.She still bears the psychological scars of the day in April 1993 when a deranged Steffi Graf fan stabbed the-then world No 1 in the back at a tournament in Hamburg. Seles was visibly shaken earlier this month when an over-zealous autograph hunter unexpectedly tapped her on the shoulder as she sat courtside during a Hopman Cup match in Perth.She has never returned to Germany and said last week that she was still not prepared to compete in any tournaments there.The winner of 47 singles titles including nine Grand Slams, Seles is at a crossroads.

She has played respectable tennis since her comeback in 1995 and last season was her best for four years; she won three tournaments including the Italian Open, was a semi-finalist at the Olympics and reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows.She has put her life back on track, but she is not the same player who dominated the women's Tour in the early 1990s. With the game being increasingly taken over by younger players such as Hingis and the Williams sisters, it would be natural if her thoughts were starting to turn towards retirement.Earlier this week, the 27-year-old Seles appeared to confirm that this was the case. "If I wake up and feel that this is it, and feel that way for a few days, then I will move on," she said in Melbourne "I have so many other interests, and I'm still young. This could be my last tournament, I really have no idea."Yesterday, though, she claimed that she had been misunderstood and said she had no plans to abandon the circuit. "I will play as long as I wake up in the morning and enjoy my tennis," she said "It's a wonderful life and I'm still having fun. Who knows what will happen in the future?"The 1996 Australian Open is the only Grand Slam title that Seles has acquired since the stabbing, and she would dearly love to win it again to cement her status as one of the best female players of all time."I've always liked playing here and I always look forward to coming back," she said this week.Lindsay Davenport, the reigning champion and No 2 seed, had an easy 6-2, 6-1 win in her third-round match against Silvia Farina Elia, of Italy, yesterday.Kournikova had more of a struggle to reach the final 16, beating her doubles partner, Germany's Barbara Schett, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.A fourth women's seed was knocked out when Justine Henin, the Belgian teenager, extended her winning streak to 13 matches by defeating the 14th-ranked Frenchwoman Sandrine Testud 6-2, 6-4.

Henin plays Seles in the fourth round.With temperatures seesawing here all week, yesterday's matches were played in a blistering heat of 34 degrees Celsius. One casualty was Germany's David Prinosil, who withdrew from his match against Andre Agassi in the second set, suffering from heat exhaustion. This weekend is forecast to be even hotter.Pete Sampras, the No 3 seed, had his third marathon match of the week, taking five sets to overcome Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in just over three hours. "I'm definitely earning my pay check this week," said Sampras, who has spent nine hours on court, compared with Agassi's four.Agassi was among several players who yesterday criticised Yevgeny Kafelnikov - the Russian No 5 seed who has earned more than $18m during his tennis career - for complaining about the amount of prize money on offer at Grand Slams. Agassi advised Kafelnikov to "take his prize money when he's done here and go buy some perspective".. Yevgeny Kafelnikov took a shot back at his rich American rivals today, ripping Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras as the debate over prize money intensified. Yevgeny Kafelnikov took a shot back at his rich American rivals today, ripping Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras as the debate over prize money intensified. The Sydney Olympics gold medalist is a leading voice in the lobby to increase prize money in tennis to match the stakes on offer for golfers and pros in some North American sports leagues.Agassi, who beat Kafelnikov in the final at last year's Australian Open, has rejected the Russian's stance, saying that he didn't speak for everyone when he protested that players weren't being paid enough."He should take his prize money when he's done here and go buy himself some perspective," said Agassi, who has reaped more than U.S.