MOSCOW -- Unseeded Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia, the worst nightmare for Russian players with a 14-8 win-loss record against them, upset second-seeded Marat Safin on Thursday in the Kremlin Cup.

In a three-set match decided on a tiebreaker, Hrbaty won 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (5), and will play Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals of the $2.185 million tournament. Novak upset seventh-seeded Guillermo Canas of Argentina 7-6 (6), 7-6 (1).

After the loss, Safin vowed never to play in Russia again after spectators booed him off the court.

"It was a terrible feeling to hear the fans whistle and boo me on the court," said an emotionally-drained Safin as he wiped sweat off of his forehead.

"To be honest, I have lost all desire to play in Russia ever again. I have never been so humiliated in my whole life."

In women's play, unheralded Daja Bedanova of the Czech Republic staged a major upset, eliminating second-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4.

In men's second round play, top-seeded defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov made another step toward his fifth consecutive Kremlin Cup title by beating David Nalbandian of Argentina 6-3, 7-6 (4). The Russian will face fifth-seeded Thomas Johansson of Sweden in the next round. Johansson advanced Wednesday.

Kafelnikov, who enjoys a strong following at this event, assured his fans that the Kremlin Cup would stay in Moscow despite fears that the tournament could be moved away from Russia.

"I will buy the tournament with my own money if I have to, in order to keep it here in Moscow," he said.

Kremlin Cup chairman Shamil Tarpishchev said last month that he was considering selling the cash-strapped tournament to China unless he could secure the funds needed to keep the event in the Russian capital.

Marc Rosset of Switzerland, who qualified for the tournament, fired nine aces to upset six-seeded Fabrice Santoro of France 6-2, 6-4 and will play Nicolas Kiefer of Germany. He eliminated Jerome Golmard of France 6-4, 6-3.

Fourth-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany ousted Thomas Enqvist of Sweden, 7-5, 6-2, and Nicolas Kiefer of Germany eliminated Jerome Golmard of France 6-4, 6-3.

Bedanova won 6-2, 6-7 (6), 6-4 to reach her second quarterfinals this year No. 6 Silvia Farina-Elia of Italy. The Italian escaped a near upset, prevailing over Uzbekistan's Iroda Tulyaganova in a third-set tiebreaker 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5).

In another second-round upset, unseeded Barbara Schett of Austria came back from one set down to beat third-seeded Justine Henin of Belgium.

Schett won 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-2 to set a quarterfinal clash with Russia's wild card entry Anastasia Myskina. She upset seventh-seeded Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Russia's Sydney Olympic medalist Elena Dementieva, seed eighth, fought back from one set down to beat Alexandra Stevenson of the United States 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Stevenson, the only American in the women's draw, played serve-and-volley to win the first set 6-4 after which Dementieva called for a trainer to treat right rotator cuff inflammation.

In other early action, fifth seed Jelena Dokic of Yugoslavia, looking for her third title this year, breezed into the semifinals past Russian teenager Galina Fokina, a wild card for the tournament, scoring a 6-4, 6-3 victory in 65 minutes.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.