In between the good life -- fast cars, fast motorcycles and fast times on South Beach -- Australian Mark Philippoussis plays some big tennis.

``[Philippoussis has] the biggest game out of any of the young guys coming up,'' Pete Sampras said this week.

Philippoussis, the No. 22 seed at the Ericsson Open, used his monstrous serve and groundstrokes Monday to defeat No. 11 Cedric Pioline of France, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3). He advanced to the fourth round against unseeded Jan-Michael Gambill of Colbert, Wash. The two have never met.

``This is my second home,'' said the 23-year-old Philippoussis, a 6-4, 202-pounder from Melbourne, Australia. ``I have a lot of friends here. You know, sleep at home, drive here in 15 minutes. It's very comfortable.''

Philippoussis loves South Beach, which is why he moved to Palm Island off Miami Beach last summer. He owns four cars and nine motorcycles, and was included in People Magazine's ``Sexiest Man Alive'' issue in 1998. His black Ferrari has been spotted this week in the players' lot.

``[I like] the young people, young crowd,'' he said. ``I can go out and everything is there. At the same time, it's very relaxing. The weather is always great. I couldn't think of a better place to live at the moment than Miami.''

Or a better place to play.

``I love the game at the moment,'' he said. ``I'm enjoying the challenge. I'm enjoying the tough points, when it gets in the tiebreakers, the way the crowd is into it.''

Philippoussis ended 1999 ranked 19th, his third consecutive top-20 season. He has won seven tournaments, including one last month in San Jose, Calif. Yet, except for a short stint at No. 8 last spring, the top 10 has eluded him.

Last year's cartilage tear in his left knee during a Wimbledon quarterfinal against then-No. 1 Sampras -- Philippoussis had won the first set, then was forced to retire in the second -- set him back three months.

On Monday, when his victory against Pioline equaled his best result in '97 at the former Lipton Championships, Philippoussis cited his health as the most important factor in his tennis future.

A reporter asked, ``What do you think it will take to consistently get back into the top 10?''

Philippoussis: ``I just need to stay healthy, that's it.''

Reporter: ``Is there one thing in particular you're working on in your game?''

Philippoussis: ``Staying healthy.''

He said he felt just fine Monday, and he played like it. Despite a valiant effort by Pioline, who saved three consecutive match points in the second set, Philippoussis kept his calm in the tiebreaker. He overpowered his competitor with brutal groundstrokes from both sides. His serves reached into the mid 130-mile-an-hour range.

``The guy played some good points,'' he said of the 30-year-old Frenchman. ``I had to keep my cool. I'm the one who's up a set and it's five-all.''

Leading the tiebreaker 3-2, Pioline double-faulted two times in a row, giving Philippoussis a 4-3 edge with his deadly serve. Pioline failed to score another point.

``He is hitting very hard balls,'' Pioline said after the match. ``He's hitting always the same, always taking the risks. I tried to push him in the tiebreaker, but it wasn't enough to win.''