Cool Swede finishes hot streak

By PATRICK MILES

THE Lleyton Hewitt runaway train shuddered to a halt yesterday after running into the formidable form of Magnus Norman in the fourth round of the Australian Open. All good things must come to an end, apparently, and for the Australian, the last home player in the singles, 14 wins in a row was too much to ask. It was his best performance to date in a grand slam, following third-round appearances at Wimbledon and the US Open last year, and it established him as a main contender. Hewitt's remarkable run, which began in Adelaide in the first week of the year, continued in Sydney and ended with the Swede, 6-3 6-1 7-6, proved he will be a force to be reckoned with this season. "It was going to have to come to an end at some stage," Hewitt said. "I was hoping to continue for a little bit longer but, realistically, it was always going to be tough right through the summer." Norman, the 12th seed at Melbourne Park, was too strong and consistent for the 18-year-old to master but it was as much fatigue as his opponent's skills that caused Hewitt's downfall. The most successful performer on the ATP Tour so far this year, Hewitt had chances to drag back a two-set deficit in the third but was unable to convert his opportunities. He had a set point when Norman served at 2-5 and two more on the Swede's serve at 5-6 but Norman, who had broken back at 5-3, found the will to force a tie-break. The first five points of the shoot-out went against serve, which gave Norman a slight advantage. Hewitt fought back to save match points at 4-6 and 5-6 but then double-faulted at 6-6 to hand Norman a chance to serve for the match at 7-6. Hewitt netted the return and flung his racquet across the court, exhausted by the effects of winning his 13 previous matches and deflated by his inability to add one more to his streak. Norman, 23, propelled by his tree-trunk legs, was too powerful for the young man who stands on mere saplings. The Swede knocked the wind from the sails of the man in form. "Magnus played a great match and there was not much I could do out there, particularly in the first couple of sets," Hewitt said. "I felt a bit flat out on the court. The only reason I could think of was because I played too many matches. "It takes its toll." Hewitt began by holding his serve with an ace, then girded himself for another in a long line of supreme efforts as Norman stepped up to deliver. The Australian stood to receive, doubled over with his legs spread wide, like a child examining a nest of ants, but Norman was also immediately into his stride and concluded his first service game with an ace. In the third game, Hewitt double-faulted to bring up two break points then netted a forehand on the first to allow the Swede an advantage. Hewitt had two break points himself in the following game, which six times went to deuce, but Norman clung on and broke again at 3-5 when he scrambled for a volley and sent it back across the court for a winner. Hewitt seemed short of gas – not surprisingly, given his recent schedule and commitment to play doubles – while Norman, who won the title in Auckland just over a week ago, was making all the running. He broke the Australian's serve twice in the second set, which he completed at 5-1 with a tricky backhand stop-volley that plopped over the net. Down two sets to love, Hewitt required something extraordinary to lift himself and it came from the crowd, who, up to this point, had been subdued by the vocal excesses of the Swedish supporters. The players returned to their stations for the start of the third set to a great roar in the Rod Laver Arena but this time it was in favour of the Australian. Hewitt made the break at 1-2 by tucking away a rare short ball from Norman then pumped his fists as his supporters urged him further on. But that was his last act of significance as the Swede broke back at 5-3 then saved two more set points at 5-6 to force the tie-break. "The only reason I could think of why I was flat was because I played too many matches," said Hewitt. "I have never done that before and I have played a lot of tough matches and it takes its toll." Hewitt said it was tough to take a loss after such an exhilarating run. "If someone was going to tell me that I'd win my three matches and make the round of 16 I would have taken it. "It's always tough to take a loss, particularly here because it's my favourite tournament," Hewitt said. "But I have obviously played good tennis over the last month or so. I think I have also learned a lot on and off the court in the last month and I will be a better player because of it."

Hewitt falls to Norman conquest

From AAP

LLEYTON HEWITT, the last surviving Australian in the men's singles, pumped his fist and beat his chest with all his usual exuberance, but Magnus Norman was simply too good today. Hopes that the trophy would stay at home for the first time in a quarter of a century collapsed under the Swede's power and accuracy. The 12th seed won 6-3 6-1 7-6 (8-6) to earn a quarter-final meeting with fourth seed Nicolas Kiefer of Germany. Kiefer beat South Africa's Wayne Ferreira 6-3 6-4 6-2 while in today's other fourth-rounder, Younes El Aynaoui went through to the last eight, beating Arnaud Clement of France 3-6 6-3 6-4 3-6 10-8. But it was the Hewitt-Norman match that attracted most interest. Both players have been in sparkling form this year, Hewitt winning tournaments in Adelaide and Sydney to be leading the ATP's new ranking system and Norman claiming his eighth career title in Auckland to be second. On court today, though, the Swede took the leading role and was rarely challenged. Hewitt's only joy came in the third set, but it was short-lived. After breaking Norman's serve in the fourth game to lead 3-1 he had a set point at 5-2 on the Swede's serve and then served for the set at 5-3. Norman broke back and the set duly went to a tie-breaker in which Hewitt had his chances before losing it 8-6. The defeat brought to an end the 18-year-old's 13-match winning streak and also removed the microscope that has focused closely on him since he made his comments about the "stupidity" of the Australian tennis public in Adelaide earlier this month. "I've learned a lot on and off the court and I'll be a better player for it," Hewitt said. He also revealed some of his new-found maturity with the admission that there were "still a lot of steps I've got to take" before becoming a top-10 candidate. The impression Hewitt gave today, though, was one of a "good small player" always being susceptible to a "good big player". Norman, with inescapable Swedish logic, saw it more simply. "I was seeded. He wasn't," he said. "Everything I expected to do, I did - I played 100 per cent."

Flying Hewitt nearing perfection

By PATRICK MILES

THERE are many more kilometres for his youthful legs to carry him, more serves to be sweetly struck and more returns to be fired on target, but Lleyton Hewitt is on his way to a place where he can dictate the destiny of the Australian Open men's singles title. He is yet to encounter the likes of Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Andre Agassi or Pete Sampras in this tournament but, based on his performance in the Rod Laver Arena yesterday, it is a foolish man who takes him lightly. An hour and 20 minutes into Hewitt's second-round match, a great roar arose from the crowd as Alex Corretja blasted a running backhand down the line to hold serve. It was a fine shot but one that would not be expected to receive the biggest ovation of the week so far. The significance lay in the fact that it gave the Spaniard his first game of the match, and the only one he could manage against the Australian onslaught. Seven minutes later, Hewitt broke Corretja's serve for the ninth time to record one of the most one-sided men's singles results in the history of the tournament – 6-0 6-0 6-1 – against a player who was ranked No.2 in the world just over 12 months ago. Hewitt said that he had probably never played better. "I was seeing the ball like a football out there," he said. "I was returning very well and putting on the pressure. "I was happy to get away with an easy win in the end. I'm not the type of player to hold back on anything. I'm out there to win every game and give 100 per cent." The sympathy for Corretja was palpable, but there was also a sense of pleasure as they watched their man advance to the third round, where he will encounter Adrian Voinea of Romania. "I wouldn't like to be in that situation," Hewitt said. "It's probably a little embarrassing." This was Hewitt's best result at Melbourne Park, following first-round defeats in 1997 and '98 and a loss in the second round last year, and it matched his Wimbledon and US Open efforts last year. Hewitt, who took his winning streak to 12 matches by humiliating the Spaniard, won 16 games in succession until the moment in the third set when Corretja dredged up a winner from the depths of his tortured soul. He must have been relieved to some extent but he could not acknowledge the crowd eruption, such was his numbness over the beating he was being handed. It would be terrible to tempt fate, to place a curse on 18-year-old Hewitt, but his form suggests he will be a force to reckoned with in the first grand slam of the season. The route is open for him in the bottom half of the draw and he will surely survive into the second week, when he is projected to play the defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the semi-finals. In the Adidas International in Sydney last week, when Hewitt won his fourth ATP Tour title, he not only defeated Corretja but also Voinea, his next opponent. The seeds to survive so far in Hewitt's section of the draw are Swede Magnus Norman and Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, and he could have to contend with them before he reaches Kafelnikov. "In the past, I have been used to being the underdog but now, after Adelaide and Sydney, I really have to step up because I was the favourite going into most of those matches," Hewitt said. "So far I think I have handled it pretty well." As has so often been the case in the past three weeks – during which time he has lost only four sets – Hewitt made a jump start to break Corretja in the first game. The Spaniard was powerless throughout to make an impression on Hewitt's serve, while his own was disturbingly brittle. Corretja, the 1998 French Open runner-up, is no stranger to long baseline rallies but even those produced no reward. Hewitt was flying on both wings, his groundstrokes deep and dispatched with pinpoint accuracy. Even the occasional foray to the net – foreign territory for Corretja – was to no avail as the Australian maintained his intensity from the first point to the last. A potential obstacle for Kafelnikov in the bottom half of the draw was removed yesterday when the stylish Moroccan, Younes El Aynaoui, defeated 10th seed Tommy Haas 7-5 6-3 6-3. The German was distinctly off colour during his match, complaining afterwards of rib soreness, a problem that has bothered him in the past year. The seventh seed, Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, also reported sick after having to retire from his match in the fourth set against Arnaud Clement of France. Lapentti said he was on a course of antibiotics for a cold that had been bothering him for three weeks, and added that he was exhausted

Hewitt displays stamina of a marathon man

By PATRICK MILES

THERE is no stopping Lleyton Hewitt, the marathon runner on Rebound Ace. He finished off a doubles match yesterday afternoon and declared himself ready to take on Spain's Alex Corretja today in the second round of the singles. Hewitt had reason to feel tender – he and Sandon Stolle beat Patrick Galbraith and Brian MacPhie 7-6 6-4 on the same day his first-round singles match had concluded. It began in the Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday and ended at around 1.45am yesterday, and was a triumph of skill and stamina for the 18-year-old. American Paul Goldstein, who has a similar baseline game to Hewitt's, was a worthy opponent in a match that lasted three hours and 17 minutes before Hewitt served out for a 6-2 6-7 7-6 6-4 win.. "Last week, I didn't lose a set in Sydney and I think to get an actual tough match under my belt first round, I think it's nice," Hewitt said. "I was feeling fine out there on the court towards the end of the fourth set, and if it did go to five, I felt ready to do that, so I'm feeling pretty positive about my fitness at the moment as well." Hewitt, on an 11-match winning streak after winning titles in Adelaide and Sydney, expects another gruelling match against Corretja, who is more than just another Spanish baseliner. "I'm going to have my hands full with him," Hewitt said. "We had a tough match last week but I'm expecting a lot tougher here. We're going to be out there for a long time, I think, again, so I've got to be prepared to work hard." There can be no doubting the size of Hewitt's endeavour after his efforts against Goldstein. They both played aggressive and highly-motivated tennis, fighting for every point as well as forcing winners at the slightest opportunity. Hewitt will require these qualities and more against Corretja today. The Spaniard, multiple winner of fair-play awards around the world and consistently voted Mr Nice Guy on the ATP Tour, will attempt to reach the Open third round for only the second time in five visits. As a clay court merchant, Corretja was the French Open runner-up to compatriot Carlos Moya in 1998, but is also capable of running down the opposition on a hard court, as he showed in the 1996 United States Open by advancing to the quarter-finals. Hewitt had his measure in Sydney, however. Hewitt goes solo against Corretja in the third match on the centre court, following Younes El Aynaoui versus Tommy Haas and Serena Williams against Australia's Nicole Pratt.

Nothing left to worry Lleyton

By PAT CASH

THE players left in the bottom half of the Open draw are about as strong as an average field for an event that would struggle to attract local television coverage. Lleyton Hewitt must be rubbing his hands in anticipation. I would have to say after his demolition of Alex Corretja yesterday – and we're talking about a player who was No. 2 in the world exactly a year ago – that there's nothing in the draw to scare him. In fact, if he doesn't get to the final next week, I know he's going to be very disappointed. I've never doubted there's such a thing as the luck of the draw and this is Lleyton's chance to deliver an incredible championship. He was quite awesome yesterday. You feel for Corretja. It must be hell to be out there, just hoping to win a game and wondering if you're really in a nightmare and thinking you'll wake up any minute and it won't be true. I can't imagine what it must have been like for him, just trying to get a fingerhold into the match. It has to be torture. Lleyton marches on. Whoever the draw says you have to play, you have to beat, of course; he might have trouble against a guy with a big, powerful game, but I don't see anyone like that, even Kafelnikov, in the bottom half. Hewitt just has to continue his good form and I believe he'll get through to the finals without too much trouble. By contrast, Mark Philippoussis is going to have to perform like Superman with Sampras and Agassi ahead of him – and that's assuming he gets past Andrew Ilie today. Ilie is a very strong player, excellent from the back of the court, very flashy, in a similar fashion to Mark. When he's hot, he's red hot. It makes for exciting tennis, full of spectacular shot making. Mark pretty much knows what he has to do against Andrew; he struggled to know what to do at times in his first two matches. All of these guys are good once they get their eye in, and the fact that both of Mark's opponents came through qualifying meant they were tough. They were set, wound up and they went for it. My scouting on them didn't reveal an awful lot, Mark just had to go out there and experience it for himself. The kid last night (Dutchman Raemon Sluiter) played out of his skin for two sets but Mark possesses a greater variety of shots than last year and that got him through. The crowd will be right into it today. Ilie will mess around with them, try to get them sparking and that's not Mark's style; he focuses on what he has to do and doesn't let himself get carried away. You only have to remember how well he coped in the Davis Cup final to know he isn't going to be fazed if the crowd starts pulling for the underdog. This is a match between two local boys, two fantastic shot makers, one from a Greek family, the other from a Romanian family; a typical Melbourne match up, you might say. This is what the future of Australian tennis is going to be about; the second-generation Aussies out there flying the flag, doing things a little differently, getting rid of the old, bringing in the new.

Hewitt becomes new "number one''
SYDNEY, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt became the
unlikely new ``world number one'' in men's tennis on Saturday when he won his
second title in a week.

Hewitt completed a 10-match winning streak by blasting past compatriot Jason
Stoltenberg 6-4 6-0 in the men's final of the Sydney international.

The 18-year-old won a tour title in his native Adelaide a week ago, and the
two wins propelled him to the front of the ATP's ``2000 Champions' Race''
that has replaced the old rankings system. Hewitt had been ranked 22 at the
end of 1999.

The victory, in 53 minutes at the brand-new Sydney Olympic tennis centre, was
Hewitt's fourth career title and marked him out as a genuine contender for
the Australian Open grand slam starting on Monday.

Stoltenberg, a 29-year-old wildcard, has produced some of his best tennis in
years at the Sydney tournament, beating number two seed Nicolas Lapentti and
number seven seed Dominik Hrbaty en route to the final.

Hewitt broke Stoltenberg's service immediately to go 2-0 up in the first set,
but was broken back and had to restrain his exuberance as the two settled
into a baseline battle.

The youngster grew steadily in confidence, however, passing and lobbing his
opponent with amazing precision and broke Stoltenberg's serve in the 10th
game to take the set.

The 17-minute second set was a mere procession for the pony-tailed Hewitt,
who dominated on virtually every point.

Hewitt told the crowd he was especially pleased to lift the first title at
the new Olympic arena at Homebush Bay west of Sydney, where he hopes to fight
for the Olympic gold later this year.

``It makes victory a little bit sweeter, the first victory in this wonderful
arena,'' he said.


HEWITT WINS SECOND STRAIGHT TITLE
(from SportCentral-AAP)

SYDNEY, Jan 15 AAP - Adelaide teenager Lleyton Hewitt claimed his second
title of the year when he beat fellow Australian Jason Stoltenberg in the
final of the Adidas International tennis tournament here today.

Hewitt was tested in the first set by 29-year-old Stoltenberg but blitzed the
second for a 6-4 6-0 win.

The pair traded breaks in the second and third games, but Hewitt got his
second break in the 10th game to seal the first set in 36 minutes.

Stoltenberg had no answer to the 18-year-old's consistency and pace around
the court, as he ran every ball down.

The second set was over in 17 minutes, with Hewitt controlling the match from
the baseline.

Last week Hewitt took out the Hardcourt Championships in Adelaide, with
today's win adding another $71,875 to his prizemoney total for the year.

Hewitt wins Australian Hardcourt title for second time
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA (TICKER) -- Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt captured the $350,000 Australian Hardcourt Championships for the second time in three years today with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory over defending champion Thomas Enqvist of Sweden.

Hewitt, the sixth seed, struggled with his serve in the first set but came back to avenge a loss to Enqvist in last year's final.

Hewitt, 18, was appearing in his third straight final here. In 1998, he recorded a three-set victory over countryman Jason Stoltenberg to become the lowest-ranked player to win on the ATP Tour. That victory came six weeks before his 17th birthday.

Today's triumph made Hewitt the fifth player to win this Australian Open tune-up twice. Australia's Mark Woodforde, Sweden's Niklas Kulti, American Mike Bauer and Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov are the others.

Enqvist, who finished last year ranked fourth in the world, reached the final with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 triumph over third-seeded countryman Magnus Norman. Hewitt rallied past No. 8 Nicolas Escude of France, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, begins on January 17 in Melbourne.

 Hewitt wins over crowd and Enqvist
By JOHN HOGAN
(The Australian)

THOMAS ENQVIST believes Lleyton Hewitt is ready to become a genuine threat at
major tournaments after the home-town boy deservingly won his second
Australian Men's Hardcourt title in Adelaide yesterday.

Hewitt, 18, fought tenaciously to overrun the Swede, who began to falter
midway through the second set, and win 3-6 6-3 6-2 before blowing kisses to
his home crowd.

"He's a top player already but he can be even better," said top seed Enqvist,
the 1999 Australian Open runner-up at the who finished the year ranked No.4
in the world.

"He's very talented and has a good attitude. I think he's ready to take the
next step."

Hewitt seized his third singles title by beating the defending champion to
end the most difficult week of his short but impressive career.

Hewitt is back in favour with the crowd after being criticised for calling
Australian sports fans "stupid" during the week, a statement he retracted on
Thursday.

The premier of South Australia, Mr John Olsen, presented Hewitt with the
trophy and told the crowd: "Lleyton, you're a great role model for young
South Australians taking up the sport."

Hewitt twice thanked the crowd "for supporting me this week" and said later
that he never felt he had lost their support during the event.

He accepted the winner's cheque of $30,285 and joined a small group of
players who have won the title twice: Mike Bauer (1982-83), Mark Woodforde
(1988-89), Nicklas Kulti (1991 and '93) and Yevgeny Kafelnikov (1994 and '96)

The young Davis Cup representative became the lowest-ranked player (550) to
win an ATP Tour singles title when he won this event in 1998 at the age of 16
years and 10 months.

He was runner-up to Enqvist last year.

Hewitt contested four finals last year, winning only at Delray Beach,
Florida, but he is again the king of Adelaide after Enqvist lost his grip on
the match.

Hewitt is among the leaders in the ATP Champions race under the new ranking
system that began last week. His win gained him 35 points but the winner of
the more valuable Qatar Open gets 50. The winner of the Chennai tournament
also received 35 points.

Success in Sydney this week would place him in the lead.

"I struggled early then came back after just taking my time," said Hewitt,
who overcame a one-set deficit to beat Nicolas Escude 3-6 6-3 6-2 in their
semi-final on Saturday.

"I had to regroup and I think I played two pretty good sets in the second and
third. I had him under pressure as I was seeing the ball a lot quicker off
his serve because he was serving bombs at the start.

"The way I played the match tactically, I was pretty happy with. He gave me
some cheap points on his service games and that gave me confidence.

"I'm trying to get as close as I can to the top 10 this year and I think this
is the perfect start. If I keep hitting the ball well and maintain the self
belief then I think I'm a good chance."

Hewitt rated the win as good, but not his best, saying his victory over
Kafelnikov in the Davis Cup semi-final against Russia during September was
his most cherished result.

Enqvist was untouchable in the early stages, winning his opening three
service games without conceding a point. He broke Hewitt to lead 3-1 and
pocketed the first set after 31 minutes of top strokeplay.

The Swede lost his rhythm and range, however, and began making errors soon
after Hewitt treated the crowd with a superb lob.

Uncharacteristic errors crept into Enqvist's game and the teenager broke him
in the sixth game of the second set to lead 4-2; from that point Hewitt was
in control.

Hewitt broke again to lead 2-1 in the third and showed his fighting spirit by
saving three break points in the next game.

Both men executed an array of marvellous shots in piecing together a
wonderful rally soon after, in which Hewitt used his speed to hit three
seemingly irretrievable balls.

The tennis was of time-capsule quality and earned the players nearly 30
seconds of applause after Enqvist had finally notched the point.

But Hewitt had the measure of Enqvist and delivered the coup de grace in the
seventh game, breaking for a 5-2 lead before serving the match out as the
Swede continued to mishit his shots.

"He was the better player," said Enqvist who has 16 singles titles to his
credit.

"He's fast and good at getting the ball back. He's a fast player and keeps at
you. He kept getting the ball back and I kept missing."

Hewitt has risen in the world rankings from 550 to 22 (at the end of 1999) in
two years and, if he keeps improving, his goal of being in the top 10 by the
end of 2000 is possible.

 

Hewitt moves to explain 'stupid' comment
ABC - Thursday, Jan 6 2000
Australian tennis star Lleyton Hewitt has done a backflip after last night calling Australian crowds "stupid".

Today, Hewitt says he regrets his comments and says by and large Australian crowds have been very good to him.
He says he has played his best tennis with Australian crowds behind him, like in the Davis Cup semi-final in Brisbane last year when he defeated Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

"They're definitely not stupid at all, and all I was commenting on is the two people who did comment on me challenging a line call," he said.

"Everyone challenges a line call if you get a bad call, or you think you've got a bad call, and I went up to the umpire, asked him what he thought and he said 'it's too close to call'.

"I said 'that's good, we'll get on with the match' and at that situation, I was 5-0 up in the first set and I wasn't going to take a step back."


Father

Earlier, Lleyton Hewitt's father, Glynn, came to his son's defence.
Hewitt described Australian fans as "stupid" after he thrashed fellow South Australian Dejan Petrovic in a second round match at the Australian Men's Hardcourt Tennis Championship in Adelaide.

During the match, Hewitt disputed several line calls after which he was heckled by the crowd, and booed when leaving the court.

Hewitt's father Glynn says his son was set-up by the media at the post-match media conference.
"As I gather one of the particular reporters in there just bagged him start to finish," he said.

"It obviously had an angle and a slant on the story he had prepared and he just tried to bait Lleyton into comments, by just saying the crowd was on him and just bagged his performance."


Petrovic

Meanwhile, Petrovic is coming to terms with his defeat last night by Hewitt.

Hewitt thrashed Petrovic 6-0, 6-2.
  Petrovic, who was playing in his first main draw ATP event, says he cannot understand why Hewitt became frustrated with the crowd's behaviour.

"Not really,...I would say the crowd just wanted to see a great match, and unfortunately I couldn't produce," he said.  "Last night was the biggest crowd I've ever played and, you know, I tried to block out as much as I could, so I didn't really listen to too much of what the crowd were actually saying

 

 

Hewitt blasts home fans as "stupid''
By Paul Macpherson
(Oncourt.com; 01/06/2000)

Davis Cup hero Lleyton Hewitt has launched a scathing attack on his hometown  fans who cheered for his opponent during their second-round match at the ATP   Tour tournament in Adelaide overnight. Hewitt, who enjoyed phenomenal support  from Adelaide fans in 1988 when he stormed all the way to the title as a
16-year-old, was angered by their support for fellow Adelaide youngster Dejan   Petrovic. Hewitt won the match 6-0, 6-2.

Hewitt was also upset after being heckled by members of the crowd when he  disputed a line call when he led 5-0 in the first set. Cries of "grow up" and   "are you kidding?" upset Hewitt, who has polarised the Australia tennis   community with his high-octane on-court antics, particularly at Davis Cup   level.

"It's weird, but I think that's just the stupidity of the Australian public;   you always knock the better players," Hewitt said. "It was the same last year  when I played Slava Dosedel and I'm playing in front of my home crowd and at   least three quarters of the crowd, if not more, were going for a Czech. I   couldn't believe it.

"You look at Greg Norman. The guy's a champion and you have to respect the   results he gets, but they (the Australian public) knock him. He loses and   he's called a choker.

"I'm not going to go out and change my mind just because a couple of idiots  in the crowd say "grow up".

Hewitt advances to the quarter-finals to play fellow Australian Jason  Stoltenberg, the same player he defeated to take the title in 1998.  Stoltenberg defeated German qualifier Christian Vinck 6-3, 6-4.

Hewitt slams 'stupid' hometown fans

By Leo Schlink in Adelaide

Lleyton Hewitt last night questioned the intelligence of Australian Crowds after storming into the AAPT Championships quarter-finals with a merciless hammering of fellow South Australian Dejan Petrovic at Memorial Drive.

In a remorseless mood, sixth seed Hewitt won the opening eight games of the match to stamp his authority on the contest in surging to a gaping 6-0 6-2 margin over wildcard entrant Petrovic.

But it was the stunning hostility of his hometown crowd which left 18-year-old Hewitt disappointed after being heckled whie questioning a line call in the sixth game of the first set.

"It's weird, but it's the stupidity of the Australian Public," Hewitt said.

"You always knock the better players"

"It was the same last year when I played (Slava) Dosedel and I'm playing in front of my home crowd and at least three-quarters of the crowd, if not more, were going for a Czech. I couldn't believe it.

"You look at Greg Norman. The guy's a champion and you have to respect the results he gets, but they knock him. He loses and he's called a choker."

"Whether it's Pat (Rafter), 'Stolts' (Jason Stoltenberg), Mark Philipoussis or myself, they should support us totally.

"They love you when you are playing for Australia in Davis Cup, but you come here..."

Hewitt was last season taunted by sections of the crowd, many of them younger than the 18-year-old and sounding suspiciously Australian despite waving foreign flags.

The antipathy has been only marginally less obvious this year as Hewitt battles what he believes is a virulent dose of tall poppy syndrome despite helping Australia to the Davis Cup last month.

Hewitt was offended by jibes of "grow up" and "get on with it" as he went to speak with chair umpire Denis Overberg late in the first set.

"I'm not going to change for a couple of idiots," he said.

"Just because of the scoreline, I'm not going to hold back.

"I was sure that ball was in and whether it's 5-0 and your playing the biggest pigeon in the world or bloody Andre Agassi, it doesn't matter.

"I saw the ball clearly in and I went up and saw Dennis, I didn't lose my s... I told him I saw it in and He said it was too close to call and I said 'beauty' and that was it."

Posting his 11th victory from 12 matches on Adelaide's show court, Hewitt dominated the 205th ranked Petrovic, who was dismissed in 65 minutes.

Australia was guaranteed a semi-finalist on Saturday after Jason Stoltenberg beat German Christian Vinck 3-6 6-4 6-4 and earned a quarter-final tilt at Hewitt.

Earlier yesterday, Swedish baseliner Magnus Norman dispatched Tasmanian Richard Fromberg 7-5 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals where he win meet Spaniard Alberto Martin.