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Singles pair do the double
John Parsons in Indian Wells (Filed: 17/03/2003)
sport.telegraph.co.uk

Lleyton Hewitt and his girlfriend Kim Clijsters achieved a first double triumph at the same tournament when both won the singles titles at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells yesterday.

Clijsters set the target by beating Lindsay Davenport, who paid the price for a risky strategy of constantly searching for quick winners. That ploy frequently came unstuck as the American was beaten 6-4, 7-5 in 86 minutes.

Then Hewitt, the Wimbledon and world champion, was at his best as he brushed aside Gustavo Kuerten, 6-1, 6-1 in little more than three hours after the Brazilian had completed a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Rainer Schuettler in a semi-final interrupted for 19 hours by rain.

Hewitt looked supreme as he successfully defended the title, hitting winners at ease. It took him an hour and he was even more convincing than in his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Britain's Tim Henman, who will be 20th in today's new world rankings, in last year's final.

There was more sympathy for Kuerten, who had to play twice in the same day, than there was for Davenport's complaint at having to play her final so early in the day. The re-scheduling, because of the weather, meant the women's final was brought forward from noon to 10.30am.

Clijsters, who had won three of her last four matches against Davenport, won £210,000; Hewitt £245,000. The last "sweetheart double" was in 1974 when Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert both won Wimbledon.

****
John Parsons was honoured during a Centre Court ceremony in Indian Wells for his contribution "to the growth of the game around the globe for more than 40 years."

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Hewitt crushes Kuerten to take out Masters
March 17 2003

World number one Lleyton Hewitt captured his 19th career singles title, crushing Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten 6-1 6-1 in today's final of the $US2.45 million ($A4.12 million) ATP Masters Series event.

With the one-hour victory, the top-seeded Australian not only defended his Indian Wells title but became the first back-to-back winner here since American Michael Chang in 1996 and 1997.

It was Hewitt's 11th singles victory in 13 days and second ATP title in as many weeks.

Hewitt beat fellow Australian Mark Philippoussis in the final last week in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Hewitt broke unseeded Kuerten's serve four times without surrendering a break himself.

He served 55 per cent, fired three aces and 14 winners and took home $US400,000 ($A672,834), double Kuerten's payday.

Kuerten made 30 unforced errors - three times as many as Hewitt.

Hewitt broke Kuerten in the sixth game of the first set to take a 5-1 lead, then served out the next game to win the set in just 31 minutes.

The second set was even faster as Hewitt overpowered Kuerten with his strong serve and steady baseline shots.

Hewitt, who defeated Britain's Tim Henman in straight sets in last year's final, has an 18-4 record at Indian Wells.

The two-time Grand Slam champion also reached the semi-finals here in 2001, losing to American Andre Agassi.

Kuerten had to play twice today because rain suspended his Saturday semi-final with Germany's Rainer Schuettler after the first game of the second set.

Kuerten beat the Australian Open runner-up 6-2 3-6 6-2 in 99 minutes to capture the semi-final, then rested through the women's final before facing Hewitt.

Belgium's Kim Clijsters, the top seed and Hewitt's girlfriend, defeated Lindsay Davenport of the United States 6-4 7-5 in today's WTA final here.

Kuerten was playing in his first Indian Wells final.

His best prior showing here was reaching the semi-finals in 1999.

- AFP

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Ruthless Hewitt Defends Title
www.pacificlifeopen.com

Lleyton Hewitt produced his most ruthless performance in an ATP final at the Pacific Life Open Sunday, beating Gustavo Kuerten 6-1, 6-1 to claim his 19th career singles title and his second Tennis Masters Series shield. Hewitt, who last year conceded just three games to Tim Henman in the Indian Wells final, successfully defended a title for the fifth time. The Australian is the first player to defend the Indian Wells title since Michael Chang in 1996-97.

It was the second time Hewitt has won a title after saving match points during the tournament (San Jose 2002). In the first round Hewitt saved three match points (spread across two games) to defeat Younes El Aynaoui. Hewitt extended his winning streak to 12 matches dating back to his loss to El Aynaoui in the fourth round of the Australian Open. He is now 15-1 on the season.

Hewitt, who last week won the Scottsdale singles title and reached the doubles final, has played 15 matches (11 singles, four doubles) in 14 days.

Hewitt, the two-time defending Tennis Masters Cup champion and two-time reigning year-end No.1, moves to fourth place in the ATP Champions Race with 165 points, just two points behind Roger Federer. Kuerten moves to fifth place. Rainer Schuettler, who would have usurped the Race lead from Agassi had he not lost to Kuerten in the semifinals, remains in second place in the Race, but has closed to within 10 points of Agassi.

Kuerten became the first non-American to reach the final of all four North American hard court Tennis Masters Series tournaments. The Brazilian, who was the year-end No.1 and Tennis Masters Cup champion in 2000, was playing his second match of the day, having resumed his semifinal match against Rainer Schuettler early in the second set at 9:00 am. Kuerten won that match 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. When Kuerten won his last Tennis Masters Series title in 2001 in Cincinnati, he also played two matches on the final day.

Although Hewitt conceded he entered the final with the advantage of having completed his semifinal on Saturday, he said he was wary of Kuerten....

"It's always an interesting situation when you have someone coming off playing this morning and being on cloud nine, making a Masters Series final, then having to turn around in an hour and a half and have to go out and play the final.

"But it works both ways. I'd like to go to bed the night before knowing who I'm going to wake up and play the next day. I was wary. I lost to Pat [Rafter] in Cincinnati semifinals two years ago and Guga didn't get to play his semi. He came out and beat Henman five in the third, {then] chopped Pat one and two in the final. I was very aware that Guga is capable of coming out and playing another good match."

"My last three matches I got better and better. That's what you've got to do when you get in the quarters. But it's important to survive those early ones. I had to survive a couple of scares early. I got through those tough ones and was able to focus on the bigger matches from then on. Both weeks have gone a little bit the same. I think I got better from the quarters onwards in Scottsdale, as well."

Breaking a streak of four first-round losses at Tennis Masters Series level this week, and improving his record on the season to 18-5, Kuerten said that he was happy with his performance. But he conceded that Sunday's assignment was too tough to handle.

"Winning the first match, it was really tough and intense. Then, for sure, I couldn't keep the level for the next one.

"I had a great week. I did everything perfectly. But today I ran into a big opponent and a tough schedule that I couldn't deal with. Compared with any other year, I've never had so much success and wins through this part of the year. So it's been great. It's been my greatest moment since I was back [from hip surgery in February 2001]."

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Sunday, March 16

Hewitt too much for tired Kuerten
Associated Press

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Lleyton Hewitt captured the Pacific Life Open title on Sunday.

Top-ranked Hewitt beat a weary Gustavo Kuerten 6-1, 6-1 to defend his championship. Hewitt won for the second straight week, adding to his title at Scottsdale, Ariz.

He was never threatened Sunday by Kuerten, who had only about two hours to rest after finishing his rain-delayed semifinal with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Rainer Schuettler.

Hewitt was quite pleased that his girlfriend, Kim Clijsters, won the tournament on the women's side by overcoming Lindsay Davenport.

"It's obviously fantastic for the both of us to come here, No. 1 seeds, and everyone wants to knock you off, and we've both been able to handle the pressure and situation very well this week,'' said Hewitt, a 22-year-old Australian.

"It's a bit awkward going on straight after her. I'd much rather be out there supporting her than sitting in the locker room waiting.''

Kuerten, a three-time French Open champion and former No. 1, had trouble keeping the ball in play in the final, making 30 unforced errors to Hewitt's 10.

Hewitt, who has been No. 1 since Nov. 19, 2001, had almost a 24-hour break between his semifinal victory over qualifier Vince Spadea and the championship match.

"It was very unusual and very tough as well,'' Kuerten said. "I had a big opponent and a tough schedule that I couldn't deal with.

"In the first games, I was a little tired here and there, then more and more.''

Although he struggled against Hewitt, Kuerten is playing well again after having hip surgery last year. The Brazilian won the Auckland tournament in January and is 18-5 in all matches this year, including 10-2 on hard courts.

Kuerten and Schuettler had to wait overnight to complete their match, which was suspended Saturday evening after a wait of nearly 5½ hours.

Kuerten won the first set Saturday, and Schuettler took the first game of the second set before rain halted play. Hewitt had defeated Spadea 7-6 (5), 6-1 before the rain began.

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March 17, 2003

Kuerten feels full force of Hewitt
From Neil Harman, Tennis Correspondent in Indian Wells
Times Online

THE alarm call that jolted Kim Clijsters from her slumbers at 6.30am for her final at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden yesterday did not wake her boyfriend. Lleyton Hewitt rolled over and went back to sleep. By early afternoon, he was as wide-eyed as a bushbaby, successfully defending his title with the disdain expected of the world’s finest player.

Hewitt’s 6-1, 6-1 victory over Gustavo Kuerten, of Brazil, in the final of the Pacific Life Open was not only a pronouncement of his command on these courts but confirmed, for the first time since they became an item, that true love off the court does not have to be an obstacle to success on it.

Clijsters had only been wallowing in her success for an hour after her 6-4, 7-5 victory over Lindsay Davenport, when Hewitt was punching the air that had cleared from the previous day’s grey to bright blue and beautiful. “Let’s thank the tennis Gods for this day,” Charlie Pasarell, the tournament chairman, said.

Even Kuerten went along with that, saying his best moments in a year after recovering from his hip operation had happened this week. The considerable blow of being taught a lesson in the final — and he had every reason to suffer having had to play the remnants of his suspended semi-final at 9am — was softened by a cheque for £150,000, but, much more than that, the Brazilian is back as a significant threat again.

He was not allowed to get into any rhythm in the final. It was thought his 65-minute exercise in finishing off Rainer Schüttler, of Germany, as dawn broke over the mountains might have been the perfect preparation for a tussle with Hewitt. But such were the demands placed upon the competitors by Saturday’s weather and the absurd television scheduling, Clijsters had hardly finished signing autographs before Hewitt and Kuerten were walking out for their contest.

Hewitt, who saved three match points in his first-round match against Younes El Aynaoui, of Morocco, was awesome, much as he had been last year when Tim Henman actually managed to win one more game than Kuerten. The Wimbledon champion just doesn’t like losing finals — of the 25 he has played in his career, he has been the runner-up only in six.

Clijsters has contrasting reasons to remember this idyll in the desert — she lost in the first round last year having just reached her career-high ranking of world No 3 — but the memory of yesterday is tinged with pure delight. It was the first top-tier WTA win of her career and her reaction to it was one of understandable elation, for she knew that beating Davenport in a match of baseline sluggers demonstrated how far she has journeyed since handing the Australian Open semi-final to Serena Williams in January.

To lead 5-1 in a semi-final against the world No 1 and freeze would send most players into their shell. Not Clijsters. And though the Williams sisters preferred to avoid Indian Wells in protest at the vocal harassment they received two years ago, the assembled field presented a considerable test. Clijsters handled them all with aplomb. She is a worthy No 3 behind Venus and Serena, a position she first reached the week before this event last year and has shown no inclination to give up.

Yet, she says she is not reaching for the mountain top. “I don’t have any ranking goals. My most important goal is to stay healthy, to have fun for every minute that I’m out on the court. So far, I’ve managed to do that,” she said.

Hewitt beats Kuerten; Clijsters defeats Davenport

By KEN PETERS, AP Sports Writer
March 16, 2003

AP - Mar 16, 4:15 EST

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) -- Lleyton Hewitt and girlfriend Kim Clijsters have matching Pacific Life Open titles.

Top-ranked Hewitt beat a weary Gustavo Kuerten 6-1, 6-1 to defend his championship, right after top-seeded Clijsters defeated Lindsay Davenport 6-4, 7-5 in the women's final Sunday.

Hewitt won for the second straight week, adding to his title at Scottsdale, Ariz.

He was never threatened Sunday by Kuerten, who had only about two hours to rest after finishing his rain-delayed semifinal with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over Rainer Schuettler.

Kuerten, a three-time French Open champion and former No. 1, had trouble keeping the ball in play in the final, making 30 unforced errors to Hewitt's 10.

Hewitt, a 22-year-old Australian who has been No. 1 since Nov. 19, 2001, had almost a 24-hour break between his semifinal victory over qualifier Vince Spadea and the championship match.

Although he struggled against Hewitt, Kuerten is playing well again after having hip surgery last year. The Brazilian won the Auckland tournament in January and is 18-5 in all matches this year, including 10-2 on hard courts.

Clijsters mixed lobs, volleys and pinpoint groundstrokes against Davenport to win her second title of the year.

A former No. 1 still working her way back from last year's knee surgery, Davenport had 10 double faults and made 39 unforced errors. Clijsters had only 27 errors.

Clijsters also won the Sydney tournament in January.

Davenport was denied an unprecedented third Indian Wells championship; she won the event in 1997 and 2000.

Clijsters showed her versatility on a point in the 10th game of the second set, when she sent Davenport scrambling with a crosscourt forehand, followed with a lob that made Davenport backpedal, next hit a drop shot, then won the point with a forehand passing shot.

Davenport could only shake her head.

Kuerten and Schuettler had to wait overnight to complete their match, which was suspended Saturday evening after a wait of nearly 5 1/2 hours.

Kuerten won the first set Saturday, and Schuettler took the first game of the second set before rain halted play. Hewitt had defeated Spadea 7-6 (5), 6-1 before the rain began.

Sunday morning was overcast, but the sky was sunny and clear for both finals.

Hewitt Holds No.1; Reaches Semis
www.pacificlifeopen.com

Defending champion Lleyton Hewitt won through to the semifinals of the Pacific Life Open for the third consecutive year when he defeated Robby Ginepri 6-4, 6-2 Friday. Hewitt's victory ensured that he would retain the No.1 ranking that he would have surrendered to Andre Agassi had he lost today. Hewitt has held the No.1 position in the ATP Entry Rankings for 69 consecutive weeks - the second longest streak for any first-time No.1 behind Jimmy Connors (160 weeks).

Hewitt thrashed Ginepri 6-0, 6-0 when they met for the first time in Cincinnati last year. But the young American qualifier, who defeated an out-of-sorts Marat Safin 6-0, 6-1 on Thursday, produced a much more competitive match this time. He held serve to love in the opening game of the match and later twice held break point for a 4-2 lead in the first set.

Hewitt, who won the Scottsdale title last week, has won nine consecutive matches and is now 13-1 on the year, his only loss coming in the fourth round of the Australian Open to Younes El Aynaoui, whom he saved three match points against in the first round here this week.

"It's nine in 11 days I've won now," Hewitt said. "That's a lot of tennis. You throw in the doubles that I played [Hewitt made the Scottsdale doubles final with Mark Philippoussis] as well as making the final there. I've got that match toughness going now, match hardened. I'd like to keep it going. You don't want to get carried away because you're on a winning streak, you've got to keep going. Go out there with an open mind and play as well as you can."

Asked if he felt unbeatable, Hewitt said: "No, not really. Not unbeatable. I don't think anyone's unbeatable. I feel like my confidence is high at the moment. I feel like I can beat anyone on any given day, yes. But unbeatable...I think you can leave that to Tiger."

Hewitt paid tribute to his semifinal opponent, Vince Spadea. "You've got to take your hat off to Vince. Hell of an effort for what he's done. The way that he's come back after losing so many first rounds there for a while... he obviously broke the drought against Rusedski at Wimbledon. We really didn't see him for a while after that. He was playing the Challengers and the Futures. The way he's bounced back and gone about his business very quietly, sort of got his ranking back up there, it's pretty amazing."

March 14, 2003

Hewitt rises to the occasion

By Neil Harman
Times Online

THE result was predictable enough, but the manner of Lleyton Hewitt’s arrival in the quarter-finals of the Pacific Life Open here on another day in the Californian kiln spoke of the reservoir of courage within his slender frame.

Hewitt came into this first Masters Series of the season knowing that he had to reach the final four or he would lose the No 1 spot in the rankings that he has guarded with a fanatical zeal since November 2001.

The fact that he had won the preceding tournament in Arizona and reached the final of the doubles spoke of his match-toughness, but the next daunting challenge is never far away in this sport.

Andre Agassi would, one assumes, have enjoyed the fact that he would replace Hewitt as the No 1 while resting in the air-conditioning of his mansion in Las Vegas, having his injured shoulder tended to. But he knows better than most that Hewitt does not give up on anything easily, and certainly not a jewel as precious as the world No 1 ranking.

With that in mind, the test confronting 21-year-old Guillermo Coria, of Argentina — one of the few players as quick across the court as Hewitt — was a formidable one. The 10 o’clock start did neither a favour, for it meant a shattering alarm call, practice at eight in the morning and no time for the body to be properly attuned to a match of high importance. Instead, from the outset, the two players traded superlative ground strokes, raising each other to increasing heights of performance.

Coria, demonstrating all his mighty promise, took the first set on a tie-break and the pair traded seven breaks of serve in the second before Hewitt snatched the one that mattered with a glorious backhand lob.

One break was enough in the final set but Hewitt could not rest for a moment, such was the breathtaking array of Coria’s talents.

At the joyous completion of his 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory in two hours and 35 minutes, Hewitt placed his hand on the Argentinian’s shoulder. It had been a real battle. One more to survive, and he can relax a bit.

Hewitt beats Coria to advance at Indian Wells
2003-03-13 16:26 (New York)
by Greg Heakes

INDIAN WELLS, California, March 13 (AFP) - Top seed Lleyton
Hewitt reached the quarter-finals of the 2.45 million dollar ATP
Masters Series event, rallying to beat Guillermo Coria 6-7 (3/7),
6-4, 6-3 on Thursday.

With the two hour, 35 minute victory, the defending champion
books a date in the next round with either American qualifier Robby
Ginepri or number seven seed Marat Safin of Russia.

The 22-year-old Australian closed out the match with a nice
touch at the net, dropping a forehand into the open court and out of
the reach of the 21-year-old Argentinian.

Coria won the one hour, five minute first set in a tiebreaker.
He jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead then capitalized of a couple of
Hewitt's errors to take a 6-3 lead before winning the tiebreaker
when Hewitt sent a cross-court forehand long.

In a sloppily-played second second set, Hewitt broke Coria's
serve four times. Hewitt closed out the second set with a lob over
the head of Coria who failed to hold his serve when he was down
5-4.

Hewitt hit nine aces, 81 percent of his first serve points won
and 39 winners.

But he also had 52 unforced errors to Coria's 51.

People had been wondering going into this event how Hewitt would
stand up to the intense workload of a Masters Series event.

Thursday marked the third match in three days for Hewitt who
beat Younes El Aynaoui 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the first round and Yevgeny
Kafelnikov 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the second. He saved three match points
against Morocco's El Aynaoui.

Hewitt also played five singles and four doubles matches last
week while winning his 18th career singles crown in Scottsdale,
Arizona.

Hewitt, who owns two Grand Slam titles from the US Open in 2001
and Wimbledon 2002, defeated Tim Henman of Great Britain in straight
sets last year to win here.

There were a string of upsets on Wednesday with two high seeds
going out at almost the same time. Number three seed Juan Carlos
Ferrero, of Spain, and number four seed Roger Federer of Switzerland
were both knocked out, leaving just two of the top five seeds
remaining.

One quarter of the remaining field consists of players who
competed in last week's qualifying tournament. Robby Ginepri,
Vincent Spadea and Brian Vahaly, Olivier Rochu are among the final
16 players.

The last qualifier to reach the quarters was Chris Woodruff in
1999.

There were no signs on Thursday morning of the virulent flu bug
that hindered a number of players on Wednesday.

Organizers conducted a sterilization of both locker rooms on
Wednesday night.

Hewitt advances at Indian Wells
Thursday 13 March 2003, 2:05 PM

Lleyton Hewitt continued his fight to hold onto the world No.1 tennis ranking while high seeds Juan Carlos Ferrero and Roger Federer were sent crashing out of the $US2.45 million ($A4 million) ATP Masters Series event.

Top seed Hewitt beat Russian veteran Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-3 6-2 on Wednesday and advanced to the third round of the hard-court event.

He extends his head-to-head advantage over Kafelnikov to 7-1.

Hewitt registered eight aces to Kafelnikov's one in their one hour 26 minute match.

Hewitt hit 31 winners to Kafelnikov's 11 and won 66 points while the Russian won just 49.

Hewitt next plays Guillermo Coria of Argentina who crushed 16th seed Alex Corretja, of Spain, 6-2 6-1.

The 22-year-old Aussie won this event last year and is coming off a victory last week in Scottsdale, Arizona.

He needs to reach the semifinals to retain his No.1 ranking, but with Coria and then perhaps Marat Safin, in his way, it won't be easy.

Safin beat Australian Mark Philippoussis in straight sets, 6-4 6-3, with both players sloppy on their renowned big serves.

Third seed Ferrero of Spain and fourth-seeded Swiss Federer lost to unseeded opponents.

Federer was beaten 7-5 7-6 (7-3) by Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten while American Brian Vahaly stunned Ferrero 6-4 3-6 6-3.

Three-time Roland Garros champion Kuerten won his match in straight sets for the second day in a row and moves on to play Argentine Agustin Calleri, who beat Tim Henman 6-4 7-6 (7-4). Kuerten's best result here is a semi-final berth in 1999.

Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean advanced to the third round with a convincing 6-3 6-3 win over Belgium's Xavier Malisse.

In other men's matches on Wednesday, American sixth seed Andy Roddick beat Feliciano Lopez, of Spain, 6-4 6-3, Max Mirnyi of Belarus beat Marcelo Rios of Chile 6-3 6-3, and American Vincent Spadea dismissed Nicolas Kiefer of Germany 6-3 6-2.

In the late match, James Blake will play Juan Ignacio Chela.

©2003 AFP

Hewitt Saves Match Points To Hold Off El Aynaoui In Indian Wells

By Brad Falkner
Tennis Week
03/12/2003

Former bus driver Younes El Aynaoui was on the road to victory in Indian Wells today. Holding three match points against defending champion Lleyton Hewitt, El Aynaoui was cruising toward a spot in the second round of the Pacific Life Open when Hewitt caught a case of road rage.

Fueled by a fierce desire to win and retain his No. 1 rank, a driven Hewitt fought off the match points and raced back to register a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 triumph.

The match was a rematch of the Australian Open fourth-round meeting that saw El Aynaoui slam 33 aces in toppling the top-seeded Hewitt 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-4.

It appeared El Aynaoui was on the verge of repeating the feat as he willfully wielded his inside out forehand with great vengeance, deep to the backhand court of the Wimbledon winner. When Hewitt did get the ball back El Aynaoui unmercifully slapped forehand winners to the open deuce court.

Hewitt tried to play to the El Aynaoui backhand side, but El Aynaoui frequently danced around his backhand to crush forehand winners. Hewitt looked like lost passenger about to be dropped off from the bus far from his destination.

"He sort of just continued on his way, how he was playing so well in Australia against me in that match," Hewitt said. "And he continued exactly the same right from the word go today."

Facing the first match point at 3-5, Hewitt scrambled to get back a would-be return of serve winner, hung in the point and finished it off driving a down the line backhand winner of his own. Settling into his seat, Hewitt won the next two points for the hold for 4-5.

The 31-year-old El Aynaoui's sensational serving saw him win 32 consecutive service games against one of the world's top returners. The streak stretched back to the Australian Open. Today, Hewitt did what he could not do that day: break El Aynaoui.

Serving for the match El Aynoui cruised ahead to 40-30 lead and with it his second match point. That's when Lleyton Hewitt shifted into gear and refused to crash and burn. He played the second match point aggressively and a tight El Aynaoui tentatively netted a makeable forehand.

On El Aynaoui's third match point, Hewitt ripped a forehand passing shot off a solid El Aynaoui approach shot.

"I went for my shots on match point, and it paid off." Hewitt said.

Hewitt broke El Aynaoui's serve and spirit then won the next two games to seize the set. After burning so much emotional fuel, El Aynaoui eventually ran out of gas in the third managing to only hold serve twice as Hewitt rolled to a dramatic victory.

"You know, some days you have it, I guess, some days you don't," Hewitt said. "I felt like nothing was going right today at all until that time where it sort of turned around."

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Hewitt avenges Open loss
From correspondents in Indain Wells, California
March 12, 2003

WORLD No.1 Lleyton Hewitt saved three match points in the second set to survive a scare from Younes El Aynaoui and advance to the second round at the ATP Masters Series event.

Defending champion Hewitt beat the Moroccan 4-6 7-5 6-2 at the $US2.45 million ($A4 million) hard-court tournament today.

"I went for my shots on match point and it paid off," said Hewitt.

"You sort of live and die on the edge, I guess."

The victory comes just two months after the 22-year-old Australian lost to El Aynaoui in the fourth round at the Australian Open.

Hewitt next plays Russian veteran Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who beat Czech Radek Stepanek 4-6 6-1 6-1 in a first round match on Monday.

The 31-year-old El Aynaoui, ranked 22nd in the world, came out strong and used his pace and variety of shots to keep Hewitt on the run.

Hewitt saved two match points in the ninth game of the second set. Serving in the eighth game, the two-time grand slam champion saved the first match point with a superb backhand down the line.

El Aynaoui was up 40-30 and serving on the second match point when he hit a forehand into the net. On the third one, Hewitt waited until El Aynaoui rushed the net, then hit a cross-court forehand winner to the open side.

"It was a bit of a wake-up call," said Hewitt.

"It is nice to get through a tough match. I don't feel fatigued because it is only three sets. I feel fit enough to go through the next, hopefully, five matches in five days."

Hewitt won his 18th career singles title last week in Scottsdale, Arizona, beating compatriot Mark Philippoussis in the final.

Hewitt defeated Britain's Tim Henman in straight sets here in last year's final. He also reached the semi-finals here in 2001, losing to Andre Agassi.

Hewitt is looking forward to another tough match tonight from Kafelnikov.

"He's a tough player, especially on this type of court," said Hewitt.

"I have to play better than I did today."

In other matches, 26-year-old Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten needed just 53 minutes to dismiss the Croatian Goran Ivanisevic 6-2 6-4.

Kuerten will next face No.4 seed Roger Federer of Switzerland, who beat Spain's Felix Mantilla.

Federer was ahead 7-6 4-6 4-1 in the third set when Mantilla was forced to stop playing with a stomach problem. He wasn't the only one, Finland's Jarkko Nieminen and Gaston Gaudio of Argentina also retired due to stomach sickness.

In other first-round matches, Spain's Carlos Moya blitzed American Michael Chang 6-0 6-3, Germany's Rainer Schuettler beat Australian Wayne Arthurs 6-4 7-6 (7-3), Argentina's Guillermo Coria downed Italy's Davide Sanguinetti 6-0 2-6 6-0 and fifth seed Carlos Moya of Spain blitzed Michael Chang 6-0 6-3.

Agence France-Presse

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Hewitt Saves Three Match Points to Hold No.1

www.pacificlifeopen.com

It was once said that Lleyton Hewitt lacked a major weapon to become the No.1 player in the world. Perhaps that was because we couldn't see it. But the weapon has always been there.

Hewitt's mental toughness is unrivaled in today's game and ranks alongside that of Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg and Jim Courier.

At the Pacific Life Open on Monday, Hewitt's resolved faced an enormous test when Younes El Aynaoui held two match points while serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. The Moroccan had won 32 consecutive service games against Hewitt dating back to his four-set victory at the Australian Open.

Hewitt, who had nailed a sparkling backhand winner down the line - which landed on the line - to save a match point on his own serve in the previous game, clawed back to save two more match points and then break El Aynaoui. He then held serve and broke El Aynaoui for the second consecutive time to take the set.

After that, it was simply a matter of time. Hewitt secured two more breaks in the third set to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Recalling his brazen backhand winner on match point down, Hewitt said: "Backhand up the line, on the line, I guess. I went for my shots on match point, and it paid off. You sort of live and die on the edge, I guess. I practiced that shot, you know, it came off. A couple more inches wide or long, I could have been in a bit of trouble... I saw a huge opening up the line and went for it. It paid off.

"He just kept sort of playing exactly the confident tennis that he was playing in Melbourne. Serving well, hitting big forehands. It was coming into my mind a little bit only because I was getting a little frustrated. I couldn't break serve. I wasn't having that many chances. When I did get a small opportunity, he came out and served an unreturnable or an ace.

"I just kept telling myself to hang in there today. I wasn't playing great tennis, but if you get your chance, you just have to take it. In the end, I kept hanging in on match points, even when I was serving for it. I could sense he was getting a little tight in that game. I knew if I could get it back to 5-All, things could turn around. In the end, I did. Very easily it could have been the other way around.

Hewitt barely avoids another Aynaoui upset

By KEN PETERS, AP Sports Writer
March 12, 2003

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) -- Lleyton Hewitt and Younes El Aynaoui were chuckling as they shook hands at the net.

``I think we were laughing at the situation because it could have been 45 minutes earlier when we were shaking hands,'' the top-ranked Hewitt said. ``I said, `Sorry, mate.' He said, `Good luck.'''

Hewitt, the defending champion, had to fight off three match points to avoid losing to the Moroccan for the second time this year before winning their first-round match at the Pacific Life Open 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.

When the 32-year-old El Aynaoui was up 5-3 in the second set, it looked as if it was going to be a repeat of the Australian Open in January, when he stunned the 22-year-old Australian 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the fourth round at Melbourne Park.

This time, Hewitt simply refused to lose.

``He just kept playing exactly the confident tennis that he was playing in Melbourne -- serving well, hitting big forehands,'' Hewitt said. ``In the end, I kept hanging on in match points. I knew that if I could get it to five-all, things could turn around.

``In the end, it did. It very easily it could have been the other way around.''

Hewitt kept the match going when, with El Aynaoui up 5-3 and serving on match point in the second set, the 22-year-old Australian looped a weak return that landed an inch or so inside the baseline.

Hewitt went on to win that game when El Aynaoui hit forehands long twice in succession.

After Hewitt held serve to close to 5-4, he survived two more match points in the 10th game, the first time by rapping a passing shot down the line after an exchange of volleys, and the second time when El Aynaoui netted a forehand to end a long rally.

Hewitt held serve to go up 6-5, then broke El Aynaoui in the 12th game. By the third set, El Aynaoui, a decade older than his opponent, seemed to finally wilt in the 90-degree heat.

El Aynaoui fired a career-high 33 aces when he beat Hewitt, but managed just three this time at Indian Wells. Hewitt served nine aces.

Hewitt, No. 1 since Nov. 19, 2001, and the reigning Wimbledon champion, is coming off a tournament win at Scottsdale, Ariz., where he lost only one set on his way to the title.