NASDAQ-100 OPEN Mar. 29, 2002

Federer Snaps Hewitt's Marathon Winning Streak
Swiss will now face Agassi in Miami final

Federer has not been broken during the tournament.

Roger Federer has again snapped an incredible winning streak, beating Lleyton Hewitt in the semifinals of the Nasdaq-100 Open to end the world No.1's 22-match winning streak on US hard courts. In the process of beating the top seed 6-3, 6-4, Federer also extended a significant streak of his own. Hewitt, arguably the game's best returner, was unable to break the Federer serve. Federer has not dropped serve during the tournament, winning 40 consecutive service games.

Federer, who last year snapped Pete Sampras' 31-match winning streak at Wimbledon, will now face four-time Miami champion Andre Agassi in Sunday's final. A beaten quarterfinalist in Miami last year, Federer will appear in his first Tennis Masters Series final.

Hewitt had not been beaten since returning to the ATP circuit in San Jose earlier this month after his Australian Open campaign was derailed by chicken pox. Hewitt was on a 15-match winning streak after claiming the San Jose title and his first Tennis Masters Series title at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells. A semifinalist in the past two years in Miami, Hewitt was attempting to become the third player in the past five years (Rios '98 and Agassi '01) to win the prized Tennis Masters Series double in Indian Wells and Miami.

Federer could barely contain his delight in his post-match media conference: "It's something special. I've never beaten a No.1 player before. I've beaten players who were No.1, but it's not exactly the time. Plus, I've broken his winning streak and all this So it's quite a special moment for me. It's my first Masters Series final and it gives me a chance of winning it.

"I've found my rhythm again on my serve; I was somehow missing it the last few weeks. I just felt like I didn't get enough free points, and also my baseline game was not as it is now. I didn't really panic from the baseline; I could stay with him when I wanted. I just mixed my game up really well. I've really found the right tactics in the last few matches, and I'll need to do the same against Andre, otherwise it's going to be tough."

Hewitt, who had three break point opportunities in the match, was left to rue his missed chances. "I had a lot of 30?all games; I had a few break points early in the first set in the third game. Then I had break points in his first service game of the second set as well. So I had chances out there. He's serving well and he's playing the big points well. In the end, if I played the big points well, it could have been a different story.

"I think he's getting more and more consistent every tournament ÖI think this year could be a pretty big breakthrough year for him. Whether he's going to get up to top four or five, that's another question. He volleys well; he's an all?court player. I didn't feel like I had to change my game a lot - to go for different shots than I normally would on the pass. I wasn't passing probably as well as I have in the past, but I don't think that was the time to sort of change what direction or how I was hitting the ball."


Federer Upsets Hewitt to Reach First Masters Final
Fri Mar 29,10:34 PM ET
By Steve Keating

MIAMI (Reuters) - Switzerland's Roger Federer upset top seed Lleyton Hewitt 6-3 6-4 Friday to reach the final of the Nasdaq-100 Open Masters, handing the world number one his first defeat on American soil in 23 matches.

It was another impressive hardcourt performance by the 12th-seeded Swiss, who has not dropped a set or had his serve broken on the way to his first career Masters final.

Federer now meets defending champion Andre Agassi (news - profile - photos), who claimed his first career win over Marcelo Rios (news - profile - photos), and a place in the final for the seventh time, when the Chilean suddenly retired with their match level at 6-7 (7-9) 6-4.

Unbeaten in the United States since his U.S. Open (news - web sites) victory last year and riding a two-tournament winning streak, Hewitt lacked his usual tenacity after an exhausting three-set quarter-final win over Russian Marat Safin Thursday.

Hewitt's four matches going into the semifinal averaged two hours while Federer disposed of his opponents in an average of 57 minutes.

"I was a little bit tired," said Hewitt, who had been unbeaten since a bout of chickenpox sent him reeling at the Australian Open (news - web sites) in January. "I got off to a bad start as well.

"He's serving well but I had my chances. He's playing the big points well. In the end, if I played the big points well, it could have been a different story.

"I think this could be a breakthrough year for him but whether he's going to get up to top four or five (in the world), that's another question."

Federer, who had lost to the Australian in four of their five previous meetings, had only one early break in each set but that was all the edge the 20-year-old Swiss needed with Hewitt unable to convert his three break opportunities.

"It's something special. I've never beaten the number one player before, plus I've broken his winning streak," said Federer, who opened the season by claiming his second career title in Sydney.

"It's a quite special moment for me, my first Masters final. I'm happy to give myself a chance to win the tournament.

FEDERER EXCITED

"I've never beaten Andre, I've played him twice, once as a junior in my hometown and at the U.S. Open last year, so I'm very excited.

"For me he is one of the best hardcourt players around next to Lleyton and I'm just really looking forward to it."

Agassi's path to a record fifth Miami title was eased when Rios retired from their semifinal with an injured right knee.

Having received treatment on his lightly-wrapped knee early in the match, Rios had given no hint of any distress until he calmly rose from his seat, walked over and shook Agassi's hand before leaving the court under a shower of boos and whistles.

It was a disappointing conclusion to a pulsating afternoon of tennis during which a scowling Rios claimed the opening set 9-7 in a tiebreak and Agassi battled back to level the match with a break of serve at 5-4 in the second.

"I was definitely surprised," said Agassi, who can match his wife Steffi Graf (news - profile - photos)'s Miami record of five titles with one more win here.

"You're in the middle of a battle out there, a hard fought match, and the last thing you're thinking is the match coming to an abrupt end.

"I was very, very surprised. I didn't notice anything wrong. The tape he was getting on the changeovers I thought was just from sweating and needing a retape.

"I've seen him around playing with the bandage so I didn't think he wasn't fit to go."

Even though he had reached the semifinals without dropping a set and only had his serve broken twice, Rios said the injury had plagued him throughout the tournament.

A defiant Rios, who had beaten Agassi in both previous career meetings, including the final of the 1998 Miami Masters, said he was convinced he would have maintained his 100 percent record over the American if tendonitis in his knee had not flared up.

"If I wasn't injured there's no way he can beat me," said Rios, who like Agassi has recently become a father for the first time. "I think I was playing much better than him.

"I've had tendonitis for about two months and it's going really bad. I've been struggling a lot with my knee, every day it's a little worse.

"When I'm walking it's not bad, it's more when I serve and run. I was afraid yesterday I wouldn't be able to play but I tried."


Federer stuns Hewitt

Hewitt was no match for a rampant Federer

Switzerland's Roger Federer produced a masterful display of tennis to upset world number one Lleyton Hewitt 6-3 6-4 and reach the final of the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami.

He will meet defending champion Andre Agassi who benefited from the injury-enforced retirement of Marcelo Rios in their semi-final.

Federer reached his first Masters Series final, ending a 23-match winning streak on US soil by the Australian US Open champion.

It was another impressive performance by the 12th-seeded Swiss, who has not dropped a set nor had his serve broken.

Riding a two-tournament winning streak, Hewitt lacked his usual tenacity after an exhausting three-set quarter-final win over Russian Marat Safin on Thursday.

Hewitt's four matches going into the semi-final averaged two hours while Federer disposed of his opponents in an average of 57 minutes.

"I was a little bit tired," said Hewitt.

"I got off to a bad start as well. He's serving well but I had my chances. In the end, if I played the big points well, it could have been a different story.

"I think this could be a breakthrough year for him (Federer) but whether he's going to get up to top four or five (in the world), that's another question."

Federer, who had lost to the Australian in four of their five previous meetings, had only one early break in each set but that was all the edge the 20-year-old Swiss needed with Hewitt unable to convert his three break opportunities.

"I've never beaten the No. 1 player before," Federer said.

"It's quite a special moment for me, obviously."


Rios will seek treatment for his troublesome knee


Rios pulled out of his match against Agassi after the knee injury that had been troubling him all week finally became too painful to play on.

Agassi, seeded nine and a four-time winner of the event, had levelled the match at one-set all when Rios called it a day.

"I was very surprised," Agassi said.

"The last thing you're expecting is for the match to come to kind of an abrupt end.

"You can't run out the clock. You've got to finish it off. Today was one of those days when I just hung in there long enough."

It was the first time Agassi had beaten Rios.

Agassi won the first break of serve in the ninth game of the opening set, only to surrender the advantage in the following game.

Rios eventually took the set 9-7 in the tie-break, but Agassi broke Rios in the second game of the second set and held on to level the match before the Chilean called it quits.

Victory on Sunday would give the American his 51st career title and fifth Miami trophy.

Gender bending by Jon Wertheim

While the women's game gets the ink, the men roll on

Posted: Friday March 29, 2002 6:29 PM

 

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- On the ATP Tour, there are no siblings who hail from the most unlikely tennis origins and stand head and shoulders above the field (at least when they feel like playing). There is no title-less matinee idol who makes a small country's GNP in endorsement deals. The top-ranked men's player was never undone by a mix of drugs, burnout and an ambitious dad. There is no tragic hero who was stabbed during a match and, despite competing valiantly, has failed to return to the top. There is little public trash talk. And there are few attention-grabbing parents.

Based on plotlines and backstories, women's tennis has it all over the men's game. So it's only natural that male players have taken a backseat in the marketing of the Nasdaq-100. And it's no wonder that ESPN cited a "scheduling change" and opted not to air a live broadcast of Thursday night's match between Lleyton Hewitt and Marat Safin, the past two U.S. Open champs.

Yet the dirty little secret of men's tennis is this: While the cast of characters might be lacking in drama and melodrama, the level of play has never been better. The players have never been better athletes. The shots have never been harder hit or more accurately placed. Matches have never been more fiercely contested. The prognostication of the mid-'90s that men's tennis would degenerate into a serving contest never came to pass. Not even close. Mindless heavy hitters like Mark Philippoussis have disappeared into ether while the next crop of top players -- with names like Hewitt, Safin, Federer, Kuerten, and Ferrero -- have been versatile players. They may not win many serving contests, but they'll win plenty of matches.

The salutary state of the men's game was readily apparent Thursday night and Friday afternoon. For nearly three hours on Thursday, Hewitt and Safin treated a near-capacity crowd to a borderline classic, an exceptionally high quality match that ended, fittingly, 7-6 in the third set. Though far more ink was spilled covering the Williams-Williams dust-up earlier in the day, Hewitt-Safin was infinitely better tennis and filled with far more drama. The crowd agreed, too. When Safin converted a third-set break point with a diving stab volley, he received an impromptu standing ovation. As the two players walked off the court, the applause was almost deafening. As one media member practically panted to Hewitt in the post-match press conference, "I think everyone here is unanimous that we feel privileged to have seen such a great, great match."

Observers were similarly privileged Friday afternoon. Before Marcelo Rios retired with tendinitis in his knee, he and Andre Agassi played two spellbinding sets of top-shelf tennis. The two players on tour with the most innate talent both came up with winner after breathtaking winner and discovered angles that defied all laws of physics. Time and again Rios staved off break points with mix of drop shots, flicked-up-the-line forehands and line-painting lobs. Agassi, the defending champ, was equal to the task, generating his own sorcery. A stark contest from the hollow atmosphere an afternoon earlier, the crowd -- including a few thousand vocal Chileans who bought walk-up tickets Friday morning -- was "way into the match," as Agassi put it.

Two nights ago, during the Kim Clijsters-Monica Seles quarterfinal, ESPN commentators Mary Joe Fernandez and Pam Shriver remarked that since both players hit so hard, the match would naturally be a festival of unforced errors. Likewise Venus Williams stated Thursday that because she and her sister hit so hard, long rallies are hard to come by. Since when have power and clean tennis become mutually exclusive? It certainly isn't the case on the men's tour, where the players positively blister the ball; yet they control it and can go games without missing the court. And those who can't aren't destined for the upper rankings. Consider: One of the most powerful ball-strikers in men's tennis today is Fernando Gonzalez who, before beating Pete Sampras, had to qualify for this event. Where's Taylor Dent, who has the most potent serve in the men's game? He failed to make the draw.

So if the quality of play is so superb and the styles so variegated, what to make of this impression that men's tennis is on the downswing? Why the longing for the days of Connors and McEnroe when players like Hewitt, Safin, Agassi and Federer are probably much better? An Arizona Republic columnist gave us some insight last month. In a piece titled "Women's game much better brand of tennis," Scott Bordow wrote: "The men's tour is a bunch guys named Francisco." Never mind the product on the court. Men's tennis is an inferior product because the players have funny sounding names and, implicitly, come from far-away lands. Some, we can assume, even commit the cardinal sin of speaking less than perfect English.

At some level, it's understandable that American fans follow sports more closely when they feature American players. And, sure, it would do wonders for the sport if Hewitt had a history to rival that of the Williams' sisters. If Safin was from L.A and if Kuerten spoke flawless English. And sure, the men's game would welcome a marginal player that could pack them in as Anna Kournikova does. But if more fans listened to sound and not the noise, and watched the light and not the heat, perceptions about the men's game would change in a hurry.

 

Drop shots

You have love Marcelo Rios' candor. His thoughts on Friday's match with Agassi: "If I wasn't injured, there's no way he can beat me." ... Following Thursday night's match, Safin did a Paul O'Neill job on one of the lockers in the men's changing room. Between that and the Benz, Safin has inflicted some quality damage at this event. ... In a battle between the flavor of the month and the flavor of last month, Maria Sharapova beat Ashley Harkelroad in straight sets of the girls' draw. ... In boys' singles, Indiana's own, Rajeev Ram, trounced the highly regarded Brian Baker, 6-3, 6-0.

 

Hewitt Survives Safin Challenge to Reach Miami Semis
Aussie has now won 15 consecutive matches this season

World No.1 Lleyton Hewitt is within two matches of claiming the prized Tennis Masters Series double in Indian Wells and Miami after surviving one of the most dramatic - and bizarre - final sets in the history of the Nasdaq-100 Open against Marat Safin Thursday night.

From when Safin broke Hewitt to level the third set at 4-4, the players exchanged five consecutive service breaks until the decisive tie-break, which Hewitt won 7-4. The top seed has won 15 consecutive matches this season, and has a 22-match winning streak on US hard courts dating back to his US Open victory.

Hewitt again demonstrated his renowned mental strength to fight back from a crushing first-set loss, when he won just two points against the Safin first serve, which reached speeds of 136 mph. In contrast, Safin returned Hewitt's serve with conviction, winning 70 per cent of points on the Hewitt second serve. Hewitt also made an uncharacteristically high 15 unforced errors, including four double faults.

The dramatic third set lasted an exhausting 78 minutes. In the tie-break, Hewitt raced to a 4-1 lead as the Russian made two unforced errors. He then led 5-2 before the Russian closed to 5-4. Safin made another unforced backhand error to make it 6-4, then Hewitt hit a 115 mph service winner to the Safin backhand to win the 2:44 marathon.

Hewitt now plays brilliant Swiss youngster Roger Federer, who has not dropped a set en route to the semifinals. With Andre Agassi meeting Marcelo Rios in the bottom half semi-final, there is a possibility that Nasdaq-100 Open fans will be treated to a re-match of the Hewitt-Agassi San Jose final, which Hewitt won in a third-set tie-break after saving two match points.

Hewitt said that he did not become dispirited when he twice failed to serve out the match in the third set. "I just told myself, 'Marat played too good in those two games.' I said 'It's 6-all. Now we're even.' It's tough to put that out of your mind for anyone. But I think I'm probably as good as anyone at doing it. I'm mentally tough out there, and I wanted to win bad enough Ö I was thinking positive, trying to get off to a good start in that breaker."

"The third set was just tough. It's tough to try and serve it out because he didn't give me any cheap points at all. Against most guys, they push the ball around or go for the big shot. When he went for the big shot, on a couple of backhands up the line, he hit clean winners.

"Marat has been getting better and better at the areas that he's had slight weaknesses in. He's more aggressive, he comes to the net a lot more now - he's becoming a more all?court player.

Hewitt has lost to Jan-Michael Gambill and Pete Sampras in the semifinals during the past two years. He is determined to push on to the final, but concedes that the in-form Federer - who leads the ATP circuit with 22 match wins in 2002 - will be tough to beat.

"I've lost the last two years in the semis here," Hewitt said. "It would be nice to go one further. Whether I can do that or not, I've got another tough opponent tomorrow night.

"It's going to be tougher than those other matches I've played him in Ö he's getting better and better every time I've seen him play. He's more consistent than he used to be. He doesn't make those loose errors like he used to coming out of the juniors. He's got an all-court game, he serves extremely well, he's got a big forehand he likes to run around and smack. I've got to try and hang in there and make him play a lot of balls. I'm going to have to play as well as I can to win."

Safin said: "In my opinion the serve definitely made the difference. Without the serve, you're not going to beat this guy (Hewitt). He's No. 1 in the world and he's playing great. He has a very good baseline game, he has unbelievable legs, very good anticipation and he's very fast. You need to serve much better against him than I served today. I was quite bad; my serve didn't work at all. I think that made the difference in the third set."


Hewitt, Federer Take Different Roads To Semifinals
by Richard Evans

For as long as Lleyton Hewitt and Marat Safin took to settle their differences -- 2 hrs 44 minutes of breathtaking tennis under the lights -- Roger Federer was brief. He was also brilliant. The 20-year-old Swiss who has yet to win a Tennis Masters Series event, reached the semi-final stage for the first time with a 6-1, 6-1 demolition of Romania's Andrei Pavel.

"I felt good right away," said Federer. "Everything just clicked. Hit the ball very focused. I mean, I couldn't really ask for more today."

It would have been cruel on Pavel if he had. The Romanian had also lost the first set 6-1 to Franco Squillari the day before but this time there was no way back. He crunched a few good winners but Federer was lethal with his backhand cross court returns and attacked the net with great success; volleying with the sweet precision of the Wimbledon champion many people predict he will become.

Federer admits that, even though he was brought up on clay, he prefers the feel of grass beneath his feet. In the meantime he is doing quite well enough, thank you, on these medium slow cement courts on Key Biscayne where the sun continues to shine and crowds the keep rolling in at the Nasdaq-100 Open.

There was a capacity crowd of over 14,000 to see the best match of the tournament -- and one of the best of the year -- when Hewitt withstood a series of superb counter attacks by Safin to go through to the semi-final with a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 win. Twenty stroke rallies became common place as both men pounded the ball from the back court with Hewitt startling the crowd with his amazing ability to latch onto the hardest hit returns.

Hewitt seemed to have turned it around when he broke early in the third set but the indomitable Russian clawed his way back three times in a sequence that saw service broken five times in succession. One break point had Safin flinging himself across the net for a backhand stop volley. The crowd were on their feet.

But in the tie break two backhand errors from Safin cost him dear and the little Aussie battler proved why is world No 1 once again by closing it out by seven points to four.


Posted on Fri, Mar. 29, 2002

Hewitt edges past Safin
Top seed in 3rd semifinal in row
BY JUAN C. RODRIGUEZ

The cross-court backhand sent Marat Safin lunging. He caught enough of the ball for it to float over the net before his 6-4 frame found the cement.

The 132-mph serve came right at Lleyton Hewitt's body. Using his racket as a shield, Hewitt sent the ball back across the net and ultimately won the point.

That's just two examples of the kinds of shots that were common for 2 hours and 44 minutes Thursday night as the Stadium Court crowd was treated to arguably the best match of the Nasdaq-100 Open to date.

In a meeting of the past two U.S. Open champions, Hewitt outlasted the sixth-seeded Safin 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4). The victory propelled Hewitt to the semifinals for the third time in as many years.

The world's top-ranked player, Hewitt extended his winning streak to 15 matches. Dating to the 2001 U.S. Open, he has won 22 straight on American hard courts.

Unable to serve out the match on two occasions, Hewitt composed himself before the tiebreak and won four of the first five points. He closed it with a 115-mph service winner down the T on his first match point.

''I just sort of told myself Marat played too good those two games,'' Hewitt said of being unable to serve it out. ``It's tough to put out of your mind, but I'm probably as good at it as anyone.''

Hewitt didn't have to dig too deep to draw inspiration from similar circumstances. In the fourth round against Jan-Michael Gambill, Hewitt could not hold serve for the victory. All Hewitt did was break Gambill back at love the next game to win the deciding third set 7-5.

Safin didn't do a much better job holding serve either. Hewitt broke him five times, including three times in the final set. Though Safin converted just 44 percent of his first serves, his ground game kept him in the match.

''From the baseline, it was perfect,'' Safin said. ``That's why the score was 7-6 in the third. I lost by two, three points. If I would have served in a decent way, I could [have] had the chance to win [in] two sets.''

Many of Safin's 48 unforced errors came at inopportune times. In the tiebreak, he hit one backhand approach wide and another into the net, giving Hewitt a 4-1 lead. Down 5-4, Safin pushed another backhand into the alley off a Hewitt shot that caught the tape and sat up for Safin.

Safin can take credit for the shot of the match. His dive volley on break point delighted the crowd.

''It was like in the movie,'' Safin said. ``Everybody wish after this [shot] that you turn the match completely different way. But it's not real life and you have the No. 1 [player] in the world [against you]. He's still fighting. He's just still there. Nothing changes. I make the good shot and that's it. It's not Rocky and it's not Rambo.''

Hewitt might soon start receiving comparisons to fictional heroes. Since opening the year with a first-round loss at the Australian Open, Hewitt has not lost.

Up next for Hewitt tonight is No. 12 Roger Federer, who eliminated Andrei Pavel 6-1, 6-1 Thursday afternoon and has not lost his serve all tournament. Hewitt has won four of the five career meetings.

• The ATP on Thursday fined Safin $5,000 for using abusive language toward a tournament representative. Safin damaged the courtesy car issued to him and became perturbed when officials would not provide him another Mercedes-Benz
MIAMI Mar. 27, 2002

Can Anyone Stop Hewitt?
The Australian won three quick games to advance, after his rain-interrupted match continued Wednesday.

Lleyton Hewitt added a 14th victory to his remarkable win streak Wednesday, after returning from his rain-interrupted match freshened and in even more threatening form. Leading 6-4, 3-1 against American up-and-comer James Blake, the 21-year-old top seed clinched his spot in the quarterfinals by winning three consecutive games in only 10 minutes to complete his 6-4, 6-1 victory.

On Tuesday, Hewitt seemed primed to shut down his American opponent when light rain, which eventually developed into a heavy downpour, forced the players from the court. Early in the match, Hewitt stunned Blake by breaking Blake at love in the first game. Hewitt won the first 10 points of the match to go up a double break 3-0. Although he dropped serve in the next game, Hewitt broke Blake a third consecutive time and then held his own serve to race to 5-1. Although Blake fought hard to stay in that set, Hewitt cut short the American's momentum by taking the first set 6-4.

In all, Hewitt broke Blake six times, including two times Wednesday.

The Australian is looking to become the third player in the past four years to win the Tennis Masters Series double in Indian Wells and Miami. On Thursday, he will be seeking his 22nd consecutive match win on US hard courts dating back to his victory at last year's US Open.

Hewitt attributes at least part of his success to his improved serve, a part of his game he has been working on with new coach Jason Stoltenberg. "I've been serving pretty well actually the last three or four weeks in my matches," he said. "That's probably the main area - coming in, being a bit more aggressive. That's probably the two areas that I feel I can work on and become better."

Also on Wednesday, Andrei Pavel reserved his spot in the last eight by defeating Franco Squillari 16 76(5) 61. Pavel, last year's Tennis Masters Series Montreal winner, now meets Roger Federer.

Hewitt and Safin to Clash in Blockbuster
Past two US Open champions battle for a semifinal berth


Lleyton Hewitt added a 14th victory to his remarkable win streak Wednesday, after returning from his rain-interrupted match freshened and in even more threatening form. Leading 6-4, 3-1 against American up-and-comer James Blake, the 21-year-old top seed clinched his spot in the quarterfinals by winning three consecutive games in only 10 minutes to complete his 6-4, 6-1 victory.

Hewitt, looking to reach the Miami semifinals for the third straight year, will now play Russian Marat Safin in a battle between the past two US Open champions.

On Tuesday, Hewitt seemed primed to shut down his American opponent when light rain, which eventually developed into a heavy downpour, forced the players from the court. Early in the match, Hewitt stunned Blake by breaking Blake at love in the first game. Hewitt won the first 10 points of the match to go up a double break 3-0. Although he dropped serve in the next game, Hewitt broke Blake a third consecutive time and then held his own serve to race to 5-1. Although Blake fought hard to stay in that set, Hewitt cut short the American's momentum by taking the first set 6-4.

In all, Hewitt broke Blake six times, including two times Wednesday.

The Australian is looking to become the third player in the past four years to win the Tennis Masters Series double in Indian Wells and Miami. On Thursday, he will be seeking his 22nd consecutive match win on US hard courts dating back to his victory at last year's US Open.

Hewitt attributes at least part of his success to his improved serve, a part of his game he has been working on with new coach Jason Stoltenberg. "I've been serving pretty well actually the last three or four weeks in my matches," he said. "That's probably the main area - coming in, being a bit more aggressive. That's probably the two areas that I feel I can work on and become better."

Marat Safin shut down Master Blaster Fernando Gonzalez to set up a blockbuster quarterfinal with world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami Wednesday. Safin blunted the powerful ground strokes of Chilean Gonzalez - who took out Pete Sampras in the fourth round - to win 6-3, 6-3 in their rain-delayed match.

In a battle between the past two US Open champions, Safin expects a tight contest with Hewitt. "It will be a tough match; the score is 2-all and we respect each other," Safin said. "He's playing great and he beat some great players to win Indian Wells. But I'm also playing well and I am quite confident. I would love to play against him and I think it's going to be a great match for spectators. Whoever wins will go into the semifinals and will have a great chance to win the tournament.

"Everybody knows that against Hewitt you can't stay on the baseline and try to overpower him and just play his game. That's just stupid - you have no chance to beat him this way. You have to do something else, which is try to go to the net, try to push him from the beginning of the match until the end."

Safin, appearing in his first quarterfinal in Miami, has a 14-5 match record in 2002, which includes his run to the Australian Open final. The Russian said that he was "horrible" in his three-set win over Peruvian qualifier Luis Horna in the third round, but that he was very happy with his performance against Gonzalez.

"There are some days that you are not playing really well, and some days that you are just feeling in the right way and you are feeling in a good mood and you want to play," Safin said. "Two days ago I was feeling horrible. I couldn't put one ball inside the court in practice. I couldn't feel my game. Today I was feeling great. I'm pretty happy that I can change my game in one day. "

Also on Wednesday, Andrei Pavel reserved his spot in the last eight by defeating Franco Squillari 16 76(5) 61. Pavel, last year's Tennis Masters Series Montreal winner, now meets Roger Federer.

Hewitt Makes it Lucky 13
... and 20 in a row on US hard courts!
Hewitt lost five consecutive games in the first set

Lleyton Hewitt continues to close on another semifinal appearance at the Nasdaq-100 Open, toughing out a three-set win over Jan-Michael Gambill Monday night to advance to the last 16. Hewitt has reached the Miami semifinals the past two years, and this week is looking to become the third player in four years to complete the Indian Wells-Miami Tennis Masters Series double after claiming his first TMS shield at the Pacific Life Open earlier this month.

The world No.1 is on a 13-match winning streak since returning from a bout of the chicken pox. He has also won his past 20 matches on US hard courts, dating back to the US Open.

But Monday night Gambill gave Hewitt all that he could handle. After the Australian broke serve in the first game of the match, Gambill reeled off five straight games and soon after claimed the first set. But Hewitt, arguably the toughest player mentally on the ATP circuit, broke Gambill to love at the end of the second set and broke him again to love to close out the match.

Hewitt said: "Jan Michael always starts well and I haven't had too many chances to break him early in the past. But after I got the break at the start of the first set he started slapping balls around, hitting everything two inches inside the line. I told myself that he wouldn't be able to keep that up for the whole match and I knew I just need to hang in there."

Hewitt now plays young American James Blake, who extended the Australian to five sets during his march to last year's US Open title. "He's playing great and getting better and better every time I see him," Hewitt said.

Despite the loss, Gambill said there were positive signs with his game. "I'm volleying better, my one-handed forehand is better and I'm less inconsistent," he said. "I probably need to work on my fitness a bit and for the next two weeks I'll be running on the beach in Hawaii each day."
TENNIS: Beefed-up Hewitt in command
By AARON SPIRDONOFF
23mar02
LLEYTON Hewitt's chicken-pox seems to have been a blessing in disguise.

The 21-year-old is reaping the rewards of an enforced six-week lay-off from the ATP Tour because of the illness he contracted in early January.
While recuperating in Adelaide, Hewitt and new coach Jason Stoltenberg took part in an extensive court and weights program at the Next Generation complex at Memorial Drive designed to condition the world No. 1 back to match fitness and add muscle to his 68kg frame.

He returned to the circuit dominant, capturing the San Jose and Indian Wells titles over the past two weeks.

"He (Hewitt) would hit with Jason (Stoltenberg) at home for about three hours each day then come in here and do about one and a half hours in the gym," Next Generation director of tennis and Hewitt's first coach, Peter Smith, said.

"That's a lot of training for a guy like Lleyton who doesn't usually train that much because of the high number of matches he plays."

Next Generation personal trainer Tony Mennillo said the weights routine that Hewitt undertook had been devised by Stoltenberg and that gym instructors would occasionally give advice on technique and form.

"There was definitely a focus on his upper body," Mennillo said.

"I think you can see now that he is a bit heavier which has given him more strength. I think it's given him a greater advantage."

Last year Hewitt played an astonishing 99 Tour matches, culminating with the heart-breaking Davis Cup final loss to France in December.

Smith believes the workload left Hewitt physically and mentally drained and his immune system susceptible to illness. "He had a really difficult year last year," said Smith, who still stays in regular contact with his former pupil.

"After the Davis Cup final he was really struggling, so it's no surprise he got sick.

"I think the fact that he has had a bit of break from the game is what has helped him the most. It's not so much what he has been doing – it's more like what he hasn't been doing."

Smith said Hewitt's commanding return was not surprising given his remarkable talent and mental focus.

"He is such an exceptional player – his style of play is very difficult to match up against," he said.

"He's always looking for a target and he seems to be getting better and better at hitting that target.

 

Hewitt's Rough Day at the Office