Queens June 12- 18 2006

final defeated James Blake 6-4 6-4

Lleyton Hewitt claimed his fourth title at the Stella Artois Championships after defeating American James Blake 6-4, 6-4 in the final. The Australian took just 66 minutes to join John McEnroe and Boris Becker as the only players to have won at The Queen’s Club on four occasions.

It was the first title for Hewitt since he won Sydney in January 2005, and avenged his loss to Blake in the Las Vegas final earlier this year, his only loss against the American in seven meetings. “It’s fantastic,” said the 25-year-old. “This place has always been pretty special to me, I always love coming here year after year and to win it for the fourth time feels great.”

Hewitt won three consecutive titles at The Queen’s Club between 2000-02, before Andy Roddick took over the reigns by winning the next three Stella Artois Championships.

Roddick’s 18-match unbeaten run was brought to an end by Blake in Saturday’s semifinals, but the American could not maintain his impressive form in the championship decider.

In front of a packed Centre Court crowd, Hewitt made a blistering start to the final, breaking Blake in the opening game of the match and dropped just one point on his own serve – that being a double fault – in his first three service games. However, Blake showed signs of mounting a recovery from 5-2 down in the first set, as he broke Hewitt to love with three consecutive backhand winners.

Hewitt eventually claimed the first set in 32 minutes, and the second went with serve until the seventh game, when the Australian’s persistent pressure eventually took its toll on Blake.

With Hewitt serving for the match at 5-4, Blake had a glimour of hope at 0-30, but the No. 5 seed failed to take advantage as Hewitt claimed his 25th career title with a service winner.

“I felt like I played pretty flawless tennis for most of it,” said Hewitt, who made 85 percent first serves in the second set. “I was pretty happy with the way that I struck the ball. I served really well and put pressure on his serve as much as possible.”

He added: “This is the first title I've obviously won since being married and having Mia. So it's nice to have them here with me, that's for sure.”

Despite the disappointment, Blake gave credit to his opponent. “He served great,” said Blake. “Didn't give me any freebies really. And I think to beat him you really got to control the points, and I wasn't able to do that because he was getting on the offensive before I was. So difficult. My serve wasn't quite as good as it was yesterday. I wasn't able to attack him, so he did what he does best.”

semifinal defeated Tim Henman 6-3 3-6 6-2

Lleyton Hewitt is through to his fourth final at the Stella Artois Championships after coming back from a break down in the third set to defeat Britain’s Tim Henman in the semifinals.

Hewitt claimed his ninth win in 10 meetings against Henman with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 victory and kept his hopes of joining John McEnroe and Boris Becker as the only four-time winners at The Queen’s Club alive.

Hewitt, who won three consecutive titles at the Stella Artois Championships between 2000-02, defeating Henman in two of those finals, found himself 2-0 down in the deciding set as the British No. 3 appeared to be on his way to a fourth final.

However, Hewitt benefited from some questionable line calls and took full advantage, winning six consecutive games to reach his third final of the year, having finished runner-up in Las Vegas and San Jose, in 1 hour, 46 minutes.

“I felt like I started returning better again,” said Hewitt. “I felt like I won the first set playing pretty good tennis out there. And at the start of the second I had chances to break early and go up a set and a break, and he served well on the big points out there today. And, you know, his serve didn't really go off until a bit later during the third set where I started getting some opportunities on his second serve to put a bit of pressure on him. Up till then, you know, he was hitting his first serve well, and I couldn't try and dictate too much on the return of serve, and he was always the one getting that first hit in.”

Hewitt, the World No. 13 and eighth seed here, will be looking to claim his first ATP title since winning Sydney in January 2005.

For Henman, who had looked impressive throughout the tournament with wins over Andre Agassi, Ramon Delgado, Nicolas Mahut and Dmitry Tursunov en route to the semifinals, it was a disappointing end to the tournament.

“It goes both ways,” said Henman, referring to the line calls and in particular a call that went against him on break point leading 2-1 in the final set. “I'm sure I had some in my favor. But I think when it comes on a breakpoint like that, it obviously does have an impact. That went against me and in all honesty I wouldn't say I then dealt with it very well because I think it frustrated me. He started to turn the match around, and it ran away quickly.”

Henman, who voiced his opinion to ATP supervisor Thomas Karlberg during the third set, added: “It's disappointing today. I would have loved to have gone into the final again. But it's been a fantastic week. It gives me a great foundation to build from for next week's practice and obviously Wimbledon.”

Quarterfinal defeated Rafael Nadal 3-6 6-3 ret (shoulder injury)

Game-by-game updates:

Third set:

With a shake of the head, Nadal retires injured, much to the crowd's disappointment. His injured shoulder is too much for him. Lleyton Hewitt will play now Tim Henman in the semi-final.

Nadal 6-3 3-6 Hewitt
It's never easy for Hewitt on his own serve, but despite more Nadal fireworks he holds on to level up.

Nadal 6-3 3-5 Hewitt
Now we're cooking. Nadal produces his best shot of the match - the cheekiest of drop-shots from behind the baseline - to save another set point, and takes the game with a backhand that just nibbles the back line.

Nadal 6-3 2-5 Hewitt
One break back for Nadal, thanks to a Hewitt netted forehand and an exquisite forehand pass. Although Nadal is still mis-firing, the power of his occasional winners is extraordinary.

"Look at Nadal's left arm - it's huge. It looks like someone has glued a leg there instead." BBC commentator Andrew Castle.

Nadal 6-3 1-5 Hewitt
Nadal is now the one making mistakes. Hewitt wins his fifth game on the bounce and is closing in on the second set.

Nadal 6-3 1-4 Hewitt
Hewitt sees a little sliver of a chance, and that's all he needs. Nadal calls for the trainers and gets a massage on his left shoulder. The shirt comes off, and half the spectators catch their breath.

Nadal 6-3 1-3 Hewitt
Hewitt sets up two break points. Nadal aces the first, and then Hewitt breaks a string trying to put away the second. Nadal misses by a whisker with a cross-court pass, and then goes long to give Hewitt the break. The Aussie lets out a rebel yell and clenches his fist.

Nadal 6-3 1-2 Hewitt
Steady as she goes in this second set. Neither player has got close to that all-important break yet.

"I never thought I'd feel sorry for Hewitt, but I do." BBC commentator Andrew Castle.

Nadal 6-3 1-1 Hewitt
Nadal is showing little sign of tiredness despite his non-stop schedule. Hewitt is moving him around the court but Nadal looks like he could run all day.

Nadal 6-3 0-1 Hewitt
Better from Hewitt. His serving remains solid - but now he has to make a dent in Nadal's.

First set:

Nadal 6-3 Hewitt
Easy as pie - Nadal holds to love to take the first set. It must be depressing for Hewitt - he used to be the one winning at Queen's at a canter, but now the sweatband is on the other wrist.

"Nadal has forgotten how to lose. He could play on Mars and he'd still win." BBC commentator Andrew Castle.

Nadal 5-3 Hewitt
Hewitt keeps the set alive - just - but the crowd are firmly on Nadal's side. One forehand pass from the French Open champion is clocked at 100mph - and this from a man who supposedly can't play on grass...

Nadal 5-2 Hewitt
Hewitt battles away in classic Hewitt fashion, chasing everything and counter-punching. But Nadal has taken that blueprint and improved on it.

Nadal 4-2 Hewitt
At least Hewitt's first serve is working - his percentage is around the 75% mark. Nadal's at less than 50% - which says something about the strength of the rest of his game.

Nadal 4-1 Hewitt
Nadal keeps his foot down and extends his lead. Hewitt is mis-firing at the moment and needs to stop the rot soon.

"Nadal is the ball-girls' favourite, and you can see what they like - muscles, bandana, pantaloons." BBC commentator Andrew Castle.

Nadal 3-1 Hewitt
A dodgy line-call against Hewitt sets up a break for Nadal, and he's not going to let that opportunity go. Hewitt is seething under his back-to-front baseball cap. His wife, actress Bec Cartwright, watches on impassively from the stands.

"Nice engagement and wedding ring combo from Cartwright there." BBC commentator Andrew Castle.

Nadal 2-1 Hewitt
Nadal holds under pressure. He's taking his service games as slowly as he can, but the tactics are questionable at best - Hewitt has had five break points already.

Nadal 1-1 Hewitt
Impressive reply from Hewitt - he holds to love, with the assitance of two howitzer aces.

Nadal 1-0 Hewitt
First blood to the young Spaniard. He's already whipping those trademark groundstrokes from way behind the baseline. Umpire Gerry Armstrong had a little pre-match chat with both players and asked them to keep pace up between service points. Nadal wasn't best pleased.

Temperatures are rising in west London - both the Spaniard and the Aussie should feel totally at home.

Nadal struggled to a 2-6 7-6 7-6 victory over compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the previous round, while Hewitt has won the Stella Artois title three times.

But can the French Open champion and undisputed king of clay begin to find his feet on grass?

3rd rd defeated Max Mirnyi

"Hewitt, a winner here from 2000-02, is looking to join John McEnroe and Boris Becker as the only four-time winners of the Stella Artois Championship, was relieved to have got through against Mirnyi considering their last five matches had gone the distance.

“It's always a tough match against Max. Every time I played him, we've had battles. You don't get that many opportunities against a guy like him so if you get that second serve on breakpoint or that slight opening, you really have to take it. That said, I still was up a break twice in the final set and wasn't able to convert that break. He played well, though, in those games. But it's nice to come through a tight match against a good grass court player.”

Looking ahead to playing Nadal, against whom he won their first three meetings before losing to the Spaniard in the fourth round at the French Open last week, Hewitt said their meeting on clay should have little bearing on the outcome. “If we play on grass, it's probably totally different, especially to two weeks ago,” said the Australian. “It's probably more so closer to the hard court meetings I think that we've had in the past.”

2nd rd defeated Fernanado Vicente 46 64 62

1st rd bye