Quarterfinal
| Hewitt loses for first time in 23 matches at Sydney International |
| By DENNIS PASSA, AP Sports Writer January 12, 2006 SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Lleyton Hewitt's 22-match winning streak at the Sydney International ended Thursday when the top-seeded Australian was upset 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 by Italian Andrea Seppi. Hewitt had never lost in the ATP tournament held at the former Olympic site, winning titles in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. But Hewitt, who nearly pulled out of his first-round match with a stomach virus, made a number of unforced errors Thursday and blew two match points in the deciding set after serving for the match in the second. Seppi will play Igor Andreev in Friday's semifinals after the Russian beat compatriot Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. American James Blake beat Arnaud Clement of France 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in another quarterfinal and will next play Nikolay Davydenko of Russia on Friday. Davydenko advanced on a walkover when Thailand's Paradorn Schrichapan pulled out of his quarterfinal match with a thigh injury, the eighth player to withdraw from the Australian Open tuneup tournament. After five consecutive service breaks in the second set, Hewitt served for the match at 5-3, but double-faulted to give Seppi a break point and then miscued on a backhand to lose the game.Serving at 5-3 in the deciding set, Hewitt again missed on a backhand volley at the net on match point, and after fending off one break point set up by another double-fault, hit a forehand long on another match point. Seppi eventually broke back to 5-4. Seppi came back to take a 6-5 lead, then won the match when he hit a forehand to the corner that Hewitt couldn't reach. Earlier, Justine Henin-Hardenne advanced to the women's final with a 6-3, 6-1 win over 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia. She'll play the winner of the semifinal between Italy's Francesca Schiavone and Nicole Vaidosova of the Czech Republic. "I was moving great, I've been very powerful," said Henin-Hardenne. I have four matches here before the Australian Open. I hope I can keep it going this way." Paradorn, Asia's No. 1 player, said he strained his thigh in India last week during the Chennai Open. "Less than a week before Melbourne, so I will try to do my best here and just try to recover for next week," said Paradorn. Top-seeded Kim Clijsters withdrew from the women's quarterfinals on Wednesday night with a left hip injury, after No. 4 Nadia Petrova withdrew from her quarterfinal and Daniela Hantuchova retired from hers with a stomach virus. Clijsters said Thursday she was still hopeful of taking part in the Australian Open. "I had an MRI scan and it's shown I have an inflammation of the hip joint and tendon," the Belgian said in a statement. "The good news is that there is no tear of the muscle. In the next couple of days I'm going to receive more treatment ... and at that point I'll have a better idea of my condition." Dinara Safina and Gisela Dulko had already withdrawn on the women's side at Sydney. Third-seeded Thomas Johansson withdrew before the tournament with a right shoulder problem, and former finalist Carlos Moya dropped out on Wednesday. Defending champion Marat Safin, Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi have already pulled out of the Australian Open in Melbourne with injuries. Updated on Thursday, Jan 12, 2006 2:13 am EST |
Hewitt in shock defeat
January 12, 2006
LLEYTON Hewitt was beaten for the first time ever at the Sydney International
tennis tournament when he crashed out 4-6 7-5 7-5 to little-known Italian
Andreas Seppi.
After barrelling through the first set in half an hour, Hewitt seemed to lose intensity and dropped his serve four times in succession in the second set.
He looked to have the quarter-final in his keeping when he led 4-1 in the final set, but Seppi fought back tenaciously, saving two match points at 4-5.
The Italian, who had courtside treatment for a knee injury during the third set, closed out the match when he slammed a forehand past a despairing Hewitt.
He will now play Igor Andreev of Russia in the semi-finals.
Rd 2
LLEYTON Hewitt has overcome his stomach bug to post a straight sets victory over Austrian Jurgen Melzer at the Sydney International today.
The world No.4 charged through the first set 6-1 in 38 minutes and despite dropping his first service game of the second, he won the next five games to take a stranglehold on the match before winning 6-1 6-4 in 83 minutes.Hewitt admitted he almost pulled out midway through his first round clash with Vince Spadea on Monday, but after a day's rest at home the top seed showed no effects of the virus.
Fightback
LLEYTON Hewitt
will resume his quest today for a record fifth Medibank Sydney International
crown.
The world No. 4 will take the court against Austrian Jurgen Melzer after
spending yesterday recovering from the virus which almost cost him victory
against American qualifier Vince Spadea on Monday.
The dual world champion went through his usual recovery routine with coach Roger Rasheed yesterday before declaring his intention to face Melzer.
Hewitt revealed after beating Spadea that he almost retired as he listlessly battled an upset stomach, claiming he felt it was becoming dangerous to continue in the heat and humidity.
But Rasheed yesterday confirmed the Australian Open finalist would play today.
"Lleyton's going to play and he's going out there to give 100 per cent," Rasheed said.
"Hopefully, he'll be feeling a lot better than on Monday.
"He's been resting today and he's done his normal recovery session.
"We're hoping that Monday was the worst of the virus and also the tail end of it."
Top seed Hewitt's half of the draw has opened up invitingly with the removal of all of his seeded rivals.
Chris Guccione eliminated fifth seed Juan Carlos Ferrero on Monday and could earn a tilt at Hewitt if he can win his second-round match today.
Talented Russian Igor Andreev yesterday extended Frenchman Richard Gasquet's depressing start to the new season with a 6-2, 6-4 hammering.
World No. 16 Gasquet was whipped in Doha last week by Englishman Tim Henman
Sixth-seed Tommy Robredo has endured a similarly barren beginning to 2005, losing early in Adelaide last week and again yesterday - 6-7 (4-7), 3-6 to Russian Dmitry Tursunov.
However, Frenchman Florent Serra could prove formidable resistance to Hewitt.
As could 1997 finalist Carlos Moya, who last night overcame Sebastian Grosjean in three sets 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
Australia's Peter Luczak recorded one of the greatest wins of his career yesterday against Xavier Malisse.
Luczak, world No. 144, outlasted the world No. 39 in two tiebreaks and gained a timely confidence boost for the Australian Open. The 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3) performance, that would not have hurt his Davis Cup chances, has Luczak one win from a quarter-final.
He must first overcome Andreev today.
"I need to go out there and play a lot more relaxed," Luczak said.
"I know Andreev is playing really well but I am definitely the underdog and I've got to go out there swinging. I play my best tennis that way."
Luczak had a 4-1 lead in the first set before Malisse rallied, saving five set points and forcing the first-set tiebreaker.
Then in the second set Malisse threatened to break in the 12th game but Luczak produced a timely ace and eventually forced the match into another tiebreak.
He got a break in the tiebreak and then a critical foot fault on Malisse opened the door for the Australian.
Guccione plays Italian Andreas Seppi.
Rd
1 Hewitt survives after slow start
By Philip Henderson
January 9, 2006
LLEYTON Hewitt survived a major scare to beat lowly ranked American Vincent
Spadea 2-6 7-5 6-3 in the first round of his Medibank International title
defence in Sydney this afternoon.
Spadea, who lost in three sets to Mark Philippoussis in the first round of the Adelaide International last week, broke the world No.4 twice in the first set and had him 30-40 down on serve at 5-5 in the second but couldn't convert the break.
Hewitt went on to break Spadea's serve with his first set point in the next game to even the match.
He then broke the world No.75, infamous for losing a record 21 consecutive games on the ATP tour in 1999-2000, in the eighth game of the deciding set before serving out the match.
A loss would have been a major blow to Hewitt's preparations for the Australian Open after his shock second-round exit from the Adelaide International last week.
Before Adelaide, Hewitt had not played a tournament since September because of a groin injury, toe surgery and the birth of his first child.
Hewitt avoided a second-round meeting with old foe Juan Ignacio Chela after the fiery Argentine lost his first round match 6-1 7-6 to Melzer earlier today.
But Hewitt is on track to meet fellow Australian Chris Guccione in the quarter-finals of the tournament after the 20-year-old Victorian matched his efforts in the 2004 tournament by beating Spanish fifth seed and former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero 4-6 6-3 7-5.
Hewitt battles bug to advance
By Robert Smith
January 9, 2006
AN unfit Lleyton Hewitt dug deep to overcome American journeyman Vince Spadea to
launch his bid for a fifth Sydney International tennis title today.
The world number four and tournament top seed, upset by a stomach bug, dropped
the opening set and was 30-40 down on serve at 5-5 in the second set before
rallying for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory and a second-round meeting with Austrian
Jurgen Melzer on Wednesday.
It was a near two-hour duel in the heat for the Australian, who struggled on
serve with 10 double faults and committed 57 unforced errors. But he stayed
alive by breaking the world No.75's serve in the eighth game of the deciding set
and serving out the match.
"Just over the last couple of days my stomach's been playing up and today it was
the worst that it has been," Hewitt said.
"It's more just my energy levels due to my stomach not feeling right ... I was
probably only a couple of points away from having to walk off the court.
"But to my credit I hung in and tried to get through, knowing that I had a day
off tomorrow."
An early exit from the last lead-up tournament, in which he has yet to lose a
match in four years, would have been a significant blow to Hewitt's preparations
for next week's Australian Open.
Hewitt was bundled out of his Adelaide home-town tournament in the second round
last week. That was his first tournament since September following a groin
injury, toe surgery and the birth of his first child.
Hewitt, who lost last year's Australian Open final to Russian Marat Safin,
looked as if he needed more match practice to be ready for next week's first
grand slam tournament of the year.
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"I feel that my health is more important for Melbourne than getting matches
under my belt. I feel if I'm healthy and feeling 100 per cent, then my game will
come together nicely," he said.
His four Sydney titles are more than any other player in the post-1968 Open era
and he has never lost a singles match at the tournament.
He has only lost two matches on the stadium's centre court - at the 2000 Sydney
Olympics to Max Mirnyi of Belarus and in last year's Davis Cup quarter-finals to
Argentina's David Nalbandian.
It was also a milestone for Hewitt, winning his 400th career match at ATP/grand
slam/Davis Cup level.
Hewitt could face big-serving Australian Chris Guccione in the quarter-finals