uso03match4

4th rd Hewitt storms into quarters
September 5, 2003

A CONFIDENT Lleyton Hewitt stormed into his fourth straight US Open quarter-final today with an impressive four sets win over big-hitting Paradorn Srichaphan.

The sixth-seeded Hewitt overcame three days of frustrating rain delays and the loss of the first set to post a commanding 4-6 6-2 6-4 6-2 victory over the 11th-seeded Thai.

The 2001 champion will meet French Open champion Spaniard Juan-Carlos tomorrow for a berth in the semi-finals.

Today's match was to have been played on Tuesdayb(AEST), eventually started on Wednesday, suspended after just seven games and finally concluded here tonight at 9.28pm local time.

But it was worth the long wait for Hewitt.

The South Australian was trailing 3-4 and serving when play resumed under lights on another grey day at Flushing Meadows.

He dropped his second service game to love to concede the first set, but broke back in the opening game of the second when Srichaphan coughed up a costly double-fault.

The 11th-seeded Thai, who'd beaten Hewitt just once in their previous five meetings over the past two years, produced a brilliant backhand topspin lob to earn a break-back point in the next game.

But Hewitt reeled off three big serves in a row to escape trouble.

Two Srichaphan unforced errors handed Hewitt a double break and the former world No.1 again held serve for a 4-0 lead.

The players traded breaks before Hewitt closed out the set with a forehand winner to level the match.

Hewitt again established a double break in the third set as Srichaphan's play began to drop away.

Despite a minor hiccup serving for the set at 5-2, Hewitt seized control of the match when he took the third set with a wonderful backhand pass.

Another backhand winner from Hewitt had the Thai on the ropes early in the fourth set as the world No.6 began to produce his full array of shots.

A diving volley and backhand drop shot helped Hewitt to service breaks in the third and seventh games before he finished off Srichaphan after two hours and 20 minutes.

Minutes later, Ferrero outlasted 33-year-old Martin 6-2 6-4 3-6 5-7 6-3 to set up a showdown with Hewitt for the first time since their epic five-set Masters Cup final in Shanghai last November.

Hewitt won that memorable match to crown his season as the year-end world No.1 for a second straight season.

In other coempleted men's singles, Argentina's David Nalbandian maintaned his mastery over Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, beating the Swiss second seed 3-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 6-3.

Fifth seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina also advanced to the quarter-finals by defeating Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman 6-2 6-3 4-6 6-2. AAP djw/es

The highly anticipated fourth-round contest between sixth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt and the No. 11 seed Paradorn Srichaphan lived up to its billing. For three days, both men eagerly awaited the call to battle. When the battlefield was dry, the war got underway.

There was much on the line for both men, an opportunity for Hewitt to advance past the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time this year, and a chance for Srichaphan to advance to his first-ever quarterfinal appearance in a Grand Slam.

The match began Monday evening on the Grandstand with Srichaphan leading 4-3 after the pair traded service breaks. It would be three days before another point was played. When play did resume, the match was relocated to Court 11. Srichaphan added an additional break in the 10th game to close out the first set, 6-4.

Hewitt opened the second set with a break and broke again in the third and seventh games of the set, easily capturing the set 6-2, leveling the match at a set all.

In the third set, Hewitt had two breaks to Srichaphan's one, taking the set 6-4. On set point, Hewitt let rip his trademark fist pump and "C'mon."

The quality and length of the rallies picked up in the fourth set. It was too late for Srichaphan, as Hewitt took care of his serve and added two breaks to close out the final set, 6-2.

Neither man was at his best, Srichaphan clearly rusty from three days of rain delays committed an alarming 61 unforced errors.

Next up for Hewitt in the quarterfinals will be the No. 3 seed Juan Carlos Ferrero. They last met in the 2002 epic Master Series Cup final, which Hewitt won in five sets.