final

Federer beats Hewitt easily for third major of year

By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Tennis Writer
September 12, 2004


NEW YORK (AP) -- Roger Federer is at his best against the best, when it counts the most, and he was pretty much perfect in the U.S. Open final.

Federer became the first man since 1988 to win three majors in a year, thoroughly outclassing Lleyton Hewitt 6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-0 Sunday to add the American Grand Slam title to those he took at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

There hadn't been two shutout sets in the event's championship match since 1884.

``It was a perfect start,'' Federer said. ``Tough for Lleyton, obviously, but for me, a great start.''

And here's what was particularly remarkable: The top-ranked Federer's opponent was no pushover. Federer dominated every facet against pugnacious, backward-cap wearing, ``Come on!''-yelling, fist-pumping Hewitt, a former No. 1 and owner of two major titles, including the 2001 U.S. Open.

Federer led the fourth-seeded Hewitt in winners (40-12), aces (11-1), and service breaks (7-1), and won the point on 31 of 35 trips to the net.

And now there are all sorts of other impressive numbers Federer can lay claim to:

-- no one had won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open back-to-back since Pete Sampras in 1995;

-- including Wimbledon in 2003, Federer is 4-0 in major finals, the first man in the Open era to start a career by winning his first four;

-- he's won 11 straight tournament finals overall;

-- he's won 17 straight matches against players ranked in the top 10.

There's more: No man had captured consecutive major titles since Andre Agassi won the 1999 U.S. Open and 2000 Australian Open. The 18 Slams since then was the longest drought in the Open era.

``It's an incredible effort, what he's done,'' Hewitt said. ``I don't think people probably realize how hard it is.''

With his fluid, all-court game, cool demeanor and win-the-big-ones determination, Federer already is inspiring talk about whether he can challenge Sampras' record of 14 major titles. Sampras got No. 4 at age 22; Federer turned 23 last month.

``Roger is a complete player. He has the ability to change his game slightly as to what his opponent's doing to him,'' said 1946-47 U.S. Open winner Jack Kramer, inducted Sunday into the tournament's Court of Champions.

``He's so good on the defense and so good at the return of serve that he's forcing the other player mentally to get a little bit of scaredeness: 'I've got to serve a little better or Roger's going to knock it by me.' 'I've got to make a better approach shot or he's going to pass me.' He's getting errors because of the threat of his skills. That's why he's the champ.''

That's precisely what Federer did against Hewitt, who entered Sunday 2-0 in Slam finals, had won 16 straight matches, and was trying to become the first man to win the Open without dropping a set since Neale Fraser in 1960.

Well, that vanished quickly.

Federer raced through the first set in all of 18 minutes, winning 24 of the 29 points, including the final 12. Hewitt needed half an hour just to win a game, and by then he was down a break in the second set, too.

Federer made only two unforced errors in the first, but his level dropped quite a bit in the second, when he made 20. And then, just like that, Federer turned it back on, winning 14 of the first 16 points in the third set.

The Swiss star did a little bit of everything, from powerful forehands to perfectly cut backhands, to feathery drop shots, to stinging volleys. At times, it was almost as if he were hitting certain shots and applying certain strategies just to show he can.

Federer faced his first break point while serving at 3-2 in the second set, and he dismissed it by closing the game this way: 125 mph ace, 128 mph ace, 124 mph ace. Don't forget: Hewitt, 23, is widely considered the top returner of their generation.

Hewitt finally came through with his lone break on his sixth and final chance, when Federer served for the second set at 5-4. They went into a tiebreaker, which Federer eased through despite not playing his best tennis -- the true mark of a champion.

Before this year, Federer never had been past the fourth round at the U.S. Open, losing at that stage each of the past three years. And he's been without a coach since firing Peter Lundgren in December.

Poor Hewitt. He lost to the eventual champion at each major this year, including to Federer in the fourth round of the Australian Open and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. Federer lost eight of their first 10 meetings as pros, but he's 4-0 in 2004.

Mats Wilander was the last man to win three majors in a season, in 1988. Before that, Jimmy Connors did it in 1974. The last man to complete the Grand Slam was Rod Laver in 1969.

``He's a little better than everyone else at everything right now,'' Wilander said after the match. ``Physically and mentally he has the advantage over the other players. At the moment, I don't see anyone who can beat him.''

The only blemish for Federer this year? A third-round loss at Roland Garros to three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten.

``He may go down in history -- he's getting there -- as the greatest player who's ever played,'' John McEnroe said.
 

Semifinal

Hewitt, Federer roll into U.S. Open final Saturday

September 11, 2004
By Aaron Rennie SportsTicker Staff Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - Jaslyn Hewitt's older brother treated her boyfriend rudely in the U.S. Open semifinals Saturday.

Fourth seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia moved into the final at the year's final Grand Slam with a 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 triumph over his sister's boyfriend, No. 28 Joachim Johansson of Sweden.

"He's already made a few comments to me in the locker room," Hewitt said. "He's not going to get me a Christmas present. He reckons that was mine today."

The 2001 champion and a two-time Grand Slam titlist, Hewitt posted his sixth consecutive straight-set victory here and ran his winning streak to 16 matches. No man in the Open Era has won the U.S. Open title without dropping a set.

Hewitt awaits top seed Roger Federer of Switzerland, who cruised past No. 5 Tim Henman of Great Britain, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Hewitt broke Johansson in the 10th game of the first set, the 12th of the second and the eighth of the third.

"If he's playing like this, it's going to be tough for the other guy at this point," Johansson said of Hewitt, a former world No. 1.

The 23-year-old Aussie never was broken by the 22-year-old Swede and saved his only break point - in the fifth game of the first set.

Hewitt had 28 winners and just 14 unforced errors, while Johansson had 38 and 37, respectively.

Johansson, who beat No. 2 seed and defending champion Andy Roddick of the U.S. - who had yet to lose a set - in the quarterfinals, was playing his first Grand Slam semifinal and Hewitt for the first time.

"I felt fine," Johansson said. "I'm not sure how he felt, but it seemed like he felt fine, too. I mean, he won three (sets to) love. Obviously, he played pretty well today. Didn't affect us, I think."

For some time, Johansson has been dating the 21-year-old Jaslyn Hewitt, a player on the women's circuit who chose not to sit in either player's box.

"It was definitely a bit awkward," Hewitt said of facing Johansson.

Federer, the reigining Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, is trying to become the first man to win three Slams in a year since Mats Wilander in 1988. Federer had not progressed beyond the fourth round here until this year.

Federer, who entered the match just 2-6 lifetime against Henman, broke the Brit twice in the first set, once in the second and twice in the third as he improved to 4-0 lifetime in Grand Slam semifinals. He has gone on to win each of his previous major finals.

Henman, who broke Federer once in both the first and third sets, slipped to 0-6 lifetime in Grand Slam semifinals. He lost in the penultimate round at Wimbledon four times and at the French Open earlier this year.

Hewitt powers into final

LLEYTON Hewitt shoved sentiment aside to storm into the US Open final today with a trademark 6-4 7-5 6-3 victory over family friend Joachim Johansson.

Hewitt dismantled the longtime partner of his younger sister Jaslyn with the same clinical precision shown in his five previous straight-set wins at Flushing Meadows over the past fortnight.

Australia's 2001 champion will meet the winner of today's second semi-final between world No.1 Roger Federer and British fifth seed Tim Henman in tomorrow's championship finale.

Hewitt will enter his third grand slam final, the first since his Wimbledon triumph two years ago, oozing confidence after extending his winning run to 16 matches with another highly impressive performance today.

The South Australian faced just one break point on his serve during the entire match, while continually applying the pressure on the towering Swede's.

Johansson had hammered down 109 aces en route to his first grand slam semi-final, but found Hewitt - roundly considered the game's best service returner - a starkly more difficult proposition.

After surviving his sole break point of the match in the fifth game, Hewitt seized on three forehand errors from Johansson to gain triple set point with the Swede serving at 4-5 and 0-40.

The fourth seed missed his first chance with a netted backhand, but capitalised on the next point when Johansson swung wildly at an overhead and watched the ball sail long and wide.

There was no break points on either players' serve until the 12th game of the second set and again it was Hewitt who pounced, grabbing a commanding two-sets-to-love lead when Johansson again erred going for a big forehand winner.

With victory now firmly in his sights, Hewitt produced an almighty roar in celebration, leaving his sister expressionless as she looked on from a neutral box in New York's Arthur Ashe Stadium.

As Hewitt's relentless grind continued in the third set, the mistakes kept coming from Johansson, who lost his serve for a third time in the match to fall behind 5-3.

Hewitt cooly served out the match after one hour and 59 minutes, leaving the 23-year-old fresh as a daisy for the final.

Hewitt storms into final.

Lleyton Hewitt crushed Joachim Johansson in straight sets to reach the US Open final at Flushing Meadows.

Hewitt got to grips with the Swede's big serve from the outset and never dropped his own delivery en route to a 6-4 7-5 6-3 victory.


The 2001 champion edged a tight opening set 6-4, gaining the only break of serve in the 10th game.

The big-serving Johnasson had saved a break point in his opening service game, but he was back in more trouble in game 10 as he fell 0-40 down thanks to a string of errors.

Hewitt missed an easy backhand on the first set point, but a wild smash from Johansson on the second gave Hewitt the early advantage.


The second set followed a similar pattern.

Hewitt regularly threatened on the Johnasson serve, often taking him to deuce, but he had to be patient for the breakthrough.

Again it arrived when Johansson was serving to stay in the set, this time at 5-6.

A poor backhand volley into the net gave Hewitt two break points, but he only needed one as the Swede sent a shot wide to leave himself facing a massive uphill struggle.

However, Johansson had come back from two sets down in his quarter-final with Andy Roddick, so Hewitt knew he still had some work to do.

He was up to the task.

Johansson was producing too many errors, the ball often flying off his racket wildly as he went for his powerful trademark winners.

Hewitt's groundstrokes were much more reliable and he gained the key break in the eighth game of the set.

He duly served out to book a place in Sunday's final where he will face either Roger Federer or Tim Henman.

Hewitt has yet to drop a set in the tournament and will be looking to become the first player ever to win the US Open without doing so.
Lleyton Hewitt crushed Joachim Johansson in straight sets to reach the US Open final at Flushing Meadows.

Hewitt got to grips with the Swede's big serve from the outset and never dropped his own delivery en route to a 6-4 7-5 6-3 victory.


The 2001 champion edged a tight opening set 6-4, gaining the only break of serve in the 10th game.

The big-serving Johnasson had saved a break point in his opening service game, but he was back in more trouble in game 10 as he fell 0-40 down thanks to a string of errors.

Hewitt missed an easy backhand on the first set point, but a wild smash from Johansson on the second gave Hewitt the early advantage.


The second set followed a similar pattern.

Hewitt regularly threatened on the Johnasson serve, often taking him to deuce, but he had to be patient for the breakthrough.

Again it arrived when Johansson was serving to stay in the set, this time at 5-6.

A poor backhand volley into the net gave Hewitt two break points, but he only needed one as the Swede sent a shot wide to leave himself facing a massive uphill struggle.

However, Johansson had come back from two sets down in his quarter-final with Andy Roddick, so Hewitt knew he still had some work to do.

He was up to the task.

Johansson was producing too many errors, the ball often flying off his racket wildly as he went for his powerful trademark winners.

Hewitt's groundstrokes were much more reliable and he gained the key break in the eighth game of the set.

He duly served out to book a place in Sunday's final where he will face Roger Federer.
Hewitt has yet to drop a set in the tournament and will be looking to become the first player ever to win the US Open without doing so.

Roddick tips Hewitt over Johansson
September 10, 2004 - 6:44PM

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Vanquished champion Andy Roddick couldn't wait to get out of New York after towering Swede Joachim Johansson destroyed his hopes of back-to-back US Open titles.

"If there was a flight at La Guardia (airport) leaving in 20 minutes, I'd go," the American said after succumbing 6-4 6-4 3-6 2-6 6-4 in a match-up of the tournament's two biggest and fastest servers.

"I don't feel good. But, at the same time, I fought til the end and gave it everything I had.

"I thought I was pretty well prepared. It's disheartening, it's disappointing, but I'll recover. I'll be fine."

After recovering from a two-set deficit, Roddick levelled the match and looked to be headed for a semi-final showdown with Australia's 2001 champion Lleyton Hewitt until dropping his serve in the ninth game of the deciding set.

Johansson, also 22, coolly closed out the match the following game.

The 198cm Swede, who has risen from 113 to 30th in the world rankings this year, served 30 aces to take his tally to 109 from his five matches, easily the most of anyone in the Big Apple for the last grand slam of the year.

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Roddick served 34, but only converted three of 15 break-point chances, compared to Johansson's three from five.

"That's the stat. You don't really need to analyse the match any further," the American second seed said after having his 11-match winning streak at Flushing Meadows snapped in spectacular fashion.

"Let's give him some credit. The guy serves out of a tree. He serves huge."

Roddick said he expected to see much more of Johansson, a rival he tipped as a future top-10 player.

"I expected to see more of him out of juniors. He had that serve out of juniors," Roddick said of a player formerly ranked second in the world behind him in the junior ranks.

"The guy's got weapons. He's still developing. He can still get better in a lot of areas."

But Roddick didn't believe Johansson would be the man to succeed him as champion at Flushing Meadows, saying Hewitt should have his measure in their semi-final on Saturday, and that world No.1 Roger Federer deserved slight title favouritism.

"You don't get to the semi-finals of a grand slam and not have a chance against someone, but I don't know if it (Hewitt) is the best match-up for him," the world No.2 said.

"Lleyton passes well - he's going to make a lot of returns. I definitely have to say Lleyton is the favourite in that one.

"But, you know, I just want to see where everyone's going to sit, what box," Roddick joked, in reference to Hewitt playing the longtime boyfriend of his younger sister Jaslyn

Quarterfinal

Day 11 - Postmatch Analysis: Tommy Haas           

Haas was flustered by the wind all afternoon. At one point, he sent up a lob that kept sailing wider and wider until it landed out of bounds. Completely frustrated, Haas waved his arms back and forth in the air, as if it to say, first the wind goes this way, and then it goes that way. “You're fighting against something totally different where it's tough to – not even focusing on your game, but trying to actually just keep the ball in play. I just have to look at this as a great tournament and as a great step back and move forward."

Haas couldn’t get into a flow with his big serve all match, being broken eight times, a startling number. Bothered by the wind, Haas rang up a total of 28 unforced errors to Hewitt’s paltry amount of 10.

Arguably the 2004 comeback player of the year on the men’s tour, Haas’ strong run at the Open ended with the deflating straight-set loss to the former Open champion. Haas, who reached the men’s quarterfinals for the first time in his career, after defeating Tomas Berdych in the fourth round, still has some work to do on the practice courts, but has stamped a ticket for a return to the top 25 in the world by next season, if not sooner.

After being broken in the first set serving down one game to two, the fiery German launched a tennis ball into the crowd in frustration, and received a mandatory warning from the chair umpire. Haas never was able to ease into his comfort zone all afternoon.

Lleyton Hewitt

Played his most complete game of the tournament against an equally-fearsome competitor in Haas. Bellowing his trademark catchphrase, “C’mon,” early, often and at critical turning points of the match, Hewitt played with exceptionally controlled aggression, keeping his unforced error total perilously low, while coaxing Haas away from his strengths. “It's satisfying to come through, but, in the past I think one huge positive I've always had is my mental toughness out there and again today it didn't let me down,” said the fourth seed..
 

A master capitalizing on break point opportunities, Hewitt converted on 57% of those chances, an outstanding clip for a quarterfinal match. His 29 winners and just 10 unforced errors certainly helped, but his much-improved serve, responsible for winning 74% of his first serves in the match, kept him ahead.

Now two matches away from winning his second career US Open championship, Hewitt worked hard on his serve this season, and it has really shown over the past two weeks. He will meet the winner of the Andy Roddick-Joachim Johansson evening match in a semifinal on Super Saturday. The Aussie is 3-1 lifetime against Roddick and has never played Johansson.

Extremely blustery conditions wreaked havoc not only on the court, where loose towels, sailing balls, and the net were jostled, but in the stands, as well. Some fans were seen using umbrellas to shield themselves from the high gusts and clinging to their hats so they wouldn’t fly away. On this day, Hewitt was able to adjust to the wind, while Haas wasn’t able to solve it.

Hewitt blows Haas away.

Defying terrible playing conditions on a blustery day in New York, Hewitt produced some impeccable tennis to blitz Haas 6-2 6-2 6-2 in his most impressive performance of the tournament.

Hewitt, 23, has now won 15 straight matches and is still to lose a set in this campaign.

Australia's 2001 champion will meet the winner of tonight's last remaining quarter-final between American titleholder Andy Roddick and powerful Swede Joachim Johansson for a spot in the final.

World No.1 Roger Federer and British fifth seed Tim Henman will contest the other semi-final after returning to Flushing Meadows today to complete their rain-interrupted quarter-finals.

Federer turned a two-sets-to-one lead overnight into a hard-fought 6-3 2-6 7-5 3-6 6-3 win over two-champion Andre Agassi, while Henman accounted for Slovakian 22nd seed Dominik Hrbaty 6-1 7-5 5-7 6-2 to reach his first semi-final in New York.

Swirling winds made conditions extremely difficult today but, after fending off a break point in his opening service game, Hewitt was untroubled in taking the first set in 31 minutes.

Hewitt's incredible ability to keep the ball in play point after point frustrated the life out of Haas, who received a code violation for thrashing a ball into the crowd after being broken in the fourth game.

When Hewitt saved another break point with a brilliant forehand pass before holding for a 1-0 lead in the second set, Haas cut loose with verbal obscenities in his native German tongue and then threw his towel into his chair in disgust at the changeover.

Already walking a fine line with the umpire, the German had to pull back from smashing his racquet into the court as Hewitt seemed headed for another routine win.

But Haas regained his composure to get back on level terms at 2-2, breaking Hewitt for the first time in 10 sets.

His fightback was shortlived, though, as the world No.5 upped the ante once more to reel off nine straight games to leave Haas on the brink at two sets to love and 5-0 down in the third.

Haas added a smidgen of respectability to the scoreline, winning two more games, before Hewitt closed out the match in one hour and 38 minutes.

"It was a lot tougher than the scoreline showed. It was some of the toughest conditions I've ever played in," said Hewitt.

"You've got to play percentage tennis and it makes it a big ugly. You've just got to stay positive and I reckon I did that great today."

Thu 9 September, 2004 23:39

By Martyn Herman

NEW YORK, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Former champion Lleyton Hewitt produced near flawless tennis to beat Tommy Haas 6-2 6-2 6-2 and reach the semi-finals of the U.S. Open on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Australian, winner here in 2001, was at his clinical best as he crushed the unseeded German, extending his winning streak to 15 matches and reaching the last four for the fourth time in the last five years.

Haas, who has shown flashes of the form that took him to world number two in 2002 having missed the entire 2003 season after shoulder surgery, could make no impression against the fourth seed in a difficult swirling wind.

Hewitt made just 10 unforced errors in the one hour 38 minute contest, closing it out with forehand winner.

"That was some of the toughest conditions I've ever played in," said Hewitt, who also beat Haas on the way to his first grand slam title here three years ago.

"But it was the same for both players, I just tried to remain positive and I thought I did that really well. It doesn't get any easier though, but I haven't put a foot wrong yet."

The Australian came into the tournament with the hottest form in the men's draw, having reached the final of the Masters Series event in Cincinnati and then won back-to-back titles in Washington and on Long Island.

The only man to reach the last four without losing a set to date, Hewitt said he had got on top of Haas from the start.


RODDICK NEXT?

"Knowing that Tommy is a real shot-maker, I was just trying to pressure him and make him hit an extra shot each time," Hewitt said.

"When I broke for 3-1 in the first set I could sense that he wasn't enjoying it out there. He started chip-charging, trying to mix up his game which he doesn't like doing a lot of the time."

Hewitt could now meet defending champion Andy Roddick, providing the American second seed gets past ace machine Joachim Johansson of Sweden in Thursday's night match.

"It will be a tough match," Hewitt said. "(If it's Roddick), we both know each other's games well, but he's obviously improved a lot in the last couple of years.

"When he first arrived he was probably a bit hit and miss but week in week out he's getting to semi-finals, so I'll have to counter-punch extremely well and move extremely well."

Haas said he had simply been outplayed.

"He's like a wall and played terrific tennis today," Haas said.

"It's unfortunate with the conditions - it's hard enough to beat Lleyton Hewitt in normal conditions and it was very difficult today but it was the same for both of us."

Rd 4

Hewitt Beats Beck to Advance to Quarterfinals

Lleyton Hewitt is a perfectionist and so far he has played near perfect tennis, having not dropped a set in four matches. Playing with the confidence and concentration reminiscent of his 2001 US open title run, Hewitt extended his winning streak to 14 matches with a stellar 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Karol Beck.

Like a heavy weight prizefighter, Hewitt spent the first few games of the match feeling out Beck. At 4-4, Hewitt landed a huge blow by breaking Beck and then served out the first set. On set point, Beck netted a back hand, giving Hewitt cause for celebration, which he did in his typical fashion, with his signature fist pump followed by his customary "C'mon!"

For the next two sets, Hewitt played on autopilot, launching his groundstrokes with great precision and depth. The 72nd-ranked Beck, playing in the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the first time, was no match for Hewitt's tenacious attack. In the second set, Hewitt broke Beck's serve twice, in the third and fifth games, and closed out it out in 32 minutes.

Hewitt continued to pick apart Beck with a barrage of cross-court backhand and down-the-line forehand winners aimed precisely at Beck's weaker backhand wing. Hewitt shot ahead to a 4-0 lead in the third set, benefiting from two early service breaks in the first and third games. On match point, Beck put a backhand into the net.

A former world No. 1, Hewitt will play either Tommy Haas in the quarterfinals.

Agassi joins praise for Hewitt
September 7, 2004 - 3:59PM

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Andre Agassi has joined a chorus of praise for Lleyton Hewitt at the US Open.

The 34-year-old winner of eight grand slam titles singled out 23-year-old Hewitt as a player he'd learned most from.

Speaking after setting up a quarter-final blockbuster with top seed Roger Federer, Agassi said it was the prime reason why he snapped up Darren Cahill as his coach in early 2002.

Cahill guided fellow South Australian Hewitt to the top of the world rankings before being dispensed with by Team Hewitt in late 2001.

Asked which player he'd learned most from in his 19-year pro career, Agassi's answer indicated Hewitt had done a lot more for him than just beat him four times in their eight career meetings.

"I learned a lot from guys who make great decisions out there. I think Lleyton Hewitt is a great example," Agassi said.

"It's why I'm working with Darren now. It's the respect that I have for what Darren has taught him since he's been a little boy, which is how to make good decisions out there."

Hewitt's form leading up to the US Open - which included back-to-back titles at Washington and Long Island and a loss to Agassi in the Cincinnati final before that, had world No.1 and top seed Federer admitting last week he was keeping an eye on the 2001 champion.

In further evidence that Hewitt is regaining the powerful aura he projected when he held the No.1 ranking, former US Open champion Marat Safin said the Australian made "the impossible possible" on a tennis court, while retiring American Todd Martin nominated the Australian's backhand pass as the best shot he'd ever encountered.

"He's starting to become the same player he used to be," Spaniard Feliciano Lopez said of Hewitt after becoming his third straight-sets victim in a row at Flushing Meadows.

The fourth-seeded Hewitt was due to play Slovakia's world No.72 on Tuesday (1am Wednesday AEST) for a place in the quarter-finals for the fifth year in a row.

© 2004 AAP

'I never wanted to be a spaceman'
September 7, 2004
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Lleyton Hewitt has never pondered a life as an astronaut.

How do we know? Because he was asked that very question during a bizarre end to his post-match press conference at the US Open on Sunday night.

"What's your favourite movie about outer space and why is it your favourite?," an American reporter asked, prompting a bemused Hewitt to briefly turn interviewer. "What do you write about?" he asked. "I think you're at the wrong press conference."

"It's for Nickelodeon magazine. It's for their celebrity page. It's the space issue for February," the reporter responded.

"Yeah, I don't watch too many space movies," said Hewitt.

"Have you ever thought about being an astronaut?" she asked.

Hewitt replied: "No."

AAP For Hewitt, No.1 is a goal, not obsession

Lleyton Hewitt spoke about his desire to return to the top of the world rankings after demolishing big-serving Spaniard Feliciano Lopez on Sunday to reach the fourth round of the US Open.

Hewitt was keen to emphasise he wasn't hunting down world No.1 Roger Federer, but a return to the summit where he resided for 80 weeks in 2001-03 was in his plans after blowing away Lopez 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in only 91 minutes.

Andy Roddick whizzed past Argentinian baseliner Guillermo Canas 6-1, 6-3, 6-3, keeping the defending champion and second seed on course for a semi-final showdown with Hewitt.

Publicly, at least, the top ranking hadn't been in Hewitt's sights since the dual grand slam champion plummeted to No.18 last year after a shock first-round loss at Wimbledon and a reduction in his schedule aimed at bringing the Davis Cup back to Australia.

He said Australia's four cup final appearances in five years, each at the end of his hectic ATP schedule, had left him too physically and mentally fatigued to challenge for the No.1 position.

"It took a lot out of me. I wasn't finishing my seasons until mid-December and then I had to start getting ready for (the Australian Open)," Hewitt said.

"I got to No.1 and hopefully some time I can get it back. It's not something I'm chasing. I'm not going to go out and play every week just to try and get my ranking a little bit higher. I'm not that kind of guy.

"If you win slams, you're going to put yourself in a position to be in the top two or three in the world regardless."

On his present form, a third grand slam title to go with his 2001 US Open and 2002 Wimbledon crowns may well come Hewitt's way next Sunday.

The world No.5 is one of only three players - Roddick and Nicolas Kiefer are the others - not to have conceded a set in his first three matches in New York. Hewitt has now won 13 matches on the trot after he warmed up for the Open with back-to-back tournament successes at Washington and Long Island.

And he seems to be getting better. He was in another league to Lopez on Sunday, winning the first 12 points of the match before running away with the set in 17 minutes.

While Lopez managed to hold his first two service games in the second set, Hewitt put the foot down again to break the Spaniard three more times and then signed off in commanding fashion with his 10th and 11th aces of the match.

"He's starting to become the same player he used to be," Lopez said.

Hewitt faces Karol Beck today after the Slovak squeezed past Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Rd 3

Hewitt saves strength for home stretch
Robert Lusetich
September 07, 2004
The Australian

THE temperature dropped markedly in New York yesterday but not enough to cool off Lleyton Hewitt, whose roll toward a third Grand Slam continues to gather momentum.

The 23-year-old Australian was flawless in contemptuously discarding 30th-seeded Feliciano Lopez 6-1 6-4 6-2 in just 91 minutes to set up a fourth-round encounter with unseeded Slovak Karol Beck.

"That's as well as he can play against a difficult opponent," Davis Cup coach Wally Masur said of Hewitt's 13th consecutive win on American hard courts.

"He played a very tactically aware match. I'm just impressed with his ball-striking here this evening."

Hewitt, who has yet to drop a set, would not go so far as to characterise his first week at Flushing Meadows as perfect, but with a grin noted that it has been good enough so far.

"Obviously, you don't want to waste too much energy and I don't think I've had to so far, which is a good thing," he said.

The form guide says he might not have too much worrying to do until perhaps the quarter-finals, as no seeds remain in his quadrant of the draw.

However, the dangerous player looming is former world No.2, German Tommy Haas, who seems to have rebounded from debilitating shoulder surgeries that have sidelined him for almost two years. He obliterated Brazilian qualifier Ricardo Mello yesterday 6-2 6-3 7-5.

"Tommy is obviously a top-five, top-10 player regardless of what his ranking is," Hewitt said.

"It was obviously going to take him a little while to get back to where he was after shoulder surgery.

"He's a big-match player and he's got a great all-court game. For me, it's not surprising to see him winning matches again at this level."

Firstly, though, Hewitt will need to deal with the slightly built Beck -- he is one of the few players on tour who are Hewitt's height and weigh less -- who he has never played.

The Slovak is ranked 72 in the world and has a reputation for getting a lot of balls back in play. He will need to.

"He's a very compact player," Hewitt said. "He doesn't make a lot of mistakes.

"It will be a different match compared to today's match, that's for sure.

"(Second-round victim Hicham) Arazi sort of got a lot of balls back, really didn't go for that many winners out there. Will be a little bit more similar to that."

Hewitt, whose game is at least as well-rounded as it was when he was world No.1 for 18 months, began imperiously against the Spaniard Lopez yesterday.

So much so that he did not even bother to exploit -- as others do -- the 22-year-old's obviously inferior backhand.

"I felt like I was hitting the ball well enough at the start not to worry about what his strengths were," Hewitt said .

"I was just going to play my game."

Hewitt, who improved to 26-4 at the US Open, was a different player than the tentative, nervous man who opened against the Moroccan Arazi in the second round.

He set the tone immediately, winning the opening 12 points. He led 3-0 after barely five minutes.

When Hewitt hit a backhand wide on the 13th point of the match, the crowd gave an ironic cheer. Lopez held, but it hardly mattered as Hewitt won the set in a canter.

The final two sets were more competitive but the result was never in doubt.

Roddick, Hewitt breeze into round of 16 in Flushing

Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - Defending champion Andy Roddick and fourth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt each posted easy three-set wins on Sunday to reach the fourth round at the U.S. Open.

The second-seeded Roddick earned a routine 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 victory against the 29th-seeded Guillermo Canas, who had won his last 13 matches before running into the impressive American.

Roddick used a lethal serve to tee up 21 aces and failed to commit a double fault in his rout over the Argentine, who had won his previous two tournaments.

The 22-year-old Roddick improved to 63-12 this year, including four titles.

Roddick closed out his Argentine counterpart with a 135-mph ace after 1 hour, 37 minutes of dominating tennis. The superstar broke Canas' serve five times and compiled 49 winners, compared to 23 for the loser. Roddick held in all 13 of his service games.

The former world No. 1 Roddick captured the 2003 U.S. Open by beating Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final.

Up next for Roddick will be 18th-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo, an easy 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 winner against Austrian Alexander Peya at the USTA National Tennis Center.

The Australian Hewitt had no trouble with 30th-seeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez as he breezed to a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win in only 91 minutes.

Hewitt, who won here in 2001, came out to a flying start as he won the first 12 points of the match. He lost only eight points the entire first set and did not drop one on his serve.

Things did not get any better for Lopez over the final two sets and Hewitt closed the match out with his 11th ace.

The 23-year-old Hewitt had 29 winners and only 18 unforced errors, while Lopez committed 41 mistakes and had just 19 winners. Hewitt also broke his opponent's serve in five of the eight service games, while saving all seven break chances he faced.

Hewitt has won 13 straight and 18 of his last 19 matches on the tour, including a runner-up finish to Andre Agassi in Cincinnati last month and back-to-back hardcourt titles over the past two weeks. The 13-match winning streak is the longest active streak on the ATP Tour.

The former world No. 1 Hewitt now boasts a stellar 26-4 lifetime record at the U.S. Open.

Another seeded winner on Day 7 was No. 28 Swede Joachim Johansson, a 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-1), 6-1, 6-3 victor over gritty Austrian Stefan Koubek, who ousted Ferrero in the second round of this '04 fortnight. The 6-foot-6 Johansson launched 19 aces, bringing his tournament-high total to 66.

In other third-round action, German Tommy Haas handled Brazilian Ricardo Mello 6-2, 6-3, 7-5; Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic defeated Russian Mikhail Youzhny 2-6, 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1; Frenchman Michael Llodra leveled Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 and Slovakian Karol Beck outlasted Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Austrian performers went 0-3 Sunday.

09/05 23:02:12 ET


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Hewitt smashes Spaniard
September 6, 2004

LLEYTON HEWITT has produced a near-flawless performance to charge into the fourth round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows.

The fourth-seeded Australian, featuring in the marquee night match in New York's Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time since his 2002 semi-final loss to Andre Agassi, didn't disappoint in a dazzling 6-1 6-4 6-2 dismissal of Spanish left-hander Feliciano Lopez.

Hewitt, 23, will head into his next match against unseeded Slovak Karol Beck brimming with confidence after cruising through the first three rounds without dropping a set.

The 2001 champion made a lightning start against Lopez, winning the first 12 points of the match to race to a 3-0 lead before running away with the set in just 17 minutes.

He didn't drop a point in four service games and made just one unforced error to completely overwhelm the world No.32.

Lopez, 22, managed to hold his first two service games in the second set before Hewitt struck to go ahead 3-2 and then save three break points the next game to consolidate for a 4-2 lead.

There was no coming back for the Spaniard, who was simply unable to compete against an opponent exhibiting his full range of shots and incredible speed around the court.

After finishing off the second set, Hewitt broke Lopez twice more in the third and closed out the match with his 10th and 11th aces after just 91 minutes.

The commanding win was Hewitt's 13th in a row after he collected back-to-back titles at Washington and Long Island before arriving at Flushing Meadows as one of the favourites to take out the last grand slam of the year.

AAP


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Hewitt keen to return to top
September 6, 2004 - 3:29PM
The Age

Lleyton Hewitt spoke about his desire to return to the top of the world tennis rankings after demolishing big-serving Spaniard Feliciano Lopez to reach the fourth round of the US Open.

Hewitt was keen to stress he wasn't hunting down world No.1 Roger Federer, but a return to the summit where he resided for 80 weeks in 2001-03 was in his plans after blowing away Lopez 6-1 6-4 6-2 in just 91 minutes.

Publicly at least, the top ranking hadn't been in his sights since the dual grand slam champion plummeted to No.18 last year after a shock first-round loss at Wimbledon and a reduction in his schedule aimed at bringing the Davis Cup back to Australia.

He said Australia's four Cup final appearances in five years, each at the end of his hectic ATP schedule, had left him too physically and mentally fatigued to challenge for the No.1 position.

"It took a lot out of me. I wasn't finishing my seasons until mid-December and then I had to start getting ready for (the Australian Open)," Hewitt said.

"I got to No.1 and hopefully some time I can get it back.

"It's not something I'm chasing. I'm not going to go out and play every week just to try and get my ranking a little bit higher. I'm not that kind of guy.

"If you win slams, you're going to put yourself in a position to be in the top two or three in the world regardless."

On his present form, a third grand slam to go with his 2001 US Open and 2002 Wimbledon crowns may well come Hewitt's way on Sunday.

The 23-year-old world No.5, along with defending champion Andy Roddick and 19th-seeded German Nicolas Kiefer, are the only three players among the 16 survivors not to have conceded a set in their first three matches in New York.

Hewitt has now won 13 matches on the trot after he warmed up for Flushing Meadows with back-to-back tournament successes at Washington and Long Island.

And he seems to be getting better.

He was out of Lopez's league, producing his full array of shots to win the first 12 points of the match before running away with the set in 17 minutes.

He didn't drop a point in four service games while making just one unforced error to completely overwhelm the world No.32.

While Lopez managed to hold his first two service games in the second set, Hewitt put the foot down again to break the Spaniard three more times and then signed off in commanding fashion with his 10th and 11th aces of the match.

"He's starting to become the same player he used to be," Lopez said.

Hewitt said it was his intention from the outset to impose himself on the left-handed Lopez.

"He's a dangerous player if you give him a sniff," the fourth seed said.

"He's beaten a lot of good players. He beat Safin in Athens, he beat Flip (Philippoussis) in Madrid last year.

"So I was very, very aware of him going into the match."

While Hewitt has had a comfortable ride through to the fourth round, the 23-year-old now also has the luxury of playing an opponent coming off a tough five-setter for the third straight time in the tournament.

Hewitt's elimination of Lopez cleared a seed-free path to a potential semi-final showdown with Roddick and the South Australian can edge a step closer to that enticing scenario with a victory over world No. 72 Karol Beck on Tuesday after the Slovak squeezed past Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-1 6-4.

Hewitt knew what to expect from Beck when they met for the first time.

"He played well on the grass this year. He's a very compact player. He doesn't make a lot of mistakes," he said.

"I've got to go out there, play aggressive and play my game."

© 2004 AAP


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Light workout for Hewitt

Former champion Lleyton Hewitt kept things short and sweet at the U.S. Open on Sunday as he cruised past 30th seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-1 6-4 6-2 to reach the fourth round, setting up a match against Slovakian Karol Beck.

The fourth seed, champion in 2001, won the first 12 points of the match and maintained his momentum to win in one hour, 31 minutes.

"I got off to a great start and tried to put pressure on his game," Hewitt said.

"I felt like I was on his serve from the start and I served well. I'm not the biggest guy out there, I'm not going to be hitting 152 (mph), so if I can get a few cheap points that makes it easier for me."

The way he played against Lopez on Sunday, the Australian will be optimistic of repeating his 2001 triumph.

Spaniard Lopez looked to be struggling with an ankle injury and won just eight points in the opening set.

Hewitt broke in the fifth game of the second to take complete control and then repeated the feat in the opening game of the third set.

The Australian made just 18 unforced errors to ease through the remaining games and reach the last 16 without losing a set.

Reuters - 06/09/2004

Rd 2

Rd 1 - Lleyton Hewitt (4) vs. Wayne Ferreira

Hewitt, playing his first-round match with an extra day of rest, looked very strong throughout. The 2001 champ never allowed a break-point opportunity, and converted on nearly every chance he had to break Ferreira's serve, ultimately winning, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4. The classy veteran from South Africa was never really in the match in the first set, but held his own in the second set, holding his first five serves. But once Hewitt broke his sixth service game of the set to make it 6-5, Ferreira had little to no shot, as he couldn't keep up with Hewitt's serve.. Hewitt was really able to convert well on his break chances. On serve in the first set, Hewitt got his first chance to break at 2-1 and did not let it get away. A game later, Hewitt blew double-break point, but did not let the game get away, battling back and taking it away from Ferreira on the third deuce. The way Hewitt was serving, there was no way Ferreira could recover. With a chance to get back into the match in the second set, Ferreira and Hewitt were knotted at 5-5 when a sweet forehand winner allowed Hewitt to get a break chance, and again he converted on it to grab the lead. In the final game, up 6-5, Hewitt went to the net at set point, smashed a winner and screamed, "Come on!" before storming off the court. It was over for Ferreira. Hewitt actually had less winners than Ferreira (34-25). Break point opportunities: zero Hewitt will take on the winner of 41st-ranked Hicham Arazi of Morroco and No. 98 Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark. This is the end of the line for Ferreira. After 14 US Opens and a record 56 straight Grand Slam events, the 32-year-old vet is calling it quits. As the winner of the US Open Series, Hewitt is playing for 50 percent more prize money. Ferreira also tied Michael Chang and Ivan Lendl for second most Grand Slam appearances in the Open Era.

Relaxed Hewitt makes light work of Ferreira
By Martyn Herman

NEW YORK, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Former champion Lleyton Hewitt crushed experienced South African Wayne Ferreira 6-1 7-5 6-4 to reach the U.S. Open second round on Wednesday.

Australian Hewitt, the fourth seed, has not threatened to win a grand slam since Wimbledon in 2002 but has claimed four hardcourt titles this year to arrive at Flushing Meadows as one of the favourites.

"I ran down a lot of balls today and served well," said a relaxed Hewitt, who is seeded to meet top seed Roger Federer in the semi-finals.

"I feel that I've been able to play well week in week out this summer, like when I was number one in the world a couple of years ago.

"Some of the matches I've played in the last four weeks are probably as good as I've ever played."

Hewitt raced through the first set in 20 minutes and after taking such a pounding the 32-year-old Ferreira must have wished he had brought his imminent retirement forward a few weeks.

But Ferreira, who has played in 57 grand slams, just one short of the record set by Jimmy Connors, was not about to walk off into the sunset without a fight.

He traded blows with Hewitt throughout a high quality second set but the pressure told as he was broken at 5-5.

Hewitt served out for a two-set lead and moved swiftly in for the kill early in the third.

He broke Ferreira immediately and the Australian was never in danger of losing his grip.


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Gamewatch: Hewitt v Ferreira
BBC Sport

All the action as fourth seed Lleyton Hewitt defeats Wayne Ferreira in the US Open first round.
Result: Ferreira 1-6 5-7 4-6 Hewitt

**********

Third set:

Ferreira 4-6 Hewitt
Ferreira makes Hewitt work, taking the game to 30-30. But the Australian wraps up with another two fine serves. The match was Ferreira's last at the US Open - he is set to retire at the end of the year. But for Hewitt - on this form - it marks the beginning of another Grand Slam quest.

Ferreira 4-5 Hewitt
Ferreira holds serve, but sparkling Hewitt must smell victory.

Ferreira 3-5 Hewitt
Just when Ferreira threatens to break, Hewitt conjures up an unreturnable rocket serve and goes on to take the game.

Ferreira 3-4 Hewitt
Hewitt sends a one-handed slice right down the line to level 30-30. But, Ferreira charges to the net to make sure of the next point and mighty hitting ensures he stays in touch.

Ferreira 2-4 Hewitt
Conditions are quite blustery on the packed Arthur Ashe Court, but Hewitt is playing with sparkling accuracy and races through another service game.

Ferreira 2-3 Hewitt
Ferreira stems the tide with a solid service game.

Ferreira 1-3 Hewitt
Ferreira again pays the price for his inaccuracy and Hewitt stretches his advantage.

Ferreira 1-2 Hewitt
Ferreira is not dead and buried yet and proves it by holding on to this service game.

Ferreira 0-2 Hewitt
Hewitt is flying around the court with his customary flair and easily holds his service game.

Ferreira 0-1 Hewitt
Ferreira looks to have gone off the boil and a string of unforced errors enables Hewitt to bag another break.

**********

Second set:

Ferreira 5-7 Hewitt
Ferreira puts two crucial shots into the net and Hewitt eases to a two-set lead.

Ferreira 5-6 Hewitt
Hewitt races to a 0-40 lead. Ferreira is clearly frustrated and strikes the floor with his racket. He wins the next point but fumbles in the next rally and Hewitt is back in charge.

Ferreira 5-5 Hewitt
Hewitt serves with new balls but produces his first double fault of the match. But just when it looks like the pressure may be getting to him he digs out an ace then takes the game.

Ferreira 5-4 Hewitt
Ferreira produces some excellent big hits and comfortably holds on again.

Ferreira 4-4 Hewitt
Ferreira picks off a point at 40-15, but Hewitt is in the zone and takes the game with his next serve.

Ferreira 4-3 Hewitt
Characteristically, Hewitt is chasing every point and wows the spectators with a stunning backspin lob at 30-15. But Ferreira is in no mood to be broken.

Ferreira 3-3 Hewitt
When the going gets tough, the tough get going and Hewitt storms through another service game to keep on par.

Ferreira 3-2 Hewitt
After the one-sided opening set, the Flushing Meadow crowd are now being treated to a enthralling tussle. Hewitt puts Ferreira under intense pressure and again takes the game to deuce, but the South African wins out.

Ferreira 2-2 Hewitt
Luck is not on Ferreira's side - at 30-30 his shot just clips the net and Hewitt holds on.

Ferreira 2-1 Hewitt
Ferreira is hitting more accurately now and twice saves break point before clinching the game.

Ferreira 1-1 Hewitt
Hewitt is made to work a bit harder but he produces a couple of great backhand lobs to win his service game.

Ferreira 1-6 1-0 Hewitt
Ferreira looks more positive as he opens the second set and holds onto his service game.

**********

First set:

Ferreira 1-6 Hewitt
Hewitt serves up an ace en route to claiming the first set and looks set for an easy victory unless Ferreira can raise his game.

Ferreira 1-5 Hewitt
The South African is struggling to get the measure of the court and continues to send his shots wide. He produces a great effort down the line to take the game to deuce. But Hewitt looks razor-sharp and wins the next two points to break Ferreira again.

Ferreira 1-4 Hewitt
While Ferreira looks rattled and overhits his shots, Hewitt is increasing in confidence and quickly wraps up another service game.

Ferreira 1-3 Hewitt
Ferreira shows the first signs of weakness and Hewitt secures an early break.

Ferreira 1-2 Hewitt
Hewitt produces another comfortable service game.

Ferreira 1-1 Hewitt
Ferreira replies with a good first service game to keep on a par with the Australian.

Ferreira 0-1 Hewitt
Hewitt opens with an impressive service game.

Hewitt gives firsthand account of top U.S. Open threats
By Pete Simpkinson, USATODAY.com
August 25, 2004

Lleyton Hewitt has climbed three spots in the ATP Tour's entry rankings to return to the top five and has gotten there by playing his best this year.

The 2001 U.S. Open and 2002 Wimbledon champion is comfortable with his game after winning the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington last week for his third title of 2004. (Related item: Hewitt regaining Grand Slam form)

While he has re-emerged as a top contender for the U.S. Open crown, the former No. 1 probably knows better than anyone how the two-week tournament will unfold. He has faced front-runners Roger Federer, Andy Roddick, Carlos Moya, Andre Agassi, Tim Henman and Marat Safin in recent months.

He won many of those encounters — and carries an amazing 8-0 career record against No. 6 Henman, including the 2004 semifinals in Rotterdam.

How does Hewitt do that against a player of Henman's caliber?

"I don't know," said Hewitt, 23. "You have to ask him. I just play him."

Hewitt also has gone 7-5 against top-ranked Federer, including three straight wins in 2002-03. Federer has won the past three meetings, including a round-of-16 clash at the Australian Open and the Wimbledon semifinals this year. Both of those matches went four sets.

"I think confidence is quite a big part in that," Hewitt said of the breakthroughs for Federer, who won both events as well as the 2003 Wimbledon title.

"He obviously believes in himself a lot more than probably a couple of years ago. He's a tough player. He's got all the shots in the book. Obviously, when he's got such a good serve he can take a few opportunities on his opponents with his service game and he's got a massive forehand as well and that's always going to put pressure on you."

Hewitt doesn't see Federer as invincible despite the Swiss No. 1 going 58-6 this year.

"He's obviously had an incredible year, winning two Slams, the Aussie and Wimbledon, and winning eight titles. So he's obviously been the clear best player out there. But I don't think that there are that many guys that aren't close behind him."

"Andy Roddick's one — he's always going to give you trouble purely just with his game as well. Andy just can hold serve so much. I think there's a number of guys — Roger had a downer in Cincinnati obviously, but that was due to playing a lot of tennis before that as well."

Dominik Hrbaty knocked Federer out in the first round in Cincinnati. No. 2 Roddick could not capitalize upon his rival's stumble and ended up losing to Agassi in the semifinals of the event.

Roddick has won four titles this year and has gone 60-12. But Hewitt has beaten him in three of four career meetings, including the 2001 U.S. Open quarterfinals and 2001 French Open round of 32.

Agassi is the rare top player to hold an even record against Hewitt, going 4-4. Agassi won their meeting earlier this month in the Cincinnati finals, the last big event before the topsy-turvy Olympics.

Hewitt committed 34 unforced errors in a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 loss, but don't get the impression that Hewitt let No. 7 Agassi back in to his first title in 15½ months.

"I didn't play badly against Andre," Hewitt protested. "I won the second set."

Agassi, 34, became the oldest winner on the ATP Tour since 1989 and it didn't look like his hip was bothering him the way it did in his first-round loss in the French Open.

"You can never write Andre Agassi off, "Hewitt said. "He hits the ball so well out there. He's always going to come up with good results. I think he just wasn't able to play that much tennis and coming back on clay court probably just hurt his confidence a little bit more.

"Obviously, his movement maybe isn't the same as a couple of years ago and that's probably going to open up a lot more on a clay court rather than grass or a hard court. Yeah, he loves these tournaments. This is where he plays his best tennis, in my opinion, these lead-ins to the U.S. Open. Nothing really surprised me there."

Hewitt similarly wouldn't be surprised to see No. 4 Carlos Moya contend in the U.S. Open after a fourth-round run last year. Hewitt has won three in a row against Moya, including a four-setter in the round of 16 at Wimbledon.

"He's a class player," Hewitt said. "There's a group of guys I think that coming into the U.S. Open that I think have a good chance and you've just got to wait and see how the draw opens up."

The suspense of the draw comes largely from Russian No. 14 Marat Safin, who shocked Pete Sampras in the 2000 U.S. Open championship and was a semifinalist a year later. You never know what you'll get from Safin, who lost to Federer in the 2004 Australian Open finals but crashed out of the first round at Wimbledon. Safin blasted the grass-court play Slam that loss to No. 97 Dmity Tursunov and later apologized.

"He's a tough player to predict at any time," Hewitt said of Safin, "but he's got a hell of a game. He's a great player, he's a great ball-striker and when his game's on, he's going to be extremely tough to beat.

"That's what happened at the Australian Open when he came so close to winning it, being unseeded and coming back from a lot of injuries last year. He's got a great game and when he's at his best, he's going to be tough on any surface."

Safin's left wrist forced him to miss three Grand Slams in 2003 but has healed. He's still the antithesis of the consistent Hewitt, the seventh player ever to finish No. 1 in back-to-back seasons (2001-02).

Hewitt's legs will still be fresh after this week's TD Waterhouse Cup and his Legg Mason title is just the latest indicator of his energized play.

"I guess I'm just enjoying my tennis now," Hewitt said.

Federer keeps eye on Hewitt

World No. 1 Roger Federer admitted he was keeping close tabs on Lleyton Hewitt after easing his way into the second round of the US Open on Monday.

Federer downed Spanish baseliner Albert Costa 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 and then nominated the red-hot Hewitt as one of three main threats to his quest to become the first player since Mats Wilander in 1988 to capture three grand slam titles in one season.

Federer said Hewitt's 15 wins from his past 16 matches had caught his attention. "I've been checking him out. I know how tough he is, especially on the American hardcourts," Federer said after reversing a surprise loss to Costa earlier in the year.

"I definitely think he's one of the top-four contenders for the title this year, next to me, Agassi and Roddick. I feel like once he gets going, he's very tough to stop.

"I hope for him he didn't play too much leading up to this. (But) I think he hasn't been playing too much over the last, say, one-and-a-half years, so he's got a lot of energy left in his tank."

Hewitt lost to Andre Agassi in the Cincinnati Masters final three weeks ago before claiming back-to-back titles in Washington and Long Island.

Federer eliminated the Australian on his way to grand slam tournament glory at Melbourne Park and Wimbledon this year, but said the 2001 US Open champion may prove to be a more dangerous proposition at Flushing Meadows after his highly impressive preparation.

"He could just take the confidence with him from the last three tournaments he won and carry it through the whole US Open. Let's keep an eye on him," the Swiss star said.

Hewitt said he thought he'd had a perfectly balanced build-up, both mentally and physically, with his wildcard entry into the Long Island event giving him enough court time to hone his game without draining him before the two-week grand slam tournament in New York.

"It was a pretty relaxed tournament at Long Island and basically (gave me) a chance to get out of the city for a few hours every day and not being at Flushing Meadows and focusing on a grand slam day-in, day-out every hour," the world No. 5 said ahead of his first-round match overnight (Melbourne time) against canny South African Wayne Ferreira.

Agassi served up his traditional late-night feast at Flushing Meadows, beating fellow American Robby Ginepri 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-2 to move into the second round.

The 34-year-old, starring in the opening night session on Arthur Ashe Court for the sixth time in seven years, endured some anxious moments against an opponent 13 years his junior, but ultimately his class proved the decisive factor.

"I felt pretty good tonight, apart from my first serve, I never found my rhythm and could not relax," the eight-times grand slam winner said. "Against a guy like Robby, you need to fire on all your cylinders. My serve was a problem but the rest of my game held up and that's a good sign."

American Todd Martin, 34, announced his retirement after losing 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to Fabrice Santoro of France in the first round, giving special thanks to his family and support group.

"I'm one of the lucky guys who ran into some people who knew a lot about the game, cared and shared their knowledge with me, otherwise I would never have been here in the first place. I thank you all."

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Hewitt is back in top form

Wednesday, September 1, 2004


By Greg Garber
ESPN.com

NEW YORK -- Lleyton Hewitt finished as the No. 1-ranked player in the world in 2001 and 2002 by running down more balls and winning more matches than anybody. And then in 2003, he gave himself to a larger cause.


In mid-September, he led the Australian Davis Cup team into the finals with stirring victories over Roger Federer and Michel Kratochvil. Then, for the nine weeks between the semifinals and the championship against Spain, Hewitt did not play in a single tournament.


Australia won the title in December, and Hewitt played a big role, defeating French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero. His individual ranking, however, plummeted to No. 16; Hewitt won only 37 matches, compared to Andy Roddick's 72 and Federer's 78.


"I just was thinking about the Davis Cup final more than anything," Hewitt explained Wednesday. "For me it was all about putting my eggs in one basket and preparing as well as possible for that Davis Cup final. Obviously, it paid off for that."


And just as obviously, the layoff has helped to place Hewitt among a small group of serious contenders here at the U.S. Open.


"Yeah," Hewitt mused, "it's probably worked as a positive. In hindsight, it probably helped me this year. I feel strong now, towards the last third of the year."


Coming in to the Open, no one is hotter on the men's side than Hewitt. He's won 11 straight matches and 15 of his last 16. On Wednesday, he torched Wayne Ferreira 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 in a first-round match. Ferreira, after playing in a record 56 straight Grand Slam events, promptly announced his retirement after Davis Cup matches later this month.


This renaissance has not eluded the attention of Federer.


"I've been checking him out," Federer admitted after his first-round victory. "I know how tough he is, especially on American hardcourts. I definitely think he's one of the top four contenders for the title, next to me, Agassi and Roddick. I feel like once he gets going, he's very hard to stop."


A kindly draw leaves the No. 4-seeded Hewitt with some room to build momentum. The highest seed standing between Hewitt and the quarterfinals is No. 12 Sebastien Grosjean. No. 8 David Nalbandian, a semifinalist here a year ago, would oppose him in the quarters and Andy Roddick, the No. 2 seed, would await in the semifinals.


Hewitt, 23, has always won with speed and guile. Only Guillermo Coria can challenge his alley-to-alley speed, and few players can summon his intensity in the big moment. If there was a weakness in his run at the top, it was Hewitt's serve. After Wednesday's match, Ferreira said his offerings looked pretty good. "He went through a little bit of a bad patch there for awhile," Ferreira said. "He was serving a lot of doubles, probably lost a bit of confidence. But he seems like today he's got it all back. He served very, very well, which is something he's been struggling with for awhile. He's definitely getting in a lot more first serves, a little bit more penetrating."


That serve and a renewed enthusiasm has carried him to the No. 4 position in the ATP season-long race. Hewitt has lost three matches to Federer, most notably in the quarterfinals at the French Open and Wimbledon, but after losing to Andre Agassi in the final at Cincinnati, Hewitt won his last two tournaments, Washington and Long Island.


Hewitt has been so good this summer there are concerns that he's been too good. More matches, more wins creates a double-edged sword: confidence vs. fatigue.


"Well, when you're winning them it sort of comes back to the confidence sense," Hewitt said. "You walk out there knowing that you've won many matches going out there, beating a lot of worthy opponents."


"I hope for him he didn't play too much leading up to this," Federer said of Hewitt. "I think he hasn't been playing too much over the last, say, one and one-half years. So he's got a lot of energy left in his tank.


"He could just take the confidence with him from the last three tournaments he won and carry it through the whole U.S. Open. Let's keep an eye on him."


Hewitt didn't sound concerned.


"As long as you don't overdo it," he said. "It's been good for me. I don't feel physically down at the moment. I think when I won Wimbledon a couple of years ago I had a pretty good streak going through there.


"I've been able to put it together day in and day out the last few weeks, the last couple of months. That probably goes back to a couple of years ago when I was able to play that kind of tennis. There's definitely been matches over the last few weeks that I feel like I've played as well as I've probably ever played."


Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com

Hewitt regaining Grand Slam form
By Pete Simpkinson, USA TODAY.com
August 18, 2004

WASHINGTON — Less than two weeks before the U.S. Open begins, former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt is back, and it looks like he's carrying a new attitude.

"No, not really," Hewitt said flatly.

OK, so the new Hewitt looks a lot like the old fist-pumping Hewitt, the one who won two Grand Slams before last summer's frustrations ended his 75-week reign atop the ATP Tour rankings.

Overshadowed by the star power of Roger Federer and Andy Roddick this season, Hewitt is back in the top 5 and is a contender to reclaim the Grand Slam title he won in at Flushing Meadows in New York in 2001.

"I think everyone would love to be No. 1," he said, "but I'm not going to go out and chase it."

While Federer and Roddick were crashing out of the Olympics this week, Hewitt has joined Andre Agassi in tuning up at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. Hewitt won his second-round match Wednesday, defeating Alejandro Falla 6-3, 6-2.

Agassi and Hewitt could be on a collision course for a final like the one they waged Aug. 8 in Cincinnati. Agassi won that match 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 to deny Hewitt his third title of the season.

"Obviously I had a week off after a good week in Cincinnati," Hewitt said. "That gave me a lot of confidence, and it's about trying to prepare myself as well as possible for two weeks on."

Hewitt, 23, has reached the quarterfinals in the last four U.S. Opens and is in good position to make the ATP's season-ending championship in Houston, which he didn't qualify for last season. He waved off comparisons to his stellar form at the U.S. Open in 2001, but he has rebounded since Ivo Karlovic humbled him in their 2003 Wimbledon opener.

The defeat came a week after Hewitt lost the No. 1 ranking to Agassi.

Hewitt ended the year ranked 17th, his lowest spot since 1999. He went home, where he focused on Davis Cup matches in Melbourne in September and November. Hewitt captured five-set wins against Federer in the semifinals and Juan Carlos Ferrero in the finals to lead Australia to its first crown since 1999.

"I wouldn't swap anything for winning it last year," Hewitt said.

The confidence earned in that title run has carried over. It took the eventual champion to knock him out of each of this year's first three Grand Slams. Federer did it in the Australian Open's fourth round, and Gaston Gaudio blocked Hewitt in the French Open quarterfinals. Hewitt became the first player to win a grass-court set against Federer this year but could not carry their Wimbledon semifinal.

"I came out a little bit fresher at the start of the year as well, being able to stay home at Australia for a couple of months longer," Hewitt said. "And I just enjoyed it, and I guess I'm just enjoying my tennis now."

After playing an exhausting 254 singles matches from 2000-02, his scaled-back scheduling has helped him go 37-10 this season. His fiancee, world No. 5 Kim Clijsters, showed her appreciation for the down time on her Web site last week.

"We concluded our Cincinnati stay with a visit to Kings Island, a huge family resort with really spectacular attractions," she wrote. "One of them is this thing which takes you up to 200m and then you suddenly fall down. Lleyton only watched."

Clijsters ended the sentence with a winking smiley face. She can tease Hewitt after the way he has been avoiding sudden fall downs this year.