Hewitt storms into quarter finals

[Donny]

Lleyton Hewitt looks to be regaining his will to win. After losing the first set to Srichaphan, he demolished his opponent 6-2 6-4 6-2 to set up a showdown with Ferrero who survived a tough 5 setter against Todd Martin.

David Nalbandian also continued his good form by knocking out the Wimbledon champ, Roger Federer.
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Hewitt storms into quarters
September 5, 2003 from Fox Sports

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 Ferrero tomorrow for a berth in the semi-finals.

Today's match was to have been played on Tuesday (AEST), eventually started on Wednesday, was 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 top-spin 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 completed 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.

[Donny]

Hewitt bowed out in 4 sets to Ferrero.

A hip injury ruined his chances as he found it difficult to serve in the 4th. set, as the 1-6 scoreline indicates.

[HAL]

I did not know that.