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Hewitt advances at injury-hit Sydney International
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-11 15:55
SYDNEY, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Lleyton Hewitt shook off the effects of a mystery
illness to reach the quarter-finals of the Sydney International on Wednesday
while the injuries piled up around him in the countdown to next week's
Australian Open.
Australia's Lleyton
Hewitt reacts after breaking the serve of Austria's Jurgen Melzer during
their second round match at the Sydney International tennis tournament
January 11, 2006. [Reuters] | Hewitt overcame the
lingering distraction of a stomach bug that caused him to consider quitting the
tournament to easily beat Austria's Jurgen Melzer 6-1 6-4.
Russia's former U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova was also in great form
as she defeated rising Serb Ana Ivanovic 7-6 6-3 in reach the semi-finals of the
women's tournament against Justin Henin-Hardenne.
The Belgian was given a free-ride into the last four after her opponent,
Russia's Nadia Petrova, forfeited their match because of a groin strain.
Petrova was the second Russian woman to pull out of the event in two days
after Dinari Safina quit her match against Kuznetsova because of blisters.
Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova also failed to finish her match against Czech
Nicole Vaidisova on Wednesday, retiring because of gastrointestinal illness
midway through the second set while trailing 6-3 3-1
The men's draw has also been hard hit by high-profile drop-outs.
Former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson withdrew before his first
round match while former world number one Carlos Moya pulled out of his match
with James Blake on Wednesday because of a hip problem.
Blake will play Frenchman Arnaud Clement in Thursday's quarter-finals while
Igor Andreev faces his fellow Russian Dmitry Tursonov after they all recorded
wins on Wednesday.
Clement beat Argentine wildcard Juan Monaco 7-6 6-3, Tursunov defeated
Australian hardcourt champion Florent Serra 7-6 6-2 and Andreev survived a
gruelling battle with Australian Peter Luczak to win 6-7 7-6 7-6.
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