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Hewitt crashes out on Australia Day

Switzerland's Roger Federer produced a masterful display of precision tennis to beat Lleyton Hewitt 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, 6-4 in the fourth round of the Australian Open yesterday.

Playing at the peak of his powers, second seed Federer ruined Australia's annual national day celebrations when he clinically disposed of the last surviving local player.

Hewitt had beaten Federer in eight of their 10 previous meetings, including their last meeting on the same Melbourne Park court when he came from two sets behind in an epic Davis Cup encounter last year.

But this time there was no coming back for the Australian as 22-year-old Federer approached the same dizzy heights he touched in winning Wimbledon last year.

"I am very, very happy to take my revenge on him because it hurt me very bad when he beat me here," Federer said.

"Everyone time we've played we've had great matches and this was a real battle."

He will play David Nalbandian in the quarter-finals after the Argentine, runner-up to Hewitt at Wimbledon two years ago, beat his countryman Guillermo Canas 6-4, 6-2, 6-1.

Hewitt made a flying start, breaking Federer in the opening game of the match when the Swiss let him back into the game with a double-fault, but was unable to hold him at bay for long.

Hewitt saved two break points in his first service game as Federer tried to respond straight away but the Australian, seeded 15, held his remaining service games with ease to grab the first set in 34 minutes.

Hewitt had some chances to break back in the final set but each time Federer answered the challenge before serving out for victory, sealing it with an emphatic smash.
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