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Hewitt, Williams march on to finals

Lleyton Hewitt of Australia hits a return to Wayne Ferreira of South Africa at the US Open tennis tournament in New York on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP

Lleyton Hewitt and Serena Williams served notice they are ready to reclaim their titles by rolling to straight-set victories on Wednesday at the US Open.

Hewitt, who won in 2001, cruised past South African Wayne Ferreira 6-1, 7-5, 6-4, extending his winning streak to 11 matches.

Two-time Open champion Williams overpowered American countrywoman Lindsay Lee-Waters 6-4, 6-3 to reach the third round of a wide open women's field. Williams won here for the first time at 17 in 1999 and then again in 2002.

The 23-year-old Australian Hewitt continued his solid play on Wednesday which has seen him reach three finals in August.

"I have been able to put it together day in and day out the last few weeks," Hewitt said.

"There's definitely been matches over the last few weeks that I have felt like I've played as well as I've probably ever played."

Hewitt, a former world No.1, has won four times this year including back-to-back titles at Long Island and Washington.

He also finished second after losing to Andre Agassi in the Cincinnati final the week before Washington.

Hewitt moves on to face Monaco's Hicham Arazi who beat Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (7/9), 3-6, 6-3.

Ferreira is playing in his final Grand Slam and will be retiring after Davis Cup duty next month. The 32-year-old Ferreira, of Johannesburg, hit 34 winners but couldn't overcome his 43 unforced errors.

This was the fifth career meeting between Hewitt and Ferreira, who beat the Australian in their last matchup.

Who will win the women's title is anyone's guess. Defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, France's Amelie Mauresmo, American Lindsay Davenport, Anastasia Myskina and Serena Williams are all a threat for the title.

Brimming with confidence, Williams hammered eight aces and won 86 percent of her first-service points against Lee-Waters.

"I'm serving really well," Williams said. "I was pretty relaxed out there. I didn't go for much. I just played enough to get what I needed to do."

Tennis' No. 1 diva converted four of six break point chances and didn't allow Lee-Waters to settle into the match.

Williams advances to the third round where she faces Tatiana Golovin of France who beat Japan's Akiko Morigami 6-4, 6-4.

Top seed Federer blasted eight aces in beating Cyprus teenager Marcos Baghdatis, who managed to win a set off the world No. 1.

Federer, who is trying to become the first since Mats Wilander of Sweden to capture three Grand Slams in the same year, rolled over Baghdatis 6-2, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-1 to become the first in the 128-player men's draw to reach the third round.

The 19-year-old Baghdatis hammered five aces but couldn't overcome eight double faults and 50 unforced errors in the two hour, six minute match.

Federer has been the dominant player on the tour all year, winning all eight finals he has played.

Other winners on the men's side on Wednesday included Germany's Tommy Haas, French 12th seed Sebastien Grosjean and Sweden's Robin Soderling.

Soderling defeated double Athens medalist Fernando Gonzalez 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (4/7), 6-1. Gonzalez won a gold medal in doubles and a bronze medal in singles last month.

Australian Mark Philippousis was another key casualty, losing to Russia's Nikolay Davydenko. Philippousis, who was US Open runner-up in 1998, was forced to pull out in the fifth set with cramps.

"It's pretty much the worst year of my career," Philippoussis said. "I feel like starting all over again."

Other women to reach the third round included second seed Mauresmo, eighth seed Jennifer Capriati, Russians Elena Dementieva and Vera Zvonareva and Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova.

American 19-year-old Angela Haynes upset Bulgarian veteran Magdalena Maleeva 6-2, 6-3.
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