Lleyton Hewitt defeated Olivier Mutis on Tuesday at the ATP Long Island event to move within one victory of reaching 50 match wins for the fourth time in five years.
Australia's Hewitt, who is 49-13 on the season, beat France's Mutis 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 to reach the second round and post his 11th win in his last 12 matches.
PHOTO: AFP
The second seed is seeking his fourth title of the season and third final in his last three appearances.
Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan cruised past American Kevin Kim 6-3, 6-2 and on yesterday met Wayne Ferreira.
Hewitt, who arrived at the venue in a chartered helicopter, is the No. 1 attraction after Andre Agassi pulled out.
Hewitt took a few early games to find his range against the 115th ranked Mutis.
Hewitt saved three break points at 3-3 before holding and breaking Mutis in the next game.
Serving at 5-3 and 40-15, the Aussie was broken on a rash of unforced errors, with Mutis saving another two set points serving to stay in the match at 4-5 before they went to a breaker.
A drop shot short from the Frenchman handed Hewitt the set on a fifth opportunity. But once he settled, Hewitt sailed ahead and next faces another French opponent, Michel Llodra, in today's second round.
"It took awhile to adjust to a night match," said world number 5 Hewitt. "I only had a quick hit on an outside court today. I'd never seen him play on hardcourt. I should have won the first set easier than 7-6.
Defending champion Paradorn, winner of the last two editions, is now 29-20 this season and was playing his first match since losing in the Olympic first round.
Croatia's Olympic doubles silver medallist Mario Ancic slumped to his fifth first-round defeat of the season, losing to Russian Dimitry Tursunov 6-1, 6-4.
Ancic lifted the Athens doubles medal bronze alongside Ivan Ljubicic.
But the flight from Greece obviously didn't do much for the Croatian's game for Ancic, now holding a 2004 record of 23-17 heading into Monday's start of the US Open.
Seventh seed Joachim Johansson of Sweden beat German Daniel Elsner 6-4, 6-3 to set up a clash with American Jan-Michael Gambill. Luis Horna of Peru, ousted the day's second German, Alexander Popp 6-1, 6-3.
Austrian Stefan Koubek pounced on Spain's David Ferrer 6-1, 6-3 while Russian Igor Andreev overcame former French Open winner Albert Costa 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
WTA New Haven Open
Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova was stunned 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 by unheralded Mashona Washington in the second round of the WTA New Haven event on Tuesday.
Defending New Haven champ Jennifer Capriati quickly advanced to the third round, avoiding a challenge from French teenager Tatiana Golovin 6-3, 6-2.
Daniela Hantuchova and No.7 seed Elena Bovina also moved on winning both their matches in straight sets.
American Washington advances to the quarterfinals where she will meet Elena Bovina, the seventh seed from Russia, who cruised into the round of eight with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Spanish qualifier Marta Marrero.
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
RSS