Medibank International Sydney Tennis - Australian Open Series

Hewitt sets up Nalbandian clash

AAP Wednesday 14 January 2009 Comments

Four-time champion Lleyton Hewitt has produced his best display of the summer to scorch into the quarterfinals of the Medibank International Sydney with a straight-sets win over Janko Tipsarevic.

Hewitt recovered from an early setback before romping to a 7-5 6-4 victory over the shot-making Serb in oppressive heat at Sydney Olympic Park.

He will next play old enemy David Nalbandian in the quarterfinals.

Playing in Sydney for the first time since demolishing Hewitt in a grasscourt Davis Cup encounter three-and-a-half years ago, the fourth-seeded Nalbandian breezed past Frenchman Michael Llodra 6-1 6-3.

Big-name seeds Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also safely progressed to the last eight with routine wins on Wednesday.

None of them, though, could have been as satisfied as Hewitt, who followed up his scrappy first-round win on Tuesday over Julien Benneteau with a polished performance at Ken Rosewall Arena.

After dropping his opening service game with a double-fault, the Australian rebounded to win 13 of the last 19 games to bury Tipsarevic and book a showdown on Thursday with Nalbandian, his long-time Argentine sparring partner.

The top-seeded Djokovic claimed a straightforward 6-1 6-2 win over Paul-Henri Mathieu, whose French countryman Tsonga brushed aside Italian Simone Bolelli 6-4 6-1.

Tsonga’s victory may have looked comfortable but last year’s Australian Open finalist was troubled by a back complaint, the third seed twice receiving treatment for the injury.

The world No.6 later played down injury concerns, sighting stiffness as the reason for his medical timeouts.

Chris Guccione is currently on court against Jarko Nieminen, while Serena Williams plays tonight against Caroline Wozniacki.

Tags: Janko Tipsarevic, Lleyton Hewitt

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