Hewitt Keeps US Open Mojo, Rolls Into Long Island Quarters

Over all the hubbub over the 'Roger & Andy Show,' former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt is not-so-quietly making his case for being considered a US Open favorite, despite consistently coming up short in the big events.

The Aussie has won 12 of his last 13 matches, including a runner-up (to Andre Agassi) at the Masters Series-Cincinnati and a title at Washington in his last two events. On Thursday the audacious Aussie pummeled Frenchman Michael Llodra 6-1, 6-4 to advance into the quarterfinals at the ATP stop in Long Island.

"The tournament in Washington didn't take that much out of me, so I was happy to get this week's wildcard," Hewitt said. "This is the first time I've played in a tournament the week before the US Open."

Also into the quarters was unseeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko with the upset (d. (8)Verdasco), (5)Juan Ignacio Chela (d. Enqvist in three), and (9)Luis "Me So" Horna (d. Nieminen).

Friday's quarterfinals line up as (9)Horna vs. Davydenko, (4)Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan vs. (7)Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson, (2)Hewitt vs. (5)Chela, and Tursunov vs. (10)Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer.