Hewitt Winning Through at US Open with No Olympic Regrets

Former US Open champ Lleyton Hewitt advanced Friday at the US Open with an impressive 7-6, 6-1, 6-2 rolling of Rockin' Moroccan Hicham Arazi, saying he has no regrets in skipping last month's Athens Olympics to concentrate on the year's final slam.

"He's got a crafty kind of game," Hewitt said. "With the left-handed serve, it's always going to be a little bit more difficult."

Even with some of the low-wattage players who came through in singles and doubles at the Athens Olympics, Hewitt says he feels he did the right thing by staying state-side.

"You know, for me it was all about trying to prepare for the US Open and give myself as best possible chance of trying to win here again," Hewitt said. "I've always had good results at the US Open and I didn't want anything to jeopardize that."

That jeopardy included viruses and other health issues the Aussie has suffered after taking long continent-hopping flights.

"There just wasn't enough break to fly back after the (Masters Series) Cincinnati to Greece and then come back here right before the US Open for me personally," Hewitt said.

The former No. 1 says there was no backlash in his home country from not representing Australia, and that anyone with a problem can take a look at his Davis Cup record.

"I think everyone knows how much I like playing for my country," Hewitt said. "I think after I took eight weeks off last year to prepare for the Davis Cup (final), one match, my ranking dropped 10 spots, I don't think anyone questions my patriotism towards my country."

Next up for Hewitt will be the winner of No. 30 seed Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez and German qualifier Philipp Kohlschreiber, to be played later today.