Hewitt Wins Five-Setter, Roddick Into Quarterfinals at Australian Open

Australian homegrown talent Lleyton Hewitt has been tapped by many as the biggest threat to world No. 1 Roger Federer at this year's Australian Open, but if Monday's results were any indicator, the weapon-heavy Andy Roddick is back in the driver's seat.

Roddick has not beaten Federer in their last four meetings dating to 2003, a point emphasized before the Australian Open began with another defeat for the American in the high-profile Kooyong exhibition. But Roddick, looking on-task with the giant serve and forehand, and an apparent new-found return of serve, was all business during week one in Melbourne.

Roddick has lost only one set thus far to Greg Rusedski, and with his ever-friendly draw on Monday powered his way into the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 7-6(6), 6-1 win over unheralded German Philipp Kohlschreiber, who was competing in only his second career slam event.

"The good thing is I don't feel like I had my best day and we're sitting here talking about a three-set win. So that's good," said Roddick, who said he needed to adjust to playing a right-hander after facing three consecutive lefties. "I served great. I've been serving pretty well throughout the event."

In the quarterfinals Roddick's friendly draw continues with No. 26 seed Nikolay Davydenko, who advanced with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 12 Guillermo Canas.

The No. 3-seeded Hewitt, who does not benefit from any huge weapons and has been dogged throughout week one at the Australian Open with his ostentatious displays of "C'mon!" and frequent use of the "vicht" hand sign, lost his third and fourth sets of the tournament Monday in barely edging into the quarterfinals.

The former No. 1 benefited from a bout of fifth-set cramping from unseeded opponent Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal, coming back from a 1-2 set deficit to win 7-5, 3-6, 1-6, 7-6(3), 6-2.

"This crowd is second to none," said Hewitt, who was treated during the match for a hip injury sustained weeks earlier in Sydney. "I was hurting a little bit in the third set. You try to get all of the negative thoughts out of your mind."

The crowd support and Hewitt's tenaciousness left Nadal, who suffered physical problems of his own, shaking his head during the match.

"In the fifth set, yes, I have problems with cramps. In the fifth set is decided for him," Nadal said. "But in the fourth set, I have a big chances. I have three times 15-30, and in the 5-5 I have the 15 -- yeah, in the 4-4 I have the 15-30. But I have one approach, the slice approach, and he touch one lob very, very good, and I can do nothing, no? Today I don't play bad in the good moments, but he play very, very good in the best moments, and he win for that."

In the quarterfinals Hewitt will square off against No. 9 seed David Nalbandian, who upset No. 6 Guillermo Coria 5-7, 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 in an all-Argentine showdown.

Among Tuesday's scheduled match features are (4) Safin vs. (20) Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, (1) Federer vs. (8) Agassi, and in doubles Blake/Fish vs. (2) Bryan brothers in an all-American.