Hewitt Shrugs Off Illness for QF Berth at ATP SydneyPosted on January 12, 2006 Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt (d. Melzer) and No. 2 Nikolay Davydenko (d. Calleri) advanced into the quarterfinals with straight-set wins Wednesday at the ATP stop in Sydney, with the Aussie favorite seemingly shrugging off the effects of a virus that almost had him withdrawing from the tournament.
"I wouldn't say all gone just yet," said Hewitt of the virus. "But it was a big step in the right direction. I'm pretty pleased with the way I was able to go out there and focus on the job at hand and not worry about how I was feeling." No. 8 seed James Blake received a free pass into the quarters when former No. 1 Carlos Moya withdrew before their match with a left hip injury. Unseeded players into the quarters were Russians Igor Andreev (d. (WC) Luczak saving two match points) and Dmitry Tursunov (d. Serra), and qualifiers Andreas Seppi (d. (WC) Guccione) and Arnaud Clement (d. (LL) Monaco). The match between Paradorn Srichaphan and qualifier Ivo Karlovic was postponed due to rain. Matching up in the Thursday quarterfinals are Andreev vs. Tursunov in an all-Russian encounter, (1) Hewitt vs. (Q) Seppi, Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan vs. (Q) "Dr." Ivo Karlovic, then (7) Srichaphan or (Q) Karlovic vs. (2) Davydenko, in doubles (1) Bryan/Bryan vs. Damm/Paes, and (8) Blake vs. (Q) Clement. |
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