Gonzalez Knocks Hewitt Out of Australian Open

The final Australian player was escorted out of the Australian Open Saturday after midnight when No. 10 seed Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez defeated No. 19 seed Lleyton Hewitt 6-2, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to advance into the fourth round.

Gonzalez had difficulty closing the door, failing to serve out the match in the third and fourth sets but eventually prevailing, pounding 66 winners to 44 for Hewitt.

Convincingly moving into the fourth round on Saturday in straight sets were (2) Rafael Nadal (d. (31) Wawrinka), (3) Nikolay Davydenko (d. Santoro), (5) James Blake (d. American countryman Ginepri), and (15) Andy Murray (d. Chela).


"That's a match that without confidence there's no way I could win," Blake said of navigating crucial set points against Ginepri. "Going for my shots on set points, it shows just how close tennis is, how quickly it can change, how close all the guys are on tour. 'Cause if you change literally two points in that whole match, it's a completely different match. If he wins the set points in the first set, four set points in the second, any one of those goes a different way, that's a whole new match."

The fourth-round effort is an Aussie Open best for both Nadal and Murray, who will next meet in a first-time clash for a spot in the quarters.

No. 8 seed David Nalbandian put on his patented two-sets-down comeback show Saturday, edging a third-set tiebreak to get the ball rolling in a 5-7, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-1 win over No. 28 seed Sebastien Grosjean.

"Saving three match points is not easy," Nalbandian said. "I play good from there. The tiebreak, as well. Then he has some problem in the leg. He couldn't move as the beginning, so I push very hard."

Matches postponed to Sunday due to the rains were No. 12 seed Tommy Haas vs. German compatriot Florian Mayer, and No. 13-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych vs. No. 21-seeded Russian-American Dmitry Tursunov.

On court Sunday are (6) Roddick vs. Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, (1) Federer vs. Djokovic, (12) Haas vs. Mayer in an all-German, (7) Robredo vs. (18) Richard "Baby Fed" Gasquet, (16) Ferrer vs. Fish, and (13) Berdych vs. (21) Tursunov (fire up the on-line betting account as Tursunov has a wrist injury).