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Paradorn and Hewitt book fourth-round US Open showdown
New York, Aug 31: Thailand`s Paradorn Srichaphan and two-time grand slam champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia breezed into a fourth-round showdown at the US Open with victories here today.
New York, Aug 31: Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan and two-time grand slam champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia breezed into a fourth-round showdown at the US Open with
victories here today.
Paradorn, the 11th seed, equaled his best slam showing by defeating Spanish lucky loser Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 while sixth seed Hewitt advanced when Czech Radek Stepanek retired due to back pain with Hewitt ahead 6-1, 3-0.
Hewitt enters Monday's duel for a quarter-final spot 4-1 against the Asian ace, having won last year in Paris, Miami and San Jose and in 2001 at Indian Wells. Paradorn's lone victory over him was in the 2002 tokyo quarter-finals. Paradorn's only prior slam trip to the round of 16 came in July at Wimbledon, where he was ousted by American Andy Roddick.
Paradorn, the first Asian to crack the ATP's top 10, won his fourth career title and second title of the year a week ago, defeating American James Blake to defend his ATP Long Island crown. He also won at Chennai in January.
Verdasco, 19, reached his second slam despite a qualifying loss due to a late withdrawal, but lost his only break-point chance to fall in 88 minutes. Paradorn, 24, denied his 119th-ranked foe the first fourth-round slam run by a lucky loser since Dick Norman at Wimbledon in 1995.
Hewitt won nine of the first 10 games when Stepanek called a trainer to the court. The 24-year-old Czech lay on his stomach as the trainer rubbed his lower back. Stepanek lost two of the next three points and then quit the match.
Bureau Report
Hewitt enters Monday's duel for a quarter-final spot 4-1 against the Asian ace, having won last year in Paris, Miami and San Jose and in 2001 at Indian Wells. Paradorn's lone victory over him was in the 2002 tokyo quarter-finals. Paradorn's only prior slam trip to the round of 16 came in July at Wimbledon, where he was ousted by American Andy Roddick.
Paradorn, the first Asian to crack the ATP's top 10, won his fourth career title and second title of the year a week ago, defeating American James Blake to defend his ATP Long Island crown. He also won at Chennai in January.
Verdasco, 19, reached his second slam despite a qualifying loss due to a late withdrawal, but lost his only break-point chance to fall in 88 minutes. Paradorn, 24, denied his 119th-ranked foe the first fourth-round slam run by a lucky loser since Dick Norman at Wimbledon in 1995.
Hewitt won nine of the first 10 games when Stepanek called a trainer to the court. The 24-year-old Czech lay on his stomach as the trainer rubbed his lower back. Stepanek lost two of the next three points and then quit the match.
Bureau Report