Sydney, Jan 15: Wins for Philippoussis and Hewitt in Sydney International. Australian Mark Philippoussis knocked embattled Briton Greg Rusedski out of the Sydney International on Wednesday (January 14). Rusedski, at the centre of a drugs storm after admitting he had tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone, pushed the Australian all the way before falling 6-3 1-6 6-4 in their second round clash. "With everything that's going on at the moment, I'm extremely pleased with the performance," Rusedski told a news conference. "He's one of the best servers in the world yet I returned fairly well so that's a plus for me." Philippoussis, runner-up at Wimbledon last year, rode his booming serve to take the first set but lost his rhythm in the swirling centre court wind as Rusedski fought back to level the match. The fourth seed saved two break points in the ninth game of the deciding set and then broke Rusedski in the next game to seal victory.


"It was a good match, we both had opportunities," Philippoussis said. "Greg's always a tough opponent and I definitely knew I'd have to play well to come up on top.


"For the amount of matches he's played since he's been back, I think he's hitting the ball very well."


Philippoussis will play French Open finalist Martin Verkerk in Thursday's quarter-finals after the Dutchman scraped through against Max Mirnyi of Belarus 6-7 7-6 7-6.


Philippoussis's win capped a good day for Australia after former world number one Lleyton Hewitt defeated Karol Kucera 6-4 6-1 having trailed the Slovakian 4-0 in the first set.


Hewitt looked to be in trouble early on, twice saving points on serve to avoid slipping 5-0 behind, before things suddenly clicked into place.


"I wasn't going to give that first set up, no matter what," the former world number one said. "But you really enjoy it when you get out of jail like I did. The momentum really swung there...the whole body language had changed on Karol's side of the net."


The Spanish also had reason to cheer with at least one guaranteed a place in the semi-finals after Carlos Moya and Tommy Robredo both won to set up a meeting in the next round.


Moya beat Michael Llodra of France 7-6 6-3 to follow up his win in last week's Indian Open while Robredo saved two match points before upsetting Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan, the fifth seed, 4-6 6-1 7-6.


"The year so far has been perfect for me," Moya said. “Seven matches, seven wins and I've won a title already."


Bureau Report