Apia International Sydney Tennis - Australian Open Series

Guccione joins Hewitt in second round

AAP Tuesday 13 January 2009 7 Comments »

Chris Guccione has scored an impressive straight-sets victory over sixth seed Tomas Berdych to join fellow Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the second round of the Medibank International Sydney today.

Adding to his fine record at the tournament, where he was runner-up last year, Guccione stunned Berdych 6-3 6-4 to book a second-round date on Wednesday with Finnish left-hander Jarkko Nieminen.

Guccione’s triumph follows his memorable first-round wins in Sydney over former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero in 2006 and a career-best victory over reigning king Rafael Nadal – then ranked second – in 2007.

Guccione, who has shown little in recent months to suggest he would beat Berdych – who famously ended Roger Federer’s Athens Olympic hopes four years ago – couldn’t explain why he fares so consistently well at the tournament.

“Not for sure anyway,” he said.

“I love playing here. It’s obviously good conditions for me. It’s hot and fast. Playing in front of an Aussie crowd doesn’t hurt either.

“Probably a range of things. Obviously I played well today and I’m very happy with my performance out there.”

Hewitt earlier on Tuesday scrapped his way into the second round with a tough three-set victory over unheralded Frenchman Julien Benneteau.

Playing in 40-plus degree temperatures in Ken Rosewall Arena, Hewitt’s game never really matched the scorching heat as he battled to an unconvincing 5-7 6-2 6-4 win over the world No.48.

Hewitt will meet Janko Tipsarevic on Wednesday for a place in the quarterfinals for the seventh time in a row in Sydney after the Serb ousted American eighth seed Mardy Fish 6-4 3-6 6-4.

Order of play: Wednesday 14 January

Video: Lleyton Hewitt post-match

Tags: Chris Guccione

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