Apia International Sydney Tennis - Australian Open Series

Baghdatis eliminates Hewitt in Sydney

AAP Thursday 14 January 2010 27 Comments »

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis stole the show in Sydney as he knocked Australian No.1 Lleyton Hewitt out of the MediBank International with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 quarter-final victory.

The quarter-final match-up promised much after the pair had a five set classic the last time they met in the 2008 Australian Open, and they delivered again in three keenly contested sets.

Hewitt started in promising fashion, breaking Baghdatis early in the first set and hanging tough as the Cypriot pushed to level the scores.

The former world No.1 held firm, took the set and then stole a break and a 2-1 lead in the second set.

But Baghdatis lifted his play to reel off six straight games, taking the set and a 1-0 lead in the third.

A solitary service break was then enough to secure the decider for the 2006 Australian Open finalist who finished off the four-time Sydney champion with an ace.

Baghdatis will now take on the winner of the Peter Luczak-Mardy Fish quarter-final being played Thursday night.

Meanwhile former world No.7 Richard Gasquet booked a semi-final spot for a second successive year after beating Italy’s Potito Starace 6-3 7-6 (9-7).

Gasquet looked in fine touch, showing the class that made him a top 10 player before his two-and-a-half month ban after testing positive to cocaine last year.

He’ll meet countryman Julien Benneteau after his 6-4 6-7 (7-5) 6-0 win over Argentine Leonardo Mayer.

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