NEW YORK, 2 September 2004 — Lleyton Hewitt embarked on a campaign to reclaim the title he won in 2001, beating South African Wayne Ferreira 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 in the first round of the $17.8 million US Open yesterday.
The 23-year-old Australian continued his solid play and extended his winning streak to 11 matches.
“When I get on a roll like I have been and I am winning more matches I feel more confident out there,” Hewitt said.
“The last few weeks I have been playing as well as I ever have.”
Hewitt, a former world No.1, has won four times this year including back-to-back titles at Long Island and Washington.
He also finished second after losing to Andre Agassi in the Cincinnati final the week before Washington.
Ferreira, who is retiring after Davis Cup duty next month, hit 34 winners but couldn’t overcome his 43 unforced errors.
This was the fifth career meeting between the two. Ferreira beat Hewitt in the final of the 2003 Los Angeles tournament the last time they faced each other.
“He went through a tough patch but he’s got it all back and is moving exceptionally well,” said Ferreira of Hewitt.
“He’s getting a lot more of his first serves in.”
Hewitt skipped the Olympics to focus on getting ready for the US Open. He won his first of his two Grand Slams here in 2001. He also won Wimbledon in 2002.
But Hewitt had a sub-par Grand Slam year in 2003 as he took more time off than usual to focus on representing Australia in the Davis Cup.
Australian Mark Philippoussis exited the US Open at the first round conceding defeat to Russian Nikolay Davydenko due to injury.
Philipoussis, who was a finalist here in 1998, had to call for a physiotherapist during the match before deciding to call it a day.
The 23-year-old Davydenko was leading 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 4-1 in the fifth set.
Serena Williams marched into the third round, beating fellow American Lindsay Lee-Waters 6-4, 6-3.
The third seed, who again walked on to court wearing long black boots, was given a useful work-out by the 27-year-old who managed to break serve once in each set.
But Serena never looked in trouble and wrapped up the match in exactly one hour.
The twice former champion will face 30th seed Tatiana Golovin of France in the third round.
Amelie Mauresmo’s hopes of a first grand slam title remained intact after she came from behind to beat Ukraine’s Julia Vakulenko in the second round.
The French second seed looked tense early on, struggling to keep the ball in court, but she recovered her poise to post a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory against the world number 105.
Vakulenko’s cause was not helped during the deciding set when she needed treatment for blisters on her feet. But by that time Mauresmo was firmly in charge and she sealed victory with an ace after one hour, 44 minutes.
Mauresmo, who has enjoyed one of her best year’s on the circuit with titles in Vancouver, Rome and Berlin, is looking to go further than her semi-final appearance at Flushing Meadows two years ago.
Japan’s Ai Sugiyama beat Gisela Dulko 6-2, 6-4 in her opening match.
The 12th seeded Sugiyama won in a scant 62 minutes and advances to the second round against Jelena Kostanic, who beat Russian qualifier Eugenia Linetskaya 6-4, 6-3.
Despite a generally solid service game Sugiyama had to overcome three double faults and 13 unforced errors in the second set against the Argentine.
The women’s field is wide open this year as defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, France’s Amelie Mauresmo, American Lindsay Davenport and Anastasia Myskina are all a threat for the title. Second seed Mauresmo and third seed Williams are scheduled to play last night.
Sugiyama, who has six career singles titles, is making her tenth straight appearance at the US Open. She reached the fourth round, a career-high, here last year.
Known more for her prowess in doubles, Sugiyama opened the year by winning a singles title on the Gold Coast, but has not won a tournament since. She won the US Open doubles title in 2000.
She lost in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon to eventual champion Maria Sharapova and in quarterfinals to eventual bronze medalist Alicia Molik at Olympics.
Molik’s hopes of following up her Athens performance with another strong run here came to a crashing halt yesterday as she lost to Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova 6-4, 6-3.
Other early winners included 15th seed Patty Schnyder, of Switzerland, and Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela.
No. 15 Patty Schnyder of Switzerland beat Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-1.
In other early play yesterday, No. 31 Maria Vento-Kabchi of Venezuela required three sets to subdue Germany’s Julia Schruff 6-1, 2-6, 6-2.
In the men’s bracket, No. 32 Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden became the fifth men’s seed to be eliminated, beaten by Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3, while No. 12 Sebastien Grosjean of France overcame a first-set loss to eliminate countryman Olivier Patience 5-7, 7-6, 6-2, 6-1 and No. 23 Vicent Spadea of the United States likewise won 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 over Peru’s Luis Horna.
