TOKYO, 8 October 2004 — Top seed Lleyton Hewitt was pushed to three sets by a Japanese player for the second day in a row at the $860,000 Japan Open yesterday. The Australian eventually won 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 against third-round opponent Takao Suzuki, a wildcard entrant.

On Wednesday Hewitt dropped the second set in his win over Suzuki’s compatriot Goichi Motomura, another wildcard in the draw.

In other men’s action nine seeds, including the number two David Nalbandian and No. 3 Andrei Pavel, bit the dust as play lost to rain earlier in the week was made up.

Four lost in the second round, including Pavel of Romania who was beaten 6-2, 6-1 by Germany’s Bjorn Phau.

Five more men’s seeds fell in the third round, among them Argentine Nalbandian who lost 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 to 16th seed Gilles Muller of Luxembourg. In the women’s tournament top seed and defending champion Maria Sharapova overcame qualifier Youlia Fedossova of France 6-3, 6-4 to reach the semifinals.

The only other seed left in the women’s draw, seventh seed Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic, also reached the semis after a 6-3, 6-0 win over compatriot Nicole Vaidisova.

Sharapova, who had a tough second-round win over Australian Samantha Stosur on Wednesday, will face a strong challenge in the semifinals today from in-form Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn, a 6-1, 3-0 winner over Hungary’s Aniko Kapros who retired with a thigh strain.

Tamarine knocked out third seed Shinobu Asagoe in the first round. American Mashona Washington defeated Evgenia Linetskaya 6-2, 6-1 to complete the semifinal lineup, where she will face Koukalova.

Sharapova, who played in China and South Korea before coming to Tokyo, admitted her long trip was catching up with her.

“I am a little tired,” she said. “I had a tough match yesterday, but I just have to stay positive and hopefully get a good night’s sleep.”

Top Seed Mauresmo Swats Aside Schnyder

In Filderstadt, Germany, France’s Amelie Mauresmo underlined her determination to remain World No. 1 by surging into the quarterfinals of the $650,000 WTA event here yesterday with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Patty Schynder.

Mauresmo, 25, took time to find her rhythm against Swiss opponent Schnyder but when her trademark backhand finally clicked, she dominated to take a place in the last eight.

“I am really enjoying being No. 1,” enthused Mauresmo. “People have been congratulating me in France and it is a really nice feeling.

“My backhand was very strong today. I used to play with two hands but then switched to one hand and it seems to be working for me.”

It did not look good for top seed Mauresmo early on with Schnyder going 5-3 up with the opportunity to serve for the set.

But Mauresmo showed why she is the top player in the WTA rankings unleashing a string of backhands to turn the match on its head and win the set 7-5.

It was more of the same in the second set as Switzerland’s Schynder had no answer to Mauresmo’s powerful ground strokes and lost the second set 6-4.

Mauresmo, who has yet to win a Grand Slam tournament, will face Silvia Farina Elia or Lisa Raymond in her quarterfinal as she bids to fend off American ace Lindsay Davenport for the World No. 1 slot. Davenport moved into the quarterfinal with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of Australian Alicia Molik on Wednesday.

No. 1 Clijsters Says She Will Be Having No More Wrist Surgery

In Brussels, former world number 1 Kim Clijsters has jumped into the discussion concerning a wrist injury which threatens to keep her away from tennis until next season.

The Belgian, speaking yesterday through her official website, said that she will rest until 2005 to let her injured left wrist recovery from a second injury but will not be having any more surgery. “At the moment there is no need for an operation,” her site said, adding by way of explanation for the problems which have kept her off court since May: “In the case of a powerful and agile player like Kim extension of the tendon is a constant threat.”

Clijsters plays right-handed but relies on her left wrist on the backhand side of her double-fisted return. She first hurt the wrist in March, played twice in the spring and underwent an operation in June.

Clijsters is expected to take anti-inflammatories and wear the brace that has been her constant companion for months. She would be hoping to play in January at the Australian Open, a month prior to her scheduled marriage to Australian Lleyton Hewitt.