TOKYO, 9 October 2004 — Men’s top seed Lleyton Hewitt picked up his pace as the $860,000 Japan Open braced yesterday for a typhoon bearing down on the capital. Hewitt got out of his three-set rut after struggling with Japanese opponents in his first two rounds. The 2001 champion thrashed Frenchman Cyril Saulnier 7-5, 6-1. There was a double disaster for Thailand as men’s fourth seed Paradorn Srichaphan joined women’s compatriot Tamarine Tanasugarn in exiting. Paradorn fell to Czech fifth seed Jiri Novak 6-4, 6-4, his third defeat in that series.

The other semis will be played between American seventh seed Taylor Dent, who defeated Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, and Bohdan Ulihrach, who ended the seed-killing run of German Bjorn Phau 7-5, 6-4. Women completed their semifinals to set up the title match between Maria Sharapova and veteran American outsider Mashona Washington. Top seed Sharapova moved one victory away from her second straight title in Asia, overwhelming Thailand’s Tanasugarn 6-2, 6-3. The 17-year-old Wimbledon champion, who picked up a trophy last weekend in Seoul, will face off against a 28-year-old first-time finalist Washington, who upset seventh seeded Czech Klara Koukalova 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Johansson Suffers Shock Loss in Lyon

Meanwhile, US Open semifinalist Joachim Johansson suffered a surprise defeat by fellow Swede Robin Soderling at the Lyon Grand Prix yesterday. Soderling, ranked 47th in the world, won their quarterfinal 6-3, 6-4 in 58 minutes. In the first quarterfinal Belgian Xavier Malisse defeated Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-4.

Mauresmo and Davenport Advance to Filderstadt

In Filderstadt, Germany, Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo and her rival for the world No. 1 spot Lindsay Davenport both eased into the semifinals of the $650,000 WTA event here yesterday. Top seed Mauresmo brushed aside American lucky loser Lisa Raymond 6-4, 6-1 to set up a meet with US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia who beat Colombian Fabiola Zuluaga by the same scoreline. The 25-year-old Frenchwoman fired down eight aces on her way to beating Raymond after an hour on court, as Davenport, the second seed, ousted Serbian Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 6-3. Davenport said that 2006 will be her final year on the circuit, needs to win in Filderstadt and Mauresmo to be beaten in the semifinals to claim the world No. 1 spot again.