Hewitt to play Baghdatis at Wimbledon - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Hewitt to play Baghdatis at Wimbledon

By Valkerie Mangnall 04/07/2006 05:53:40 AM Comments (0)

Lleyton Hewitt will play Australian Open runner-up Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

Sixth-seeded Australian Hewitt beat number 23 seed David Ferrer of Spain 6-4 6-4 4-6 7-5 in the round of 16 on Monday.

Hewitt had predicted a "dogfight" against Ferrer and it was a tense match, lasting two hours and 49 minutes.

Baghdatis, the number 18 seed, had an easier task against Scottish player 19-year-old Andy Murray, whom he beat 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-2) in one hour and 53 minutes.

World number nine Hewitt has never played against Baghdatis, who is ranked 16th in the world and lost the Australian Open final to Roger Federer in the four sets in January.

Hewitt broke Ferrer in the first and fifth games of the opening set and took a 5-1 lead.

Ferrer broke back and closed the gap to 4-5 but Hewitt held serve to claim the set.

In the second set, Hewitt saved three break points in the eighth game and broke Ferrer for a crucial 5-4 lead before converting his second set point.

Ferrer converted the first of two break points in the second game of the third set for a 2-0 lead, but Hewitt broke back immediately when Ferrer sent a forehand wide in the next game and the Australian then drew level at 2-2.

The Spanish World No.19 squandered two break points in the eighth game - he sent one return long and skied the next - before Hewitt managed to hold.

Ferrer claimed the set with his second break point in the 10th game on a Hewitt double fault.

Ferrer saved a break point and cruised to a 3-0 lead in the fourth set, but Hewitt managed to claw back to 3-3.

The decisive moment came when Hewitt converted the second of three break points against Ferrer in the 11th game, allowing the Australian to serve for the match.

He claimed victory on the first of two match points when Ferrer hit a backhand volley into the net.

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