Hewitt raises game to progress

TENNIS/US OPEN: Third seed Lleyton Hewitt advanced to the fourth round of the US Open after a thrilling five-set victory against Taylor Dent last night. Hewitt trailed two sets to one and was in trouble against his big-serving American opponent, but raised his game in customary fashion to seal a 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 7-5 victory in three hours and 21 minutes.

The decisive break came at 5-5 in the fifth when Hewitt played an extraordinary game, mixing wonderful defence with some sublime passing shots to break the Dent delivery. The Australian still struggled to see the match out, wasting three match-points, before clinching it on a fourth with a booming ace down the middle.

Hewitt, the 2001 winner at Flushing Meadows, now meets either David Ferrer or Dominik Hrbaty.

Robby Ginepri wrapped up a superb day for American men by winning only his third career five-set match 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in a marathon three-hour 20-minute effort against Tommy Haas of Germany in the third round. He now meets 13th seed Richard Gasquet of France in the fourth round, who rallied past 18th seed Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 6-2.

Fellow American James Blake produced the biggest win of his career when stunning second seed Rafael Nadal 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the third round at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Blake, who entered as a wild card and upset Britain's Greg Rusedski in the first round, overpowered French Open champion Nadal.

Fellow American Andre Agassi survived a hard-fought challenge from Czech Tomas Berdych before posting a 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) victory.

Meanwhile, in the women's section, Ninth seed Nadia Petrova withstood some fierce hitting from Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova yesterday, coming through 7-6, 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals for the second year running. Petrova trailed 0-3 in the first set and 1-4 in the tiebreaker before running off with six points in a row to move ahead against the temperamental 16-year-old.

Vaidisova, who has already won two tour titles, threw her racket and then her energy drink in disgust before recovering her poise to break early in the second set.

However, 25 unforced errors in the second set proved costly as the 23-year-old Petrova hit back to book a meeting with top-seeded compatriot Maria Sharapova or Indian teenager Sania Mirza.

Mary Pierce will try to avenge one of the most traumatic defeats of her career when she faces Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium in the fourth round today. Three months ago the 30-year-old suffered a very public humiliation in the French Open final when she lost 6-1, 6-1 to Henin-Hardenne.

The Montreal-born Frenchwoman is promising a very different approach this time. "There's no pressure on me in this match," said 12th seed Pierce. "It can't be too much worse than when I played her in Paris, so I just am looking forward to it.

"She's a champion. She's been number one, won big tournaments, grand slam tournaments. On any surface she'll be tough to play."

Henin-Hardenne, the seventh seed, has not had the best of times since Roland Garros, losing in the first round at Wimbledon and struggling with a long-term hamstring injury. The 2003 champion has not looked at her best in the first three rounds at Flushing Meadows but she is ready to step it up as the business end of the tournament beckons.

"For me it's much harder to play my first rounds where I have a lot of pressure, where I have to win," Henin-Hardenne said. "I'm more comfortable when I know I'm going to play a seeded player. It's going to be a tough match but it's going to be a good test for me and very interesting."

The Belgian is not expecting Pierce to disintegrate mentally this time either. "It's another kind of situation, another surface," she said. "It's not a grand slam final like it was at the French Open. It's a different kind of pressure for her."