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World Sport

Hewitt fightback frustrates Haas


HAMBURG, Germany -- Lleyton Hewitt saved nine set points from 5-1 down in the second set for a 6-4 7-5 victory over local hero Tommy Haas in the Hamburg Masters second round.

Also on Wednesday, defending champion and second seed Guillermo Coria took his win streak on clay to 28 when he beat Peruvian Luis Horna 6-2 3-6 6-2.

But Britain's fifth-seeded Tim Henman, feeling unwell, was crushed 6-2 6-2 by Romanian Andrei Pavel on an outside court on another cold and rainy day.

"I was a little feverish," said Henman. "You don't want to play an individual sport in these conditions when you're not feeling 100 percent well.

"I think it's a bug of some sort, probably nothing serious. Now I need to rest and make sure I feel fresh for the French Open."

Argentine Coria has not lost a match on the surface since a French Open semifinal defeat against Dutchman Martin Verkerk in early June 2003.

He won titles in Stuttgart, Kitzbuehel and Sopot later last year and added trophies in Buenos Aires and the Monte Carlo Masters Series this campaign.

"I am not here to prepare for the French Open. I am here to try to win the tournament," said Coria who now meets Tommy Robredo of Spain.

The 16th-seeded Barcelona winner ousted Argentina's Mariano Zabaleta 6-4 6-2.

World No. 1 Roger Federer wasted no time as the top seeded 2002 champion clinically beat Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti 6-3 6-3 in 60 minutes with the help of 22 winners.

Former top dog Hewitt saved three set points each in the seventh, ninth and 10th game of the set to silence the crowd and subdue Haas.

Australian Hewitt served out his match to love in the 12th game after one hour 45 minutes for his fifth victory in the ninth meeting with the German.

After winning the opening set Hewitt broke for 1-0 in the second, but Haas hit back with five unanswered games en route to what appeared a decider.

But Hewitt, seeded 17th, refused to bow and crawled back into the match by stubbornly denying Haas' bid to wrap up the set.

Haas double faulted for the eighth time to fall behind 6-5 and was beaten for good a few minutes later when he hit a backhand wide for his 52nd unforced error to Hewitt's 25.

"I played a great first set and then had to try and weather the storm and take my chances," said Hewitt.

"I just hung in there. I knew that if I got the first break back he would start thinking about it. That's what happened," he said.

Haas said: "I am totally frustrated. I should have never lost that second set. I changed my racket at 5-1, that was a big mistake."

Hewitt faces Brazil's Flavio Saretta who beat Oscar Hernandez 6-4 6-3 while Marat Safin rallied to defeat Sargis Sargsian 4-6 6-3 6-3.


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