Hewitt turns back the clock

Australian Hewitt,ranked 56 in the world after a series of injuries but champion here in 2002,never allowed the Argentine an inch of breathing space with superb ground coverage and made the most of his opponents discomfort at the net.

Its like a second home really, said Hewitt after his first career meeting with the 20-year-old. Its great to be back in the third round.

Del Potro,a semi-finalist at Roland Garros last month,had his left knee taped up at the end of the first set after a nasty slip,and Hewitt,who won the opener in 45 minutes,rammed home his advantage.

Hewitt,roared on by a vocal section of Australian fans decked out in traditional green and yellow colours,won his only break point of the second set late on before taking it 7-5.

He served for the match at 5-4 but del Potro levelled only for Hewitt to break again,roaring his trademark Come on! to the excitable crowd. Hewitt made no mistake second time around when he sealed the victory on his second match point when del Potro boomed a service return long. He next faces German Philipp Petzschner,who beat compatriot Mischa Zverev 4-6 7-6 13 3-6 7-6 5 6-0.

Five-time champion Venus Williams wore a strap on her left knee but still advanced to the third round by beating Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine 6-3 6-2. Tournament favourite Williams has been hampered by knee trouble in the past,but there was no indication of a problem this week until she walked onto sunny Court 1 bandaged from mid-calf to mid-thigh.

Williams let out a yelp when she appeared to pull up on a backhand in the third game,perhaps because of the knee. Otherwise she moved across the grass freely,charging forward to pounce on short balls. She won 17 points at the net to two for Bondarenko. Williams was coy about the reason for the tape. Just for support, she said.

In mens play,two-time runner-up Andy Roddick lost serve only once and defeated Igor Kunitsyn 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-2. Roddick will next play No 26 Jurgen Melzer,the Wimbledon boys champion in 1999.

Joining Williams in the womens third round was French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova,who beat Pauline Parmentier 6-1 6-3 in 59 minutes. The Roland Garros runner-up,top-ranked Dinara Safina,never faced a break point and beat Rossana de Los Rios 6-3 7-5.

Last years French Open winner,No 13-seeded Ana Ivanovic,beat Sara Errani 7-5 6-1. No 17 Amelie Mauresmo,the 2006 Wimbledon champion,beat Kristina Kucova 6-3 6-3. No 18 Samantha Stosur,a Roland Garros semi-finalist this month,swept the last five games to beat qualifier Tatjana Malek 4-6 7-6 6 6-4.

Safina and Kuznetsova criticised the court assignments. Kuznetsova was on Court 3,while Safina and former No 1-ranked players Ivanovic,Mauresmo and Jelena Jankovic were also on smaller courts. Of course its not fair, Safina said. Hopefully next match Ill play on a bigger court.

Paes-Dlouhy go out in first round

French Open champions Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic crashed out of the doubles event,though Sania Mirza and Chia-Jung Chuang made it to the second round in womens doubles.

Paes and Dlouhy went down to the unseeded American pair of James Blake and Mardy Fish 6-4 6-4 6-3 in the first round.

Mirza and her Chinese Taipei partner defeated Americans Jill Craybas and Carly Gullickson 6-4 6-2 following a 79-minute battle.