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Hewitt grabs quarter-final spot
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-06-29 15:47

Former champion Lleyton Hewitt dropped his first set and first service games of the tournament at Wimbledon on the way to a 6-4 6-2 4-6 7-6 win over claycourt specialist Carlos Moya.

Seventh seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia celebrates his win over ninth seed Carlos Moya of Spain at the end of their fourth round match on Center Court at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, June 28, 2004.  Hewitt won the match 6-4 6-2 4-6 7-6. [Reuters]

The two breaks in the third set and one in the fourth, proved mere hiccups in the seventh seed's determined progress to the quarter-finals but he will need to play better to beat his next opponent, top seed and defending champion Roger Federer.

"I look forward to the challenge ahead but I have to raise the level of my game," Hewitt said. "Roger's capable of playing exceptional tennis -- he has an all-court game".

Hewitt, who suffered a humiliating first-round exit last year after winning in 2002, strode into the second week with easy victories over Juergen Melzer and Irakli Labadze before sending an emotional Goran Ivanisevic into retirement in the third round.

Seventh seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia returns a backhand shot to ninth seed Carlos Moya of Spain during their fourth round match on Centre Court at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, June 28, 2004. [Reuters]

"I learned a lot from last year's loss and I'd like to think I'm a better player because of it," the Australian said.

Hewitt's ranking has dropped after illness in 2003 affected his form and he decided to cut back on the number of tournaments he played. He is now ranked 10 in the world.

Ninth seed Carlos Moya of Spain wipes his brow during his fourth round match against seventh seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, June 28, 2004. [Reuters]

Moya, the 1998 French Open champion, was always going to prove a tough prospect after winning three titles so far this year at Chennai, Acapulco and Rome.

The pair, who both prefer to hit from the baseline, traded ferocious groundstrokes, but Hewitt's penetrating serve gave him the edge particularly in the first two sets.

He broke the Spanish ninth seed in the 10th game of the first set for a comfortable lead and looked to be cruising after breaking twice in the second.

The 27-year-old Moya was far too experienced to allow his 23-year-old opponent an uninterrupted ride, however.

He took advantage of an early lapse in the third set to break immediately, piling the pressure on Hewitt with telling passes and some deft drop shots.

Hewitt broke back but succumbed again in the 10th game, peppering his game with errors and looking fragile for the first time in the tournament.

"I expected a tough match even though grass isn't his favourite surface," Hewitt said.

Moya kept it tough to the end but a tiebreak proved a step too far on the grass for the man from Mallorca. Hewitt attacked the Spaniard's serve, producing volley and smash winners for minibreaks before Moya netted on the second match point to hand him victory.

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