Hewitt progresses but Scud crashes out - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Hewitt progresses but Scud crashes out

By Paul Mulvey 23/06/2005 05:46:50 AM Comments (0)

Lleyton Hewitt moved into the third round but Mark Philippoussis's comeback was stopped in its tracks by fifth seed Marat Safin at Wimbledon.

Third seed Hewitt had to fight against Czech Jan Hernych before winning 6-2 7-5 3-6 6-3 in two hours and 23 minutes.

He will now meet American Justin Gimelstob in the third round.

Philippoussis had his chances to reignite his stumbling career when he had three first set points against Safin but succumbed to the Australian Open champion and yet another injury to lose the second-round match 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.

He needs a scan on his right ankle which he had strapped after losing the first set and which had him limping heavily around Centre Court in the third set.

"It's nothing to do with the injury," he said.

"At 5-4, I had 0-40, opportunity to win that first set with set points and didn't take them."

Philippoussis went into Wimbledon ranked 142 in the world - up 46 places from last week - and with his career in the balance after slipping from No.9 at the start of last year.

He looked like setting his career back on track in the first set when a looping forehand cross court, angled sliced backhand and a forehand return down the line gave him three set points in the 10th game.

But he sent a wild forehand long after a patient rally of sliced backhands on his first set point and two backhand errors sent the game to deuce.

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