Roddick wins; Hewitt alleges spitting
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-22 23:09

Andy Roddick of the U.S. makes a backhand return during his third round match against Jurgen Melzer of Austria at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2005. [AP]

Andy Roddick kept the crowd buzzing with his aces, riding his big serve into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday. Lleyton Hewitt and Juan Ignacio Chela also kept fans buzzing. Hewitt bellowed and gestured during his 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory in the third round and said Chela spit toward him during a changeover.

"I was spitting, but not in Lleyton's direction," Chela said. "It was a very tense moment in the match. There was a lot of pressure."

An earlier jolt came courtesy of Nicolay Davydenko. The 26th-seeded Russian upset Tim Henman 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. The seeded-seeded Englishman reached at least the quarterfinals in the last three Grand Slams.

"I feel totally gutted, really," Henman said. "My expectations were obviously for a lot more."

Roddick dropped only seven points in his last 10 service games and finished with 22 aces to beat Austria's Jurgen Melzer 6-2, 6-2, 7-5.

After beating three consecutive left-handers, next up for Roddick is 102nd-ranked Philipp Kohlschreiber, a German with a 10-18 career record who won only one Grand Slam match before this tournament.

Roddick, seeded third, started his first service game with a pair of aces. He soon was cracking serves at up to 139 mph. Melzer, seeded 32nd, had three break points in Roddick's next service game, then never got another chance.

"I thought I moved really well. I got up two sets, the third one got a little tight, but I was able to get through," said Roddick, noting his serve isn't yet nearing his world record of 155 mph. "I'm holding serve though, that's the most important thing."

Sixth seed Russia's Elena Dementieva stretches during her third round match against Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova, the number 26 seed, at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 22, 2005. Dementieva won 7-5 5-7 6-4. [Reuters]

In the third game, Melzer drew him to the net with a drop shot, then sent up a lob. Roddick raced back and flicked the ball back between his legs and down the line. Roddick repeated the move in the match but missed.

"I got greedy," he said. "The first one felt good, so I needed more."

Hewitt clearly upset Chela as he served at 2-2 in the fourth set. After Hewitt set up triple break point, he did one of his trademark bellows of "Come on!" while pointing his fingers at his forehead.

Chela slammed a first serve that nearly hit Hewitt without bouncing. Hewitt finished off the break, then appeared to curse at the 25th-seeded Argentine during the changeover. Chela then spat, an action captured by TV cameras and photographers.

"He spat in my direction," Hewitt said. "I don't think it's the right thing."

"It's unfortunate because we're having a good dogfight match out there," he added. "He apologized to me at the net when we shook hands. I said, `Just forget about it, mate.'"

Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova, the number 26 seed, reacts to a lost point during her third round match against Sixth seed Russia's Elena Dementieva at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 22, 2005. Dementieva won 7-5 5-7 6-4. [Reuters]

Chela said he didn't recall trying to hit Hewitt and didn't hear the Australian curse him.

The International Tennis Federation said although no warning or code violation was given during the match by the chair umpire, tournament referee Peter Bellinger was told about what happened by both players. Bellinger and other tournament officials most likely will review tapes Sunday.

Hewitt, the hottest player on the men's tour after Roger Federer, broke Chela seven times, had 39 winners and finished the match with his ninth ace. But he was not happy with the 37 unforced errors or the loss of the second set. Asked to rate his performance on a scale of one to 10, he said "about a two."

He next faces Spain's Rafael Nadal, touted as a rising star before an ankle stress fracture sidelined him for three months last year. He ousted U.S. qualifier Bobby Reynolds 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.

Henman committed 32 unforced errors and five double-faults in falling to Davydenko, who joined fellow Russian Marat Safin among the final 16. Davydenko next faces 12th-seeded Guillermo Canas, a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 winner over Radek Stepanek.

French Open finalist Guillermo Coria beat former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

Women's French Open champion Anastasia Myskina joined Russia's two other Grand Slam champs in the fourth round when American Lisa Raymond withdrew with a torn abdominal muscle that forced her to retire from her doubles match Friday after one game.

"I'm extremely disappointed because I couldn't have asked to play better in my first two matches," Raymond said.

Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport beat 15-year-old Czech qualifier Nicole Vaidisova 6-2, 6-4 to move into a fourth-round match against 13th-seeded Karolina Sprem, who ousted Russia's Elena Likhovtseva 6-4, 6-3.

Sixth-seeded Elena Dementieva became the seventh Russian woman to advance when she outlasted Daniela Hantuchova 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. Hantuchova committed 78 unforced errors and bloodied her knee in a fall in the second set. Dementieva next meets No. 12 Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, a 7-6 (4), 6-3 winner over American Amanda Spears.

No. 8 Venus Williams overcame early errors to take the last nine games in a 6-3, 6-0 rout of Anna Smashnova.

"She just played a different-pace game, so I pressed a little too much and was hitting the balls a bit long," Williams said. "I needed to add some spin because she's the kind of player where you don't want to get caught up playing her game."

Tenth-seeded Alicia Molik of Australia closed a 6-3, 6-2 win over Tatiana Panova with an ace and next meets Williams.

"Bring it on!" Molik told the crowd at Rod Laver Arena after reaching the fourth round, matching her best run at a major.

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