Australia's Lleyton Hewitt reacts to a line call during his match against France's Nicolas Mahut at the Sydney International tournament, yesterday. Hewitt won 6-3, 6-4. - AP
SYDNEY, (AP):
JUSTINE HENIN is through to the quarter-finals of the Sydney International without playing a match.
The star Belgian player received a walkover yesterday when Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic was unable to play her second-round match due to a strained buttock.
A two-time Sydney champion, Henin had already received a first-round bye because she was among the tournament's top-four seeds. She'll have a maximum of three more matches of preparation for the Australian Open starting on Monday.
Henin returned to the WTA Tour in mid-February last year after missing the 2007 Australian Open due to her marriage break-up. She won 10 of 14 tournaments and after her semi-final loss to Marion Bartoli at Wimbledon last year did not lose again in her next 25 matches.
Other top-seeded players also advanced in women's play, with No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia beating Shahar Peer of Israel 6-3, 6-4, and No. 3 Jelena Jankovic, overcoming an upper right thigh injury she suffered last week at the Hopman Cup to down Tatiana Golovin of France 6-1, 2-6, 6-3.
Vigorous training
Fourth-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia beat Virginie Razzano of France 6-1, 2-6, 7-5.
Ivanovic, a French Open finalist and Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2007, trained for much of December in the Sydney beachside suburb of Manly with Australian strength and conditioning coach, Scott Byrnes.
She said she felt ready to challenge for her first Grand Slam trophy.
"There are many opponents and players who want exactly the same thing, but I think I have a game that can get me to win a Grand Slam," Ivanovic said.
In men's play, Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic upset No. 2 seed Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-4, 6-2 and sixth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia defeated Nicolas Mahut of France 6-3, 6-4.
Chasing a record fifth title in Sydney, Hewitt took advantage of 13 double-faults by Mahut, a finalist at Queen's last year.
Hewitt next plays big-serving Australian lefthander Chris Guccione.
"It's a challenge," Hewitt said. "I'm obviously going to have to return well and make him play a lot of balls."
