SYDNEY - Lleyton Hewitt shook off the effects of a mystery illness to reach the quarter-finals of the Sydney International here yesterday while the injuries piled up around him in the countdown to next week's Australian Open.
Hewitt overcame the lingering distraction of a stomach bug that caused him toconsider quitting the tournament to easily beat Austria's Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 6-4.
Russia's former US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova was also in great form as she defeated rising Serb Ana Ivanovic 7-6, 6-3 in reach the semifinals of the women's tournament against Justin Henin-Hardenne.
The Belgian was given a free-ride into the last four after her opponent, Russia's Nadia Petrova, forfeited their match because of a groin strain.
Petrova was the second Russian woman to pull out of the event in two days after Dinari Safina quit her match against Kuznetsova because of blisters.
Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova also failed to finish her match against Czech Nicole Vaidisova, retiring because of gastrointestinal illness midway through the second set while trailing 6-3, 3-1
The men's draw has also been hard hit by high-profile drop-outs.
Former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson withdrew before his first round match while former world number one Carlos Moya pulled out of his match with James Blake because of a hip problem.
Defending Open champion Marat Safin yesterday became the third high-profile men's player to withdraw due to injury.
The Russian said that although his knee injury was improving, he did not feel ready to play Grand Slam tennis.
Safin joins four-time former Open champ Andre Agassi (ankle) and world No 2 Rafael Nadal of Spain (foot) on the sidelines.
"I am very sad that I cannot go to the Australian Open to defend my title as champion," the Russian said on his website.
