Seppi ends Hewitt’s winning streak

Sydney, January 12:

Lleyton Hewitt’s 22-match winning streak at the Sydney International ended when the top-seeded Australian was upset 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 by Italian Andreas Seppi. Hewitt had never lost in the ATP tournament held at the former Olympic site, winning titles in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. But Hewitt, who nearly pulled out of his first-round match with a stomach virus, made a number of unforced errors on Thursday and blew two match points in the deciding set after serving for the match in the second.

Seppi will play Igor Andreev in Friday’s semi-finals after the Russian beat compatriot Dmitry Tursunov 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. American James Blake beat Arnaud Clement of France 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in another quarter-final and will next play Nikolay Davydenko of Russia on Friday. Davydenko advanced after Thai Paradorn Schric-hapan pulled out of the match.