Hewitt moves through to Second Round

Wimbledon :: Day 1

Lleyton Hewitt has kicked off his seventh Wimbledon campaign in style, easily accounting for Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the mens singles last night.

Seeded third for the tournament, the world No.2 was relatively untroubled in the first match of the tournament on Court 1, wrapping up victory in straight sets after only 92 minutes on court and powering down 19 aces, his last on match point to end the lopsided contest.

While the 2002 champion appeared to be below his best form, only playing his fourth competitive match since the ATP Masters Series event at Indian Wells in March, his service game and powerful ground strokes proved too much for his Belgian opponent.

Hewitt produced eleven break point opportunities for the match, converting six times, while his opponents only earned five break points, four of those in one game early in the third without success.

The 47th ranked Rochus, who has won only one match in five trips to Wimbledon, tested Hewitt with a number of drop shots to the backhand side, forcing the young Aussie to the net. But while the Belgian showed some ability around the net, he lacked the overall firepower to really trouble the former World Number One.

After the players exchanged early breaks, the Australian broke his opponent's serve to grab a 5-3 lead before holding his own service to take the opening set.

Rochus then got off to the worst possible start in the second set, dropping his opening service game after Hewitt's return of serve on break point clipped the net cord and bounced over.

The Australian maintained his dominance on serve and broke a second time to take the second 6-3, punishing a short delivery from Rochus with a forehand crosscourt winner to secure the second set.

Hewitt dug his way out of trouble early in the third when he found himself 15-40 down on serve at 1-1, producing two aces to level at deuce. He saved two more break point before holding his serve with a forehand lob winner. Having fought off the challenge from Rochus, Hewitt then powered through the third set by winning the next four games.

Hewitt now faces the winner of Czech Jan Hernych and American James Blake in the second round on Wednesday. If Blake wins through to the next round, he and Hewitt will meet in a rematch of the tense encounter in the second round of this year's Australian Open, the Australian winning in four sets.

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