BBC SPORT | Tennis | Hewitt thrashes Chang

Wednesday's results

World number one Lleyton Hewitt stormed past Michael Chang at the Japan Open, on what may prove to be the Chinese-American's last tournament appearance in Asia.

Hewitt overpowered the former French Open champion 6-2 6-2, while Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti and Spainiards Carlos Moya and Alex Corretja suffered upsets.

[Michael Chang] was very unlucky not to have become number one in the world at some stage

Lleyton Hewitt

Hewitt, the winner in Tokyo last year, needed less than an hour to beat Chang, who could do little against the Australian's heavy groundstrokes.

The 21-year-old Australian overwhelmed Chang with a stream of baseline winners in the second-round encounter.

"I felt that I got better and better as the match went on. I played pretty well in the end," Hewitt said.

German'y Alex Waske celebrates victory over Carlos moya
Waske upset third seed Moya
Chang, playing his last tournament in Japan in a 14-year career, left the court to thunderous applause from the Tokyo crowd, and Hewitt paid tribute to the veteran.

"He was very unlucky not to have become number one in the world at some stage," Hewitt said.

The Australian added that Chang was his role model in many ways, saying he learned his trademark quickness around the court and mental toughness from the former world number two.

In other action, fourth seed Alex Corretja made an early exit against Karol Kucera, going down 3-6 6-3 7-6 in the second round.

Ecuadorean seventh seed Lapentti fell to qualifier Magnus Larsson of Sweden 7-5 6-2, and German outsider Alexander Waske beat third seed Moya 6-4 7-5.

On the women's side, Spanish stalwart Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario cruised through to the second round, overcoming Maria Kirilenko of Russia 6-3 6-2.


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