Soderling power too much for Hewitt | Thebigtip

By AFP from abc.net.au

Lleyton Hewitt's run to the US Open has been interrupted by a three-set loss to towering Swede Robin Soderling in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters.

While he had never lost to Soderling previously, Hewitt was slowly overpowered by the world number five, who won 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, clinching the match with a series of crunching ground strokes at the pointy end of the third set.

Hewitt is yet to complete a tour victory since his fourth round appearance at Wimbledon, gaining a first round bye in his two previous tournaments before taking advantage of a first-round forfeit in Cincinnati.

However he showed enough against Soderling to suggest he can find a decent gear for the US Open in New York from August 30.

Spaniard Rafael Nadal, Serb Novak Djokovic and Briton Andy Murray all won to reach the third round.

Nadal, the reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion, advanced with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over big-serving American Taylor Dent.

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