Hewitt edges through

Unexpectedly pressed by Jarkko Nieminen, Australian Lleyton Hewitt displayed depths of resolve to reach the US Open semi-finals.

Hewitt, the 2001 champion and third seed, rallied past Nieminen 2-6 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium as he stalks another Grand Slam title.

The first Finn to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final, the left-handed Nieminen saved a combined five break points in his first two service games, then broke Hewitt in the fifth and seventh games en route to taking the first set.

The Australian Open runner-up to Marat Safin in January, Hewitt fought back in the second set, establishing a 5-0 lead.

In the eighth game of the third set, Nieminen broke Hewitt with a backhand winner down the line, although replays indicated the shot was just wide. The Finn then held to take a two-sets-to-one lead.

Hewitt broke Nieminen in the second game of the fourth set and saved two break points in the next game, again levelling the match.

The Aussie cruised in the final set, breaking the tiring Nieminen in the first game and pulling away thereafter as he improved to 3-0 lifetime against his fellow 24-year-old.

"After the first set I actually felt like I was on top of him,'' Hewitt said. ``It was just that one game late in the third set that gave him that set. I had to try to rebound strongly in the fourth. There's no doubt I played my best tennis in the fifth set.''

Despite having dropped the fourth set, Nieminen said he was in good position for an upset entering the fifth.

“I was pretty confident,” he said. “I felt pretty good. I wasn’t tired at all. I just wanted to get a good start, because in the second and the fourth set I had a bad start. He took a break then. I tried to avoid that, but I couldn’t.

“I was still very positive. I had positive thinking. I thought I was able to win the match.”