DUESSELDORF, Germany – Lleyton
Hewitt showed Wednesday why he likes his chances at the French Open.The 20-year-old Australian overpowered Sweden's Magnus Norman 6-1, 6-2 at
the clay-court World Team Cup, needing just 72 minutes to beat last year's runner-up at
Roland Garros.
"I definitely give myself an outside chance at the
French," said Hewitt, who reached the fourth round there a year ago.
Pat Rafter topped Thomas Enqvist 6-3, 6-3 as Australia swept its
best-of-three encounter with Sweden at the $2.1 million event. Wayne Athurs and Scott
Draper beat Enqvist and Nicklas Kulti 7-5, 7-5 in doubles.
Spain also won 3-0, beating Germany, as Alex Corretja defeated
Tommy Haas 6-3, 6-3, Juan Barcells beat Nicolas Kiefer 6-4, 6-2, and Haas teamed with
David Prinosil to beat the Spanish doubles pair of Balcells and Alex Lopez Moron 6-3, 6-2.
Norman helped Hewitt with a series of errors, including a
forehand that sailed wide by a yard to end the match. After winning a tour-leading 10
titles the last two years, Norman has not won a tournament in 2001.
Hewitt played with his usual aggressive style and broke Norman's
serve three straight times to open the match.
"Lleyton is definitely one of the guys who can win the
French Open -- he's young and he's improved since last year," said Norman, who lost
to Gustavo Kuerten in last year's French final.
"My shots are as good as last year, but I just don't have
the same confidence. I'll go to Roland Garros as the underdog."
Hewitt's biggest success came on hard courts, when he reached the
U.S. Open semifinals last year.
"I don't have a favorite surface. I didn't grow up with
clay, but I got plenty of practice on it playing in the Davis Cup," he said.
Australia lost to Spain in the Davis Cup final.
Australia (2-0) leads the Blue Group here, Spain and Germany are
both 1-1, and Sweden is 0-2 and has no chance of qualifying for Saturday's final.
In the Red Group, the United States, led by Pete
Sampras, is tied
with the other three countries at 1-1. The deciding matches will be played Thursday.
Rafter, who's coming back from a long layoff, had no trouble with
Enqvist, the world's 14th-ranked player.
"I don't usually play that well coming back from a long
break. Sometimes I was laughing at myself out there," said Rafter, the two-time U.S.
Open champion who hasn't lasted beyond the third round at the French Open since 1997.
