Hewitt fights off bug,advances

SYDNEY, Jan 09: An unfit Lleyton Hewitt dug deep to overcome American journeyman Vince Spadea to launch his bid for a fifth Sydney International tennis title on Monday.
The world No.4 and tournament top seed, upset by a stomach bug, dropped the opening set and was 30-40 down on serve at 5-5 in the second set before rallying for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory and a second-round meeting with Austrian Jurgen Melzer on Wednesday.
Murray moves up
WELLINGTON: Rising British talent Andy Murray advanced to the second round of the Auckland Open on Monday with an erratic 7-5, 6-2 win over Kenneth Carlsen.
Eighth-seeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez was not so lucky, however, crashing out in the first round to Czech Robin Vik 7-6, 6-1.
Fifth seed Mario Ancic had no such concerns, beating New Zealand's Mark Nielsen 6-1 6-2 in Monday's late match.
Safarova pulls out
MELBOURNE: Spanish top seed Anabel Medina Garrigues' chances of winning the Canberra Classic improved dramatically when Australian hardcourt champion Lucie Safaraova withdrew with a groin injury on Monday.
Garrigues initially struggled against Switzerland's Emmanuelle Gagliardi before she ran out a 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 winner but injured Safarova decided not to risk her Australian Open campaign.
Sixth seed Catalina Castano advanced with a 6-0, 7-5 victory over Austria's Sybille Bammer, but seventh seed Marta Domachowska of Poland lost 6-4, 6-0 to Russian Anastassia Rodionova.
Top three seeds out in Hobart
MELBOURNE: Top seed Katarina Srebotnik withdrew from the Hobart International tennis tournament on Monday due to illness, leaving the tournament without its top three seeds.
Srebotnik's withdrawal came after second seed Klara Koukalova and third seed Anna Smashnova lost in the first round during a rain-delayed day's play.