Norman and Hewitt move ahead in Sydney

Norman defeated Romanian Andrei Pavel 6-3, 7-5. The Swede, winner of five titles on the ATP for each of the past two seasons, scored two breaks of his opponent in the first set and consolidated in the second. The world number 4 admitted he's still sluggish after the brief holiday break and following a first-round defeat as top seed last week in India. "If I can keep the momentum going and gain some confidence, I know I can be dangerous at the Australian Open," Norman said.

Teenaged holder Lleyton Hewitt pulled another of his patented fight-backs-out of the hat to beat a familiar Aussie face 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. Hewitt, 19, and ranked seventh in the world at the end of last season, defeated Davis Cup teammate Wayne Arthurs for the second time in as many weeks after scoring a win at Adelaide to start the year. It moves Hewitt to a 3-0 career mark in the series. A year ago, Hewitt was riding his on a 13-match win streak which included back-to-back Aussie titles in Adelaide and Sydney.

But things have changed with his rise in tennis status. "It's a totally different situation," he said. "In the past I had a break in November and December. I played well and got going early. "This year my main goal is the Australian Open. Playing the Davis Cup and Masters in Lisbon was a long year. I only had ten days off at home. I'm not hitting fantastic, but I'm getting through some big matches." Hewitt added: "I've got to get some matches into my body, I'll need them for next week."

Fifth seed Arnaud Clement of France won through when Czech Bogdan Ulihrach retired trailing 6-1, 3-0. Seventh seeded German Tommy Haas knocked out newly-married former two-time Sydney champion Todd Martin 6-3, 6-2. Jason Stoltenberg won an all-Aussie clash against Scott Draper 7- 5, 4-6, 6-4 in one of Draper's first matches back since the death of is young wife 18 months ago.

"It was a rough match, neither knew what to expect," said Stoltenberg. "The tennis was not fantastic, but conditions were not that easy either. At 6-4 in the third, it could have gone either way. I got a bit lucky." On the women's side at Homebush Bay, third seed Monica Seles easily handled Australian Nicole Pratt 6-4, 6-2 in a second-rounder while number 4 Conchita Martinez of Spain beat another local, Alicia Molik, 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3. Sixth seed Anna Kournikova, finalist at last week's special event in Hong Kong, beat Russian compatriot Elena Bovina 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.

"It was a pretty good first match, I didn't know what to expect," said Kournikova. "I had to be concentrated, ready for anything." In a high-profile doubles encounter, Seles and Martina Hingis tasted success in their first match together as a team, ousting the Olympic champion Williams sisters at the Sydney Games site, 6-4, 3- 6, 7-6 (7-2).

(la/dpa)