MELBOURNE — Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt tamed big-serving Milos Raonic = Wednesday, surviving 20 aces from the Canadian to post an opening 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7-4) win at the Kooyong Classic here. Hewitt, bidding to recapture the title he lifted in 2011, reeled off six consecutive points in the third set tie-break after world number 15 Raonic seized a 3-0 lead. The 31-year-old former world No. 1 sealed victory on his second opportunity after Raonic had saved a match point with an ace. Hewitt will be playing in a record 17th straight Australian Open when the first major of the season starts Monday. Argentine Juan Martin del Potro beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, a late substitute for injured Argentine Juan Monaco, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3). Del Potro will next play 2006 Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, a 6-1, 1-0 winner after Janko Tipsarevic quit with a wrist injury. Tomas Berdych beat Ivan Dodig of Croatia, who replaced injured Kei Nishikori of Japan, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Sam Querrey advances Fourth-seeded Sam Querrey showed impressive form to advance to the Heineken Tennis Open quarterfinals Wednesday, beating Belgian wild card Olivier Rochus 7-5, 6-3 in just over an hour. Querrey sent down 19 aces in an outstanding serving performance he described as one of the best of his career. Second-seed Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, who counts the 2008 Auckland tournament among his four career titles, had to work harder for his 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 win over Colombia's Alejandro Falla. Seventh-seeded Tommy Haas beat Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4 in just over an hour to reach a quarterfinals matchup with Gael Monfils of France, who beat Australian qualifier Greg Jones, 6-4, 6-2 in 66 minutes. Gajdosova in quarters Australian wild card and former champion Jarmila Gajdosova beat Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the Hobart International quarterfinals Wednesday. In other matches , Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova defeated third-seeded Klara Zakopalova of Czech Republic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium beat Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia 6-3, 6-2, and Romania's Monica Niculescu defeated China's Peng Shuai 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. — Agencies
