Hewitt loses for first time in 23 matches
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-13 09:12

Serving at 5-3 in the deciding set, Hewitt again missed a backhand volley at the net on match point. After fending off one break point set up by another double-fault, he hit a forehand long on another match point.

Seppi eventually broke back to 5-4. The Italian came back to lead 6-5, then won the match when he hit a forehand to the corner that Hewitt couldn't reach.

"It's been fantastic winning four titles here, but it's not something I thought about a lot," said Hewitt, who lost in the second round last week at Adelaide.

"I played too defensively when I got up. He played a lot better on my service games than on his service games," he said. "I wasn't 100 percent, but I'm not taking anything away from his win."

Seppi called the win his "greatest ever, to beat Hewitt here in Sydney."

"He made a lot of mistakes," Seppi said. "He did play more defensively than usual, so I tried to take advantage of that and come in more."

Henin-Hardenne used a powerful backhand to beat Kuznetsova, winning the second set in 23 minutes after taking a 5-0 lead. The Belgian, once ranked No. 1, won this event in 2004.

"I was moving great, I've been very powerful," Henin-Hardenne said. "I have four matches here before the Australian Open. I hope I can keep it going this way."

Top-seeded Kim Clijsters withdrew from the quarterfinals Wednesday night because of an ailing left hip. She still hopes to play in the Australian Open.

"The good news is that there is no tear of the muscle," she said. "In the next couple of days I'm going to receive more treatment ... and at that point I'll have a better idea of my condition."