Hewitt advances to U.S. Open semifinals

　　NEW YORK -- All Lleyton Hewitt needed were a couple goodComeons! to get him going.

　　In trouble against unseeded Jarkko Nieminen, Hewitt finallybrokeout his trademark shouts in the fifth set Thursday. Sureenough,the 2001 champion and last years runner-up finishedNieminen off2-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to advance to the U.

S. Opensemifinals fora fifth time.

　　Maybe I should have used them a bit earlier, Hewitt said.Itwas nice just to get through the fifth set. A lot of the gamesweretight ... and a few just went my way.

　　The third-seeded Hewitt will play either No. 1 Roger Federer,whowon last years final, or 11th-seeded David Nalbandian onSaturday.The other semifinal will feature Robby Ginepri and AndreAgassi,whose thrilling five-set match against James Blake onWednesdaynight was one for the ages.

　　Hewitt is notoriously noisy on the court, and more than afewopponents have complained about his fist pumps, forehand tapsandloud shouts of Come on! when he makes a good shot. ButtheAustralian, newly married and a few weeks from becoming afather,has barely made a peep at the Open.

　　He didnt say a word early on against Nieminen. Maybe hedstayedup late to watch Agassis thrilling win, because helookedhalf-asleep for most of the first four sets. Even histravelingband of rowdy Aussie fans was nowhere to be heard.

　　Instead, it was Nieminen making all the noise and therewerechants of Lets go, Jarkko! from the stands. The centery hadwononly one match at the Open before this year, but he madeanimpressive run to become the first Finn to reach thequarterfinalsat a Grand Slam event.

　　After Hewitt won his first two service games to go up 2-1 inthefirst set, it was all Nieminen. He was everywhere on the courtashe won the next five games, coming back time and again andsavingballs most players wouldnt have gotten anywhere near.

　　Hewitt, meanwhile, couldnt get anything in his game working.Hedumped one shot after another into the net, backhands andforehandsalike, and put far too much power on several volleys.

　　He finally showed some life in the second set, winning 19 of21points on his way to a 5-0 lead. He served out the set to eventhematch 1-1, but then retreated again as Nieminen took thenextset.

　　After evening the match at again at 2-2, Hewitt finallystartedchattering.

　　He let out a loud Come on! when he broke Nieminen in thefirstgame of the fifth set, and that broke the spell. He serveda122-mph ace -- the first of 10 straight points he won on serve--and raced to a 4-0 lead. Nieminen made one last stand,enduringnine deuces before holding serve. But Hewitt streakedthrough thenext two games, closing out the match with a volleywinner andyelling Come on! one last time.

　　Its nice to be through to another semifinal, anothertoughmatch, said Hewitt, who also played a five-setter to get tothequarters. Every match gets tougher.

　　Tell that to Agassi. Pushed to the edge by Blake, herespondedwith a match that rivaled Jimmy Connors run to the U.S.Opensemifinals at 39. Down two sets and a break, he took Blake tofivesets, then survived a tiebreaker for a 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(6)triumph that put him in the semis -- and two wins from the titlehewon in 1994 and 99.

　　When the match finally ended at 1:09 Thursday morning, ArthurAsheStadium was still full and fans at home were mesmerized,knowingtheyd been treated to something special.

　　Everyone keeps asking when hes going to retire, Blake said.Hehas no reason to retire. Hes one of the best in the world,stillchasing Grand Slams. If hes still enjoying it and stillfindingways to motivate himself, I say let him play forever.