Hewitt serves up a firecracker in Nalbandian epic

You might not like Lleyton Hewitt, but you have to admire him. Sheer guts propelled him to victory last night in a gargantuan five-set match against David Nalbandian that finished just before midnight on Australia's national day.

You might not like Lleyton Hewitt, but you have to admire him. Sheer guts propelled him to victory last night in a gargantuan five-set match against David Nalbandian that finished just before midnight on Australia's national day.

The toughest fighter in the game will meet Andy Roddick in his first home Grand Slam semi-final after winning 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 3-6, 10-8. Asked by Jim Courier in an on-court interview if there was a moment during the four hours and five minutes of the match when he thought he might lose, Hewitt - who four times stood two points from defeat - replied: "No, mate."

Both men were physical wrecks at the end of a meeting peppered with high drama, controversial line calls, bad-tempered outbursts and injuries. The temperature dropped by 10C, a storm brewed but never struck, and Australia Day fireworks thundered overhead, changing the match's course.

The fifth set alone lasted one hour and 41 minutes, with one break of serve, by Hewitt. That came in the 17th game and prompted a standing ovation by the crowd, which had earlier seen the other local hero, Alicia Molik, beaten 6-4, 4-6, 9-7 by the No 1 seed, Lindsay Davenport.

The fireworks proved the turning point of the men's match, which began in bizarre fashion, with Nalbandian barely appearing to care as the Australian pocketed the first two sets. The outcome seemed predetermined: only once had Hewitt lost from such a position, and the Argentinian had never recovered from two sets down.

Then came the pyrotechnics; the two men played on, but the No 3 seed lost his concentration entirely. Already a break down in the third set, he lost his serve once again. And then again, and again. The No 9 seed walked away with the set.

The atmosphere got nasty. Hewitt brushed shoulders with Nalbandian during one change of ends, and the pair exchanged savage looks several times. Both challenged line calls and overrules. Hewitt kicked the back wall in frustration.

The crowd was most un-Australian, cheering errors by the former Wimbledon finalist and booing his winners. Undeterred, Nalbandian broke serve three times in the fourth set, to level the score. Both men took an injury time-out, Hewitt for treatment to his left thigh, the Argentinian for a blistered left foot.

The final set seemed to go on forever, with the exhausted pair tottering around the court. Hewitt was in pain, his movement impeded. It was a battle of pure will now, and the Australian - a former Wimbledon and US Open champion - never gives up. After converting the crucial break point, he served out the match.

"I just kept hanging in there, and in the end it paid off again," said Hewitt. But Roddick would have been heartened by the physical toll on his next opponent. The American won in 95 minutes yesterday after Nikolay Davydenko - who beat Tim Henman in the third round - retired injured while trailing 6-3, 7-5, 4-1.

Molik's dreams evaporated thanks partly to a contentious line call after she had saved a match point at 4-5 in the third set and then broken Davenport's serve to level in her first Grand Slam quarter-final.

Five games later, at 7-7, an ace by the No 10 seed was called out, although the television replay showed it clearly in. Davenport broke serve and then wrapped up the match.

Fittingly, Molik entered the world top 10 for the first time yesterday. But it is Davenport who advances and she is due to play Nathalie Dechy early today after the Frenchwoman surprisingly beat Patty Schnyder 5-7, 6-1, 7-5 in the quarter-finals.