Give me another crack at Federer

[Marko]

LLEYTON HEWITT, more at peace with life and tennis than he has been in a long time, thrust himself into the conversation for the year's final major after a clinical victory yesterday.

It was only the first round of the US Open, but Hewitt was in a menacing mood, shredding flashy American Amer Delic 6-2 6-4 6-2 in 97 minutes. He then declared he wanted another crack at world No.1 and defending champion Roger Federer, whom he has not defeated in 11 attempts going back to 2003.

"Roger deserves to be the favourite but I feel the form I've been in the last couple of weeks ... I look forward to hopefully getting another opportunity," Hewitt said.

He lost to Federer in two tournaments leading into the US Open, but with an aggressive approach encouraged by the coaching influences of Tony Roche and Darren Cahill, the South Australian came as close as he has in five years.

"I believe that it's in me, that's for sure," he said of a third Grand Slam title. "I think I'm good enough."

Hewitt, the 16th seed, was too good for Delic. The most interesting part of Hewitt's performance was his commitment to attack his opponent, not perhaps the most natural instinct for a career counter-puncher but one which does not disagree with him. He went to the net eagerly, winning the point on 19 of 22 trips.

"I think Lleyton was a little bit one-dimensional for a while," former Davis Cup player Scott Draper said. "In today's game, he needed to get aggressive, and he showed (against Delic) that he's good enough to do it."

Hewitt had a brief scare when he landed awkwardly during the match, reaching down to grab his knee, but later said he felt fine. After spending the past few years dealing with a string of bothersome injuries, good health has been a welcome change.

"It makes it a lot easier when the body is going to hold up out there as well, not having niggling injuries every second week," he said.

Delic praised Hewitt, although he also felt qualified to offer criticism.

"I think he gets lost in the shadow behind guys like Roger and (Rafael) Nadal right now," Delic said. "But the guy's good. I still think he's capable of winning more big matches."

Delic said Hewitt's weakness was a lack of what he termed firepower compared with Federer and Nadal. "I think that's where Lleyton gets lost a little bit," he said.

Next for Hewitt, probably early on Saturday morning (AEST), comes Argentine shotmaker Agustin Calleri, who bounced Italian Andreas Seppi out of New York. The two have played twice, with Hewitt winning comfortably both times.

"It will be a totally different match," Hewitt said. "He's another great ball-striker, he likes to go for a lot of winners. He's going to be difficult in that way."

Calleri understood he would be the underdog but felt he was not without a chance of an upset.

"He's a very good player, he won one time here and he plays very well here, but I have a lot of confidence now and I played very well today," he said.

Hewitt is not especially given to introspection but he offered rare insight yesterday into his maturation.

He spoke glowingly about daughter, Mia, who is almost two, and his joy in having her on the road with him. Asked whether becoming a father had mellowed him, he quickly retorted in the negative, but when asked if she had made him a better person, he shrugged.

"Maybe my wife did that," Hewitt said of Bec Hewitt.

In other men's action yesterday, the rise of third seed Novak Djokovic continued with the Serb making quick work of Dutchman Robin Haase, 6-2 6-1 6-3. The burgeoning talent on the men's circuit is on a fourth-round collision course with Hewitt.

Croatia's 12th-seeded Ivan Ljubicic moved into the second round, as did American James Blake, the sixth seed. Spain's David Ferrer (15), Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela (20) and Juan Monaco (23) also booked passage into the second round.

Ivo Karlovic, the 32nd seed from Croatia, lost a five-set thriller to Arnaud Clement of France.

In the last match of the night, fifth-seeded American Andy Roddick overpowered compatriot Justin Gimelstob, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 6-3.