Stolts: Hewitt can win it

02jun00

PARIS: Australian Jason Stoltenberg reached the third round of the French Open here overnight but tipped his teenage compatriot Lleyton Hewitt as a man who could win the tournament. Ninth-seeded Hewitt defeated Germany's Markus Hantschk 2-6 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-3 in 3hrs 25mins in his second-round match at Roland Garros, while Stoltenberg beat Nicolas Massu of Chile 6-3 6-1, 7-5. "I've given up trying to predict Lleyton's results because they are always so much better than I expect," Stoltenberg said. "I think he can win, but there are a lot of people here capable of winning the tournament. You need a bit of luck." Hewitt, seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time after three tournament wins already this year, now plays Hungarian qualifier Attila Savolt for a place in the last 16. Stoltenberg, a veteran at 30, plays 15th-seeded Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui. The third Australian in the third round, Mark Philippoussis, faces another Moroccan, Hicham Arazi. Pat Rafter, the Aussie who has twice won the US Open title, tips Hewitt to do well, but warned he may not yet be ready to win a Grand Slam. "He can do very well here, but I don't know if he's ready to win the tournament," Rafter said. "I think he can do very well, though, quarters, semis, something like that." "He's someone who will be a contender in the next couple of years."