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LAPENTTI HALTS HEWITT
By Paul Macpherson
Sixth-seeded Ecuadorian Nicolas Lapentti secured his second title of the year when he
defeated Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt in the final of the Lyon ATP Tour event.
Lapentti, who had never won a match on carpet prior to the tournament, won 6-3, 6-2 to
boost his chances of securing a place in the season-ending ATP Tour World Championships.
World No.14 Lapentti had dropped the first set of each match he played en route to the
final, but in the final he was the one to jump Hewitt, racing to a 3-0 lead in both sets.
"No one expected me to do anything indoors," said Lapentti. "I was so close
to losing twice this week."
Hewitt has enjoyed another outstanding year on the ATP Tour, slashing his ranking from
No.113 at the start of the season to No.27 heading into the Lyon event. He has made four
finals this year, although he has now lost three of those finals. "I got off to a bad
start - I came out and tried to be too aggressive from the start,” Hewitt said.
Lyon Singles final: (6)Nicolas Lapentti (ECU) d. (13)Lleyton
Hewitt (AUS) 63 62
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