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  • Queens Club: Novak Djokovic (3) vs. Lleyton Hewitt (11)

    6/13/08 4:49 AM | Johan Lindahl
    - Another fantastic quarter-final match will be played in London on Friday as Novak Djokovic takes on the Australian veteran Lleyton Hewitt.

    Novak Djokovic has had a bit of a rough start to his 2008 grass season. He showed signs of rust in both his second and third round matches. He was able to dispatch of Roko Karanusic in straight sets, but he required a third against his countryman Janko Tipsarevic.

    Lleyton Hewitt will be out to prove that he still has what it takes to compete with the top players. Once a perennial fixture in the top 20, Hewitt's ranking has recently fallen to 30 in the world. He has been struggling with a hip injury for a better part of the clay season and is only now back to form physically.

    Each of the three times Djokovic and Hewitt have played have been in Grand Slams. Djokovic leads the head-to-head 2-1 and his wins are the most relevant to Friday's match. He beat Hewitt at home in front of the hometown crowd at the Australian Open this year 7-5, 6-3, 6-3. He also posted an impressive and tight five set win over Hewitt at Wimbledon last year in the round of 16.

    Djokovic is clearly the favorite in terms of history and ranking, but Hewitt should never be dismissed on his most dangerous surface. The Aussie has actually demonstrated better form on grass so far this tournament than his opponent. If Hewitt can get the early advantage and mentally stay on top of the Serb, he will have a real chance at pulling off the upset. Hewitt in three.

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