TOKYO, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Lleyton Hewitt, the world's top-ranked player and reigning Wimbledon champion, overcame No. 14 Nicolas Massu of Chile, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the rain-plagued Japan Open.
Hewitt has made it to the quarterfinals in 11 of his 16 tournaments this year.
"Obviously he's played a couple of tough matches the last few days and I knew it was going to be an extremely tough match, especially with the conditions out there a little bit heavier," Hewitt said. "It's nice to have tough matches along with the way in these tournaments, where you come back from after a week or so off."
This is Hewitt's first tourney since the U.S. Open.
The Australian is seeking his fifth title of the year and already has qualified for the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in November. He continues defense of his title Friday when he takes on No. 8 Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand.
"It's three matches to go for me and that's my goal here, I guess," Hewitt said.
Due to rain this week, several players were forced to do double duty Thursday.
Swedish qualifier Magnus Norman got through two matches to reach his second quarterfinal of the season. Norman recorded his best victory of his comeback from hip surgery earlier this year when he dispatched second-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, 6-3, 6-3, in the second round.
It was his first win over a top-10 player since he defeated No. 7 Thomas Enqvist in the final of Long Island in 2000.
"Norman is playing good and if he keeps playing like this, I think he'll come back," said Ferrero, the winner Sunday of the Salem Open in Hong Kong.
Norman, who snapped a five-match losing streak with his first-round triumph over George Bastl, later cruised past No. 16 Taylor Dent of the United States, 6-3, 6-2, in the third round. His next foe will be his fellow Swede and qualifier Magnus Larsson, who defeated Jerome Golmard of France, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
In other third-round encounters, Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen outlasted fifth seed Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3). Carlsen, who ousted No. 11 Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia, 6-4, 6-4, earlier in the day, will play Anthony Dupuis in the quarterfinals after the Frenchman overcame Germany's Alexander Waske, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).
On Friday, American Vincent Spadea will face Feliciano Lopez of Spain. Spadea beat Slovakian Karol Kucera, 7-5, 7-6 (8-6), in the third round while Lopez held off Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands, 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-0.
Verkerk had eliminated sixth-seeded James Blake of the United States, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, earlier Thursday in second-round action.
On the women's side, top seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan beat compatriot Akiko Morigami, 6-3, 7-5, and No. 2 Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, who lost to Monica Seles in the final last year, posted a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7-1) victory over Kelly Liggan of Ireland in the second round. Sugiyama and Tanasugarn received first-round byes.
However, four seeded players were upended. American Sarah Taylor topped No. 3 Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), Jill Craybas of the United States ousted fourth-seeded Emmanuelle Gagliardi of Switzerland, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, Australian Alicia Molik downed No. 6 Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2, and Silvija Talaja of Croatia breezed by No. 7 Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain, 6-2, 6-3.
Also, eighth seed Jelena Kostanic of Croatia beat Marta Marrero, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2, and Japanese wild card Yuka Yoshida rallied past American Ansley Cargill, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4.
