Former finalist Lleyton Hewitt had an easy ride into the fourth round of the Australian Open after Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis retired with a shoulder injury in the second set on Saturday.
The Australian 22nd seed was leading 6-0, 4-2 at the time the unseeded Baghdatis walked to the net to concede the match and give Hewitt an early passage into the round of 16.
Hewitt will now take on top seed and 15-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in the fourth round on Monday.
It was an anti-climatic end to the match after Hewitt, who lost to Marat Safin here in the 2005 final, had broken Baghdatis's service four times to control the match on Rod Laver Arena.
Baghdatis was treated for a right shoulder injury at the changeover after dropping the opening set to love and was seen taking two painkilling tablets.
But once he was broken in the sixth game of the second set he decided he could not continue and retired.
Hewitt was in blinding form in the opening set, breaking Baghdatis's serve three times, hitting five winners, while Baghdatis made 12 unforced in a muted opening.
Baghdatis had come into the match on the back of a seven-match winning streak after winning this month's Sydney International and two rounds here, including a five-setter over Spanish 17th seed David Ferrer.
Copyright 2010 AFP Global Edition
