July 27, 2006	Thursday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 30, 1427

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LOS ANGELES, July 26: Paul Goldstein, a journeyman professional who has never cracked the top 50 on the ATP Tour, scored one of the biggest wins of his nine-year career Tuesday night, upsetting former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the Countrywide Classic tennis tournament.

''I think it has to be one of my best matches,'' said Goldstein, 29, of San Francisco.

''In the past when I've been in position to win (a big match) I just want it so bloody bad I'd lose the ability to execute. Today I was able to maintain that calm demeanor and execute.''

Goldstein, who hasn't won more than one match at any tournament since mid-April, used the combination of consistent groundstrokes and well-timed advances to the net to beat the second-seeded Hewitt for the first time in five meetings.

He took the lead in the second set with a service break in the fifth game, then fought off two break points to hold serve for 5-3 and closed out the match with his eighth ace.

The win evened Goldstein's record for the year at 14-14, with two of those losses coming at the hands of Hewitt in San Jose and Las Vegas.

''I'd played him close three out of the four times,'' said Goldstein, who credited his breakthrough win to a telephone conversation with his coach, Scott McCain.

''He said, 'You've got a chance to measure yourself against one of the best in the world. Just go out and take advantage of that opportunity,''' Goldstein said.

''That made me go out there with a little looser attitude, an enjoy-the-moment attitude.

''The 13th-ranked Hewitt, playing his first match since Wimbledon, said Goldstein ''played well. He's a guy you've got to get out there and beat.”—AP