The American, 27 places below Hewitt in the world rankings, obliterated the Australian’s defences in just 64 minutes with searing serves and forehands to triumph 6-3 6-4 at the Burswood Dome.
Women’s world number one Serena Williams had earlier set the U.S. up for victory, blasting Alicia Molik 6-2 6-3 but not even she could have expected Blake to punish Hewitt so ruthlessly.
Against all the odds the stylish American produced winner after winner to grind an under-par Hewitt into the ground, his first victory against the Australian in five meetings.
The U.S. pair completed a clean sweep in the mixed doubles, winning 6-3 6-2.
“I was here a few years ago and didn’t really feel I belonged...I was kind of a substitute I think,” Blake smiled. “Well now I am back, and I really feel I belong.”
“It’s the first time I’ve taken out a reigning number one. Lleyton maybe wasn’t on his best form but I’ll take it — my kids and grandkids won’t know that when I tell them I beat the number one in the world.”
The 23-year-old barely missed a shot at the Burswood Dome, firing groundstrokes into the corners, onto the lines and running Hewitt ragged in the indoor arena.
Smiling throughout, Blake’s demeanour was in stark contrast to that of the sweating, scowling Hewitt who could find no answer to Blake’s firepower.
The defeat, two days after losing to Jiri Novak in a group match and coming just a week before the Australian Open in Melbourne, marks the first time Hewitt has lost two matches in succession since last March and April when he lost in Miami and Monte Carlo.
The United States had won the mixed team event just once from five finals before Williams and Blake teamed up this year and the pair certainly plan on returning next year.
Hewitt and Molik had also been looking to clinch Australia’s second triumph.
But Williams dealt the hosts an early blow and brought Molik back to earth with a devastating display.
The 21-year-old Molik had enjoyed the best results of her career coming into the final, but was helpless as Williams put the U.S. into a 1-0 lead.
A pair of breaks in both sets were enough as Williams cantered past the home hope without barely breaking sweat.
Results
U.S. bt Australia 3-0 (U.S. names first)
James Blake/Serena Williams beat Lleyton Hewitt/Alicia Molik 6-3 6-2; James Blake bt Lleyton Hewitt 6-3 6-4; Serena Williams bt Alicia Molik 6-2 6-3
TITLE FOR SELES
HONG KONG: Top seed Monica Seles outplayed fellow American Chanda Rubin 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 Saturday to win the Hong Kong Ladies Challenge tennis tournament.
After losing the first set, Seles rallied to break Rubin three times in the second set.
The Yugoslav-born Seles, a nine-time Grand Slam champion who is ranked No. 7 on the WTA tour, continued to dominate in the decisive third set against the 13th-ranked Rubin.
Seles was delighted with her victory in the tournament, which served as a warmup for the Australian Open beginning on Jan. 13 in Melbourne.
Seles advanced to the final with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over 15-year-old Russian Maria Sharapova. Rubin defeated Russian Anastasia Myskina 6-4, 6-3 in the semifinals.
The four-day exhibition tournament at Hong Kong’s Victoria Park court featured eight players.—AP
hardcourt finalists
ADELAIDE (Australia): Belgian qualifier Kristof Vliegen will take on Russian Nikolay Davydenko in the final of the Australian Hardcourt Championship here on Sunday.
Vliegen upset former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek after Davydenko had disposed of Romania’s Adrian Voinea in Saturday’s semi-finals.
Vliegen won 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-3 while Davydenko won a one-sided match against Voinea, 6-2, 6-1.
Before the tournament Vliegen had not won a match in a main draw event on the ATP tour.
Vliegen’s only previous meeting with Krajicek was hitting with him for five minutes as a 12-year-old when the Dutchman visited Antwerp in 1996, the year of his Wimbledon triumph.
In the other semifinal, a hamstring injury to Voinea meant Davydenko was relatively untroubled, the Russian serving at a healthy 70 per cent for the match.—AFP
DECHY CELEBRATES
GOLD COAST (Australia): Nathalie Dechy of France won her first WTA title on Saturday when she beat Swiss teenager Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian 6-3 3-6 6-3 in the final of the Australian women’s hardcourt championship.
The second-seed ended a seven-year wait after Mikaelian struggled to keep going in the third set with a strained calf muscle.
Dechy had played in two previous WTA finals but Mikaelian had surprised herself just by making the final after beating top seed and fellow Swiss Patty Schnyder in the semi-finals.
Mikaelian, who will play the Canberra Classic next week as part of her warm-up for the Australian Open, said she was also buoyed by her performance.
WTA RESULT
AUCKLAND: Result of the WTA tennis tournament here Saturday:
Singles: Final: Eleni Danilidou bt Cho Yoon-Jeong 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2).
INDIAN OPEN RESULTS
CHENNAI (India): Results from the US$400,000 ATP Indian Open tennis tournament here on Saturday:
Men’s singles: Semifinals
Karol Kucera bt Juan Chela 6-3, 7-5; Paradorn Srichaphan bt Jean-Rene Lisnard 6-2, 6-1.—Agencies