Hewitt claims Japan title

Hewitt continued his winning run

Australian Lleyton Hewitt claimed his fifth title of the year with a 6-4 6-2 win over Switzerland's Michel Kratochvil in the Japan Open final.

The top-seed US Open champion broke fifth seed Kratochvil in the first game of the match.

And he repeated the trick twice in the second set in a dominant performance at Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum.

In the women's final, Monica Seles thrashed Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand 6-3 6-2 for her 50th career singles title.

I was able to get myself out of danger a couple of times

Lleyton Hewitt

Hewitt hit a series of fizzing passing shots and also produced four inch-perfect lobs in a convincing win.

He saved three break points in the eighth game of the third set, culminating in a running backhand pass that clipped the net cord to leave Kratochvil shaking his head.

After serving out the first set, Hewitt quickly broke for 2-1 in the second and secured a double break in the seventh game with another thumping return down the line.

He wrapped up the match with a service winner down the middle to extend his winning streak to 14 matches.

He is the hottest player in the world at the moment

Michel Kratochvil on Hewitt

"I was able to get myself out of danger a couple of times," said the champion, who saved all five break points he faced.

"That's got a lot to do with having more confidence under my belt."

Kratochvil said he was encouraged after reaching his second final in three weeks, then paid tribute to Hewitt.

"Lleyton is so quick and he doesn't make any mistakes from the baseline," said the world number 57, who also finished runner-up at the Shanghai Open last month.

"He is the hottest player in the world at the moment."