LAS VEGAS (AP) - Australia's Lleyton Hewitt downed Vince Spadea 6-3 6-3 in a round-robin match between former champions at the ATP Tour event in Las Vegas.

Returning from a hamstring injury which prevented him playing in Rotterdam last week, Hewitt, the tournament champ in 2000 and 2003, ran his record to 7-0 against Spadea, who won his only career title in 2004 when this tournament was in Arizona.

The Australian has also twice been a runner-up, including last year to James Blake, whom he's seeded to meet again in this week's final.

He will play Swedish veteran Thomas Johansson tomorrow for a spot in the quarter-finals.

Another two-time Grand Slam winner, Marat Safin won his first match in Las Vegas, defeating Stefan Koubek of Austria 7-5 6-2.

Third-seeded Safin didn't concede a break point against Koubek and will play fellow Russian Igor Kunitsyn for a place in the quarter-finals.

Tim Henman was a winner in his first match since October when he dispatched Nicolas Mahut of France 6-1 6-2.

Seventh-seeded Henman had been sidelined for four months since he injured a knee in Basel, Switzerland.

Number eight seed Benjamin Becker of Germany served up seven double faults and was upset by Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-5.

France's Paul-Henri Mathieu beat Thai qualifier Danai Udomchoke 6-2, 6-3 for his first win in seven weeks, and Chilean qualifier Paul Capdeville defeated France's Michael Llodra 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.

AAP