Content area
Full text
THE Australian Open campaign of Lleyton Hewitt ended this morning in despair at the hands of his most bitter rival David Nalbandian in a classic lasting four hours and 48 minutes.
Entering this Australian Open, Hewitt stressed time and again this was the fittest he had been in several years. Ultimately it was not enough against a man who, while carrying the paunch of a baseballer, thrived on the theatre of the marathon to prevail 3-6 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-1) 9-7.
While it adds another memorable chapter to a rivalry that began with Hewitt claiming the 2002 Wimbledon final, almost saw them come to blows in Melbourne in 2005 and last night saw them clasp hands exhausted at match's end, that will be no consolation to the Australian. He gave it his all but, as has been the norm since his descent from the top, cruelly came up short, with Hewitt watching in disbelief as a lob topspinned over his head to drop in.
The 29-year-old's 15th Australian Open campaign seemed doomed earlier in the set when Nalbandian served for the match at 5-4.
Somehow, though, Hewitt staved off disaster with...