Australian Lleyton Hewitt clinched his 500th tour-level singles match win in dramatic fashion as he moved into the second round of the German Open yesterday.
Australian Lleyton Hewitt clinched his 500th tour-level singles match win in dramatic fashion as he moved into the second round of the German Open yesterday.
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Hewitt, a two-time ATP World Tour Champion, saved two match points before prevailing 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (10/8) against German Philipp Petzschner.
"I think there are only two other active players have won that many," said the 28-year-old Hewitt about reaching the 500 wins milestone.
"That obviously means I'm getting old. I've been around for a long time. It's something I guess you retire and you look back on it and realise you've had a pretty good career.
"It's nice to bring up those milestones and be among those calibre of players as well."
Hewitt's 500 match wins include two Grand Slam titles at the 2001 US Open and Wimbledon in 2002, and back-to-back Tennis Masters Cup titles in 2001 and 2002.
He finished as the youngest ATP World Tour Champion in 2001 at 20 years and eight months of age, overtaking Gustavo Kuerten who had come into the circuit finale in Sydney with a 48-point lead in the Rankings. In 2002, he became only the fourth player to rank No. 1 for every week during the season.
The Australian looked set for a comfortable victory as he held two match points when serving for victory at 6-2, 5-4, 40/15 but 70th ranked Petzschner hit back to level at 5-5 before taking the tie-break to even the match at one-set all.
Hewitt opened up a 4-2 lead in the deciding set but was once again pegged back as Petzschner levelled at 4-4.
He held two more match points when Petzschner trailed 4-5, 15/40 and a fifth at advantage later in the same game, but the Adelaider failed to convert and was nearly made to pay the price as Petzschner earned two match points at 6-5 and 7-6 in the tie-break.
Hewitt denied the German the chance for victory though before sealing the win himself on his seventh opportunity at 9-8 after two hours and 36 minutes.
"I was lucky to get out of there in the end," said Hewitt.
"I just kept hanging in there. Saved a few break points early in the third set and then he played a lot better when he was down in the match. He started going for his shots a lot more.
"He used his forehand a lot heavier and didn't make as many easy mistakes. He gave me a lot early mistakes, especially in the first set."
Hewitt continues to make his comeback from the left-hip surgery he underwent in August 2008. This season he has compiled a 14-9 match record, highlighted by winning his 27th tour-level title at Houston last month.
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