Hewitt outlasts Gaudio in Paris

General / Editor / 31 May 2007 / Leave a Comment

Lleyton Hewitt showed all his battling qualities to come through a five-set epic with Gaston Gaudio in the second round of the French Open.

The Australian looked to be heading out of the year's second Grand Slam when he fell two sets to love behind, but rallied to reel off the last three and send the 2004 champion crashing out of the tournament.

Gaudio, like so many South Americans, is at home on clay, but it was Hewitt who outplayed his rival for a 4-6 3-6 6-2 6-4 6-2 victory over the Argentine in three hours and 28 minutes.

After levelling at two sets each, Hewitt appeared the stronger and two breaks of serve in the fifth proved decisive for the two-time Grand Slam winner, who is still available at 80 to win the tournament despite his come-from-behind victory.

Hewitt will now go on to meet Finn Jarko Nieminen in the next round, who beat Frenchman Mathieu Moncourt in their second-round clash, with the winner scheduled to meet Rafael Nadal in the fourth round should the Spaniard, as expected, win his first three matches in Paris.

Gaudio has hinted that he may well hang up his racket at the end of the season after seeing his form take a tumble in recent times and an early exit at one of his favourite tournaments may well hasten his slip into retirement.

The 'Big Two' continue to dominate the market with Nadal trading at 1.86 and Federer on offer at 3.15 while Hewitt is available to small stakes at 17.5 in the 'Winner without Nadal and Federer' market.

Elsewhere sixth seed Novak Djokovic (3.8 to win without Nad / Fed) needed four sets to see off qualifier Laurent Recouderc 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-1 and book a third-round clash with either Olivier Patience or Mariano Zabaleta.