SYDNEY—Four-time champion Lleyton Hewitt has scrapped his way into the second round of the Sydney International with a tough three-set victory over unheralded Frenchman Julien Benneteau.
Playing in plus-40 degree temperatures in Ken Rosewall Arena, Hewitt's game never really matched the scorching heat as he battled to an unconvincing 5-7 6-2 6-4 win over of the world No.48.
Hewitt will meet Janko Tipsarevic on Wednesday for a place in the quarter-finals for the seventh time in a row in Sydney after the Serb ousted American eighth seed Mardy Fish 6-4 3-6 6-4.
Australia's former world No.1 will need to step it up against Tipsarevic, a talented shotmaker who stretched Roger Federer over five sets at last year's Australian Open.
Contesting his first ATP match since undergoing hip surgery last August, Hewitt looked a shadow of the player who once reeled off 20 straight wins at Sydney Olympic Park.
He struggled from the outset, double-faulting to gift Benneteau a service break and a 3-1 lead in the opening set.
He broke back three games later with a lovely forehand pass only to concede the set with successive forehand errors while serving at 5-6.
The dogged baseliner rebounded quickly to break the Frenchman to love in the opening game of the second set.
Hewitt grabbed a double break for a 4-1 advantage before levelling the match at a set apiece with another crisp forehand crosscourt pass.
But even after breaking Benneteau in the first game of the deciding set and then holding for 2-0, Hewitt continued to make hard work of it.
He dropped serve with a netted backhand to hand the Frenchman a lifeline and then had to fend off further break points in the eighth game.
Hewitt hung tough, though, and eventually prevailed after two hours and five minutes.
