Hewitt claims Kooyong Classic

Lleyton Hewitt rounded off his preparations for next week’s Australian Open by defeating Gael Monfils in the final of the Kooyong Classic today.

Hewitt continued his fine form throughout the week with a straight-sets 7-5 6-3 win, although the Frenchman was clearly hampered by a back injury in the closing stages of the second set.

The match started with numerous service breaks before Hewitt surged ahead 5-3. However, he failed to close out the set and Monfils levelled at 5-5 before Hewitt finally sealed the set on his fourth set-point in the 12th game.

The Frenchman went up a break early in the second set but, when he suffered a back complaint in the sixth game, he took his foot off the gas and Hewitt pounced to seal his first Kooyong crown.

It completed a great week for the former world number one, who defeated Mikhail Youzhny and Nikolay Davydenko to reach the final.

Hewitt begins his Australian Open campaign against 27th seed David Nalbandian.

Meanwhile, in the third place play-off, Austrian Jurgen Melzer defeated Davydenko 7-6 (7/4) 6-2.