Another Hewitt match finished with injury, but ...

The 2005 Aus Open semi finalists meeting in the second round of the 2012 edition of the event - now that just had to be a night match didn't it?  Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt have won 3 Grand Slam singles titles between them - in the 2001-2003 period - and they still battle on, injuries defeating them more regularly than on-court opponents these days.

Andy has managed to retain a high ranking throughout his career, and came into the Open seeded 15.  Lleyton required a wild card invitation, which he accepted.  Both impressed with first round wins, and both played some pretty good tennis from the outset, with the Roddick big serve and forehand countered by the efficient Hewitt return. 

The changes from their days of greater success are Andy's willingness to move in more frequently behind his big shots, and Lleyton's bigger first serve.  I could see the first set going to a tie break but as usual I saw incorrectly; something on which that Hewitt hasn't improved, proved his undoing.  The first serve percentage was dangerously low,  but Hewitt had managed to disguise the problem with the help of Andy's poor returning success.  Then seemingly from nowhere the serve caught up with Lleyton and in the sixth game a double fault swung momentum to Andy - the Aussie dropped his serve and effectively the set.  6-3 Roddick.

Hewitt opened the second set well enough by holding to 1-0 and then had the crowd on their feet as he broke through the American defence to take Andy's serve and a 2-0 lead.  As games went to serve for the remainder of the set, the injury sustained by Roddick in the third game for which he received treatment certainly appeared to hamper him but Hewitt still had to win the points.  Set 2 to Hewitt 6-3

With sets now 1 apiece, and a doubt about the fitness of Roddick, Hewitt now looked a good chance to proceed to the third round. 

Just as he had done in the second set, Hewitt broke Andy at the start of the third and it was "write your own ticket" about Roddick's chances now.  However, the American came back strongly to break Hewitt and tie it at 1-1.  Hewitt could see the restriction in Andy's movement and did his best to take full advantage - accordingly one more break of serve eventuated.  At 3-5 Roddick courageously fought off set points but he could not deny Hewitt when the Australian served truly (after being 0-40 himself) to take a two sets to one lead after his final shot dribbled over the net. 6-4.

Roddick could not see the value of continuing injured, knowing now that he would have to go to five sets to win.  Hopefully the damage is not going to keep him out of action for too long. Unfortunately the match was over prematurely, countered by the good news that Australia had a second player (Lleyton Hewitt) into the third round 3-6 6-3 6-4 (ret)