Janko Impressive in Quality Opener

For all the talk of Lleyton Hewitt's sparkling form at the start of the Australia Open, meeting the 8th seed in the first round could never be spun as something favourable for the former number one.
Janko Tipsareric, the second best player from Serbia, had already won in Chennai a week or so back, and while admittedly not having to defeat anyone of note en route to his glory, the event did count for ranking points.
Not so the exhibition event at Kooyong which Lleyton has contested twice in the past three years, winning each time.  In 2011, that led to a gut wrenching 5 set first round loss to David Nalbandian in the year's Aus Open so Kooyong form is not definitive.
None of this need have discounted Hewitt's chances in the initial night match on Rod Laver Arena for 2013 - just mentioned to add some perspective to the hyperbole.
Lleyton Hewitt has always been regarded as a great counter puncher and retriever and his strengths still lie there.  His problem now is that while he is no better than his best years, others have perfected the game that was once unique to him and few others.
Tipsarevic can hang around all day if required - in the 2008 Aus Open and unseeded, he stretched the great Federer to 10-8 in the decider.  From Janko's point of view, this draw was also nasty because of what Hewitt can do, ranked in the eighties or not.

The match began as we expected it would with the server.  Hewitt assumed the role initially and passed the test according to the central umpire who rewarded him with the posting of a game against his name.  Baseline rallies dominated, to no one's amazement, with Hewitt and Tipsarevic trading punishing ground strokes, the Serbian appearing to hit harder and the Australian more deftly.  The contest live up to the hype and the schedulers smiled as they knew one decision at least had been vindicated.
Although the 8th seed looked a touch more convincing no breaks of serve occurred in Set 1 and only once did Hewitt have to survive a break point which he did with an ace.
A tie break to terminate the arm wrestle and the Serbian arm prevailed rattling off 4 points to shock Lleyton into complete defence.  At 2-6 he fought off two set points but could not deny Janko his third try at claiming the vital first set 7-6 (7-4).
I naively suggested to myself that this should see Tiparevic roll through the rest of the match with Hewitt's spirit shattered on Center Court.  Luckily I refrained from sharing the thoughtless thought because I would have confirmed my foolishness to the world - which I have now - because Hewitt broke the first 2 Tipsarevic serves of Set 2 and led 3-0 with a personal serve to come.
One of the growing number of twists in the match's progression then announced itself as Hewitt found himself at 0-40 with no map to show the way back home.  A forehand winner and a couple of Janko mistakes gave the Aussie temporary refuge at deuce but another stumble left him vulnerable to a fourth break point which Tipsareric used for his own devious means via a backhand winner and to trail less dangerously at 1-3.
Lleyton mangaed to retain the use of the remaining service break until at 5-4 serving for one set all he failed to complete the job and Janko levelled the set instead.  The momentum shift quite visible to those wearing 3D glasses compounded in intensity when Hewitt serving to stay in the set dropped serve for the third time, again punished with a Serbian back hand.
Down 7-6 7-5, we prepared ourselves for a five setter - well maybe so in the golden days.  Tonight Lleyton just could not win the key points and he sure found a way to lose the important ones early in the third set.
Hewitt could not deny the accuracy of the Janko ground strokes as he was broken in the second game to be 0-3 and in severe trouble.  Credit to the comeback which was initiated in the nick of time as Hewitt finally held serve, following up with a surprising break of the hitherto unflappable Tipsarevic.  At 3-3 somehow Lleyton had dragged his battle weary body back into the set.
Alas, there was no more heroics from the local favourite and the remaining 3 games of the match were eagerly gathered up for Serbia.  A 3 hour match that may read as straight sets 7-6 7-5 6-3 in the history books but gave much more value than that.
Hewitt played well but Janko played better when it counted.