Brisbane, Australia: Lleyton Hewitt won a title for the first time since 2010 with an upset 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 win at the Brisbane International over Roger Federer, his longest-standing rival on tour.
The 32-year-old former No. 1s have met 27 times dating back to 1999, and after Sunday's unexpected victory Hewitt improved his record to nine wins against the 17-time Grand Slam champion.
Top-seeded Federer was broken three times and committed 22 unforced errors in the first set, making some uncharacteristically basic mistakes including an air swing and two shanked forehands.
He recovered in the second set and had breakpoint chances in No. 61-ranked Hewitt's first three service games in the deciding set, but couldn't get the vital breakthrough when he needed it most.
"The way you tough it out ... congratulations," Federer said in a court-side interview. "I would have loved to have won the title, but Lleyton was better than me today."
