Tennis: Verdasco spoils Hewitt’s comeback

PERTH:

Fernando Verdasco fought off a valiant effort by former world number one Lleyton Hewitt to help Spain get a 2-1 win over hosts Australia in the Hopman Cup.

The 30-year-old Hewitt, playing his first match since September in his latest comeback from a bad toe injury, produced a superb second set before world number 24 Verdasco won his match 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in 128 minutes.

Hewitt’s teammate Jarmila Gajdosova defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the women’s singles but third-seeded Spain won the mixed doubles 6-3, 3-6, 11-9.

“I just want to play pain-free this year and hopefully finish my career in a good way over the next couple of years,” said Hewitt.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd,  2012.