Tennis: Hewitt fights back to down Vik in five sets

Australia's Lleyton Hewitt celebrates after a point in his first round match against Robin Vik of the Czech Republic. Adam Pretty / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - Third seed Lleyton Hewitt fought back from the brink of defeat to beat rising Czech player Robin Vik 6-4 2-6 5-7 7-6 6-3 in the first round of the Australian Open tennis championship today.

Vik surprised an out-of-sorts Hewitt, mixing bold ground strokes with subtle drop shots to unsettle the world No 6.

The Czech served for the match in the 12th game of the fourth set but Hewitt broke to force a tiebreak, which he won 7-4.

Hewitt called on his renowned fighting qualities to turn the course of the match and then raced away as 58th-ranked Vik wilted under the pressure, serving two double faults on the way to surrendering serve in the final game after almost four hours.

Hewitt's win sets up an intriguing second-round encounter with the equally feisty Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina. Chela was fined after spitting in Hewitt's direction during a fiery third round match in Melbourne last year.

- REUTERS