Roger Federer suffered a shock defeat by Lleyton Hewitt in the final of the Halle grasscourt event on Sunday, losing 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 to the Australian.
Federer had not lost a match at Halle since 2002, winning the title five times, and had beaten Hewitt 15 times in a row over the past six years.
Hewitt ended the two hour 20 minute contest when his forehand hit the net tape and dropped dead on Federer’s side.
PHOTO: EPA
“He played fantastic and deserved to win,” Federer told the tournament’s Web site.
The Swiss said he had been satisfied with his tournament but without a title since the Australian Open at the start of the year he is looking a little vulnerable as Wimbledon approaches.
“I’m happy with the way I’m playing,” he said. “It’s unfortunate not coming through today, but I think my level of play is fine. This loss here doesn’t worry me in any way.”
Hewitt rolled back the years to complete his collection of the world’s top grasscourt titles. He has won Wimbledon, Queen’s Club and now Halle.
“Roger’s a hell of an opponent, his grass-court record speaks for itself,” Hewitt told reporters. “Any time you play Roger on a grass court you know you’re in for a hell of a battle and I was lucky to get out of today’s match.”
“It’s fantastic for me. I’m getting towards the end of my career and had couple of surgeries, to know I can still compete at this level. I’m thrilled to be here and to have won another title,” he said.
Going into Sunday’s final, Federer had won 76 of his last 77 matches on grass dating back to 2002. His only blemish was a five-set loss to Rafael Nadal in the 2008 Wimbledon final.
However, Hewitt is not one to surrender easily and after allowing Federer to bag the first set, he chased down everything the top seed could throw at him to win his first title in more than a year.
■AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS
AFP, LONDON
Sam Querrey hopes his Queen’s Club success will be the inspiration for a US dream double at Wimbledon and the World Cup.
Querrey capped his surprise run to the final at Queen’s with a 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 victory over compatriot Mardy Fish at the pre-Wimbledon warm-up event on Sunday.
The 22-year-old, ranked 23rd in the world, follows Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Andy Roddick as the latest US winner at Queen’s.
With the Wimbledon men’s final scheduled for Independence Day on July 4 and the World Cup final a week later, Querrey would love his success to be the prelude for more US glory in the coming weeks.
Querrey has never been beyond the second round at Wimbledon in three attempts, but he believes he is in good enough form to make a strong challenge this year.
If he doesn’t make it then three-time Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick might, while Fish, who shocked world No. 4 Andy Murray en route to the final, will also be a danger to the top players.
Rather less likely is a US victory at the World Cup, but Querrey, who prepared for the final by watching the US earn a 1-1 draw against England, believes his Queen’s win proves miracles do happen.
“I’m going to do the best I can at Wimbledon. I know Mardy [Fish] is the same and so is Andy [Roddick]. Hopefully we can all make a run,” Querrey said. “Maybe that’s a good omen that the final is on the fourth of July. Hopefully our football team can make a run at the World Cup as well.”
“I’d love to win Wimbledon. I’m kind of going with baby steps here and I will try and make the third round this year, because the second round is the best I’ve ever done there,” he said.
“It’s possible, but I think I’ve still got some work to do and there’s still some great competitors out there you have to beat to win a Wimbledon title. I’m playing great on the grass and now I’ve got a week to practice and regroup. Then I’m looking forward to Wimbledon next Monday,” Querrey said.
■AEGON CLASSIC
AFP, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND
Top seed Li Na of China won the WTA Birmingham title at Edgbaston and returned to the world’s top 10 after beating second-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova 7-5, 6-1 on Sunday.
It was a repeat of last year’s semi-final, where Li also beat Sharapova before losing to Slovak Magdalena Rybarikova in the final.
In a close first set Li found herself 1-3 down but rallied before taking the second set in just 24 minutes for what was the 24-year-old’s third career title.
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