Hewitt survives test against Nadal
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Hewitt (right) was relieved to survive against exciting prospect Nadal
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MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) -- Lleyton Hewitt survived a testing encounter with Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal to book his place in the fourth round of the Australian Open.
Hewitt won 7-6 7-6 6-2 but the scoreline did not reflect the true intensity of the challenge provided by the 17-year-old Spaniard.
"He's a hell of a player," said Hewitt, who now meets second seed Roger Federer.
"It was a lot tougher than I expected. I really had to raise my game."
Considered the hottest prospect in men's tennis, Nadal showed no sign of nerves or stage fright despite playing in front of a full house on the Rod Laver center court.
He twice fought back from a break down to force a tiebreaker, but the experience of 22-year-old Hewitt, who remains the youngest man in history to finish the year ranked number one in the world, proved decisive.
He pinned Nadal back on the baseline and kept the ball away from his preferred forehand until the left-hander's patience ran out and he made some vital mistakes.
Nadal led 2-0 in both tiebreaks but lost them both and Hewitt grabbed a crucial early break in third set when the Spaniard messed up a drop shot.
A natural athlete, whose uncle Miguel Angel Nadal is a professional soccer player, Nadal first came to attention when he won his first ATP match at 15 years and 10 months in 2002.
He was the ninth player since tennis turned professional in 1968 to register a victory before his 16th birthday.
Nadal made his grand slam debut at Wimbledon last year, becoming the youngest man to reach the third round on debut since 16-year-old Boris Becker in 1984.
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