Hewitt lifts Australia

Hewitt won his first rubber of the Davis Cup final

Davis Cup first reverse singles:
Australia beat France 6-2 6-2 6-3

Lleyton Hewitt has levelled the Davis Cup final with a straight sets win over Sebastien Grosjean.

The world number one was always in the driving seat against his French opponent and made light of the huge pressure he faced going into the match.

Having lost his two previous rubbers the Australian had to win to keep the match alive.

The first indoor match on grass in Davis Cup history was played almost exclusively from the baseline with neither playing making many sorties to the net.

The retractable roof at the Rod Laver Arena was closed because of light rain in Melbourne.

Going into the match Hewitt had a 100% record over Grosjean in their three previous meetings this year and enjoyed a 6-2 career advantage.

Grosjean struggled to trouble Hewitt

Hewitt's greater consistency, intensity and fierce groundstrokes proved too strong for Grosjean and he won 103 points to the Frenchman's 80.

The Australian set the tone for the match after both players made a steady start.

A string of three consecutive breaks in the first set culminated with Hewitt holding a 4-3 advantage.

Another break, the 20-year-old's third from the three opportunities Grosjean gave him, sealed the set.

Hewitt maintained the initiative with a break early in the second and six straight games gave him a 3-0 advantage.

He never lost his grip on the match, winning the set with even more ease than he had the first.

Grosjean went for broke and immediately reaped reward by taking a 2-0 lead in the third.

But the threat of a French fightback was brief.

Hewitt recovered, broke back to level at 2-2 and made the decisive break in the ninth game before serving out victory with an ace.