MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Lleyton Hewitt upset Russia's Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 at the exhibition Kooyong Classic on Wednesday to gain some momentum ahead of the Australian Open.
The 54th-ranked Hewitt beat the 10th-ranked Youzhny in his first appearance at Kooyong, where several top stars are tuning up for the season's first Grand Slam starting Monday.
Frenchman Gael Monfils got in shape with a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over defending champion Fernando Verdasco of Spain, and Russia's Nikolay Davydenko beat Czech Tomas Berdych 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in the third match on opening day.