Video: Hewitt Assesses Future After Oz Ouster

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Video: Hewitt Assesses Future After Oz Ouster

Lleyton Hewitt needed only an hour to build a two-set lead. Two hours later, Hewitt's lead had vanished, his Open era record 19th consecutive Australian Open was over and the former No. 1 was answering retirement questions in his post-match press conference.

That's how quickly career paths can change.

One moment, the former No. 1 was riding the express route to the third round. The next, he was in first-round free-fall losing nine of 11 games to Benjamin Becker. The 33-year-old German sent the former finalist crashing out of Melbourne with a 2-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory.

An evening that began as a celebration of Hewitt's inspired history, ended with an ignominious mark. Hewitt became the first man to lose to Becker in a five-set match. Becker beat Andre Agassi in his last match; will he soon be the answer to a tennis trivia question as the man to beat both Agassi and Hewitt in their Grand Slam farewells?

The second round has been a stumbling block for the 87th-ranked Australian. Hewitt has failed to survive round two in 10 of his last 12 Grand Slam appearances.

Asked if he will keep playing or consider calling it quits, Hewitt said he isn't looking beyond Australia's Davis Cup World Group tie against host Czech Republic, March 6-8.

"I'll sit down and think about it," Hewitt said when asked about his future plans. "As I've said the whole time, I haven't thought about anything. Obviously, the Davis Cup is the next main thing. Now that we've got guys playing some really good tennis, it's an exciting time. We have a chance to possibly pull off an upset."

Hewitt, Nick Kyrgios, Sam Groth and Chris Guccione all contributed to Australia's World Group Playoff sweep of Uzbekistan on the grass of Perth last September.

A passionate Davis Cup player, Hewitt holds Australian records for most wins, most singles wins, most ties played and most years played. But as he aims to play a 17th Davis Cup season, Hewitt suggested he isn't planning on hanging around purely to pursue another Davis Cup with a potentially formidable team that could also feature Bernard Tomic and rising teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis.

"Not necessarily," Hewitt said when asked if Davis Cup could extend his career. "Obviously, it would be great to play when Nick and Bernie and Thanasi are possibly Top 10, Top 20 players and you get a free ride winning Davis Cups but that ain't gonna happen straightaway. I've always said for me to stick around in Davis Cup is more to help these guys as a mentor, teach them what Davis Cup's all about."

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