Hewitt back in US Open 3rd round with 5-set win

Lleyton Hewitt is back in the third round of the U.S. Open at

age 31 – 11 years after his title at Flushing Meadows.

The Australian two-time Grand Slam champion beat Gilles Muller

3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4 in 4 hours, 35 minutes Friday.

Hewitt needed a wild card to get in because his ranking had fallen

outside the top 100 as he struggled with injuries.

Hewitt last reached the third round here in 2009. He made the

round of 16 at the Australian Open this year but lost his opener at

the French Open and Wimbledon.

The 53rd-ranked Muller had 35 aces and 95 winners but committed

69 unforced errors. Hewitt got in just 42 percent of his first

serves and had 13 double-faults.

But it was a double-fault by Muller that ended the match.