Beaten Hewitt makes encouraging return

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt returned after four months out with injury to put on a typically fighting performance against Spain's Fernando Verdasco at the Hopman Cup on Sunday. It was Hewitt's first match on the comeback trail after a major foot problem and although he was beaten by Verdasco in three sets in Perth, the two-time Grand Slam winner showed he can still match the best -- if his body holds up. A couple of untimely double faults in the 12th game of the third set ruined Hewitt's attempt to upset the world number 24, as the Spaniard prevailed 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in just over two hours at the mixed team championships. The result levelled the tie after Australia's Jarmila Gajdosova beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in the women's singles. The Spaniards then survived match point to win a gruelling deciding mixed doubles in a tiebreak 3-6, 6-3, 11-9. The men's singles clas was the injury-prone Hewitt's first since September and came just days after the Australian, ranked 186th in the world, scoffed at rumours of impending retirement. Speaking after the mixed doubles, Hewitt, 30, said: "I feel pretty good at the moment." Verdasco, who has been ranked as high as seven in the world, said it was an encouraging return performance from Hewitt that augured well for the year ahead. "Lleyton is a very tough player," he said. "He always fights until the end. He played really well, I was playing well. I think and I hope he will have a good 2012." Hewitt appeared to move freely and showed his usual grit to claw his way back from 4-1 down to level the third set in the singles. A tiebreak loomed, but successive double faults handed Verdasco match point, and a wayward forehand from Hewitt that sailed long sealed his fate. Earlier, the 33rd-ranked Gajdosova overcame a second set lapse to see off Medina Garrigues, ranked 27th. It was Gajdosova's fourth win in as many meetings with the Spaniard. "I think I got a little bit relaxed," the Australian said of the second set. "I was playing well in the first, but my feet stopped and she started playing better."