Not a G'Day in Paris for Hewitt

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt made an early exit from the French Open, losing 7-6 6-3 6-7 6-3 to Slovenian Blaz Kavcic.

Little was expected of the Australian, who is now ranked 175 after a series of injury setbacks - the latest of which meant radical surgery on an arthritic big toe.

The 31-year-old has had little more than two weeks' practice heading to Roland Garros and it showed, as he faded in the fourth set to lose in three hours and 50 minutes.

"The last couple of years every practice, every match has been painful," Hewitt acknowledged - while indicating his never-say-attitude remains intact.

"After coming back from surgery, I was still hungry enough to have a shot.

"I had to start somewhere - I'm sure tomorrow I'll pull up pretty sore (but) it was good for a lot reasons to go out there and play. I lasted nearly four hours and physically felt fine."

The 15-ranked Feliciano Lopez was the first seeded play to fall on Monday when the Spaniard retired from his match against Florent Serra.

Lopez lost the first five games against the Frenchman before calling time due to a side strain which he picked up during practice last week.

"In the beginning, I felt it was nothing really serious, but (the) day after, I couldn't play almost," Lopez said.

"I tried to rest during the weekend just to try to play today, but it was impossible."

Hewitt Makes Djokovic Battle

Novak Djokovic overcame a stubborn Lleyton Hewitt in four sets to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.

The reigning champion beat the 30-year-old Australian 6-1 6-3 4-6 6-3.

Djokovic was cruising after winning the first two sets but had to withstand a powerful Hewitt fightback to win, despite losing his first set of the tournament.

He now faces Spaniard David Ferrer after the fifth seed beat Richard Gasquet in straight sets.

Such was Djokovic's early dominance, Hewitt, now ranked 181 in the world, did not hold a service game until the fifth game of the second set.

The Serbian, 24, who is now unbeaten in 18 Grand Slam matches, made light work of the first set in Melbourne, racing into a 4-0 lead with a break proving to be Hewitt's only game of the set.

Hewitt, who last reached the quarter-finals in 2005, produced a more even contest in the second set, breaking to make it 2-1, but could only hold serve twice more as Djokovic took a comfortable advantage.

Djokovic raced into a 3-0 lead at the start of the third set but Hewitt then won three straight games to maintain some pressure.

Hewitt broke again to lead 5-4 and took a fourth set point to halve Djokovic's lead and land a major blow against the first seed.

Djokovic withstood a break point to lead 2-1 and finally picked up a break himself to move 4-2 ahead but, after Hewitt held his serve, Djokovic completed a hard-fought victory.

He now comes up against Ferrer, who lost to Djokovic in the quarter-finals in 2008, as he continues his quest for a third straight Grand Slam.