WASHINGTON — Lleyton Hewitt's final swing through the North American hard-court circuit began with a victory Tuesday at the Citi Open.
Hewitt, a former No. 1 and two-time major champion, beat qualifier John-Patrick Smith 6-3, 6-4 in an all-Australian first-round matchup at the U.S. Open tuneup tournament.
The 34-year-old Hewitt has said he will retire after next year's Australian Open. So he is on something of a farewell tour, receiving wild-card entries into tournaments because his ranking has slid to 163rd after a series of injuries and poor results.
Tuesday's victory over Smith, who is ranked 133rd, was only the third win in singles this season for Hewitt in 10 matches.