Page "Lleyton Hewitt" Paragraph 17

In 2003 Hewitt defeated former world no.

1 Gustavo Kuerten for the championship at Indian Wells.

But at Wimbledon, as the defending champion, Hewitt lost in the first round to qualifier Ivo Karlović.

Hewitt became the first defending Wimbledon men's champion in the open era to lose in the first round.

Only once before in the tournament's 126-year history had a defending men's champion lost in the opening round, in 1967, when Manuel Santana was beaten by Charlie Pasarell.

Hewitt was only the third defending Grand Slam champion in the open era to lose in the first round, after Boris Becker at the 1997 Australian Open and Patrick Rafter at the 1999 US Open.

After Wimbledon in 2003, Hewitt lost in the final of the tournament in Los Angeles, the second round of the ATP Masters Series tournament in Montreal, and the first round of the ATP Masters Series tournament in Cincinnati.

At the US Open, Hewitt lost in the quarterfinals to Juan Carlos Ferrero, 6 – 4, 3 – 6, 6 – 7 ( 5 ), 1 – 6.

Hewitt played only Davis Cup matches for the remainder of the year, recording five-set wins over Roger Federer and Juan Carlos Ferrero in the semifinals and final respectively, as Australia went on to win the Davis Cup.

Hewitt used much of his spare time in late 2003 to bulk up, gaining 7 kg.