Summary Hewitt won back-to-back Indian Wells titles in 2002 and 2003.
INDIAN WELLS, United States (AFP) - Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt survived an "awkward" all-Aussie encounter at the BNP Paribas Open Thursday, holding off Matthew Ebden 7-6 (7/2), 3-6, 6-3.
Hewitt, who won back-to-back Indian Wells titles in 2002 and 2003, said all of his clashes with younger compatriots feel awkward now that he s something of an elder statesman in the sport, closing in on his 600th career match win.
"It s not something I look forward to at all now, playing the other Aussies," Hewitt said. "I m trying to help these guys out now ... I hit with these guys all the time."
In fact, Hewitt had to cancel a planned practice session with Ebden when the two were drawn to face each other in the first round.
The victory over the 26-year-old Ebden was number 599 for Hewitt s career. He ll get a chance to reach number 600 against 17th-seeded South African Kevin Anderson in the second round, but Hewitt places little stock in the milestone.
"It means I m getting old, that s all," said the 33-year-old, who would become just the third active ATP player, along with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, to notch at least 600 match victories.
"Obviously, it means I ve had a lot of success, but it s not something I m focused on at all," he said.
Hewitt will likely have to step it up against Anderson to get that victory here.
He let a 5-1 first-set lead slip against Ebden, and also served for the match at 5-1 in the third only to drop his serve before finally putting the match away with a love game.
"Whenever I was up in sets I didn t put my foot down," Hewitt said.
Hewitt said he s still feeling the effects of the right shoulder injury that forced him out of a second-round match against compatriot Marinko Matosevic in Delray Beach in February after one set.
Hewitt said he had aggravated a shoulder injury the previous week in Memphis, and since Delray Beach had been receiving treatment.
"It s not 100 percent yet," he said. "If it was a smaller tournament, I don t think I d be playing."
