Valiant Lleyton Hewitt crashes out of final Wimbledon

Lleyton Hewitt's Wimbledon career is over following a gut-wrenching five-set first-round loss to Jarkko Nieminen.

Australia's former champion three times enjoyed a service break in the deciding set only to falter in a 3-6 6-3 4-6 6-0 10-8 defeat in an epic match stretching one minute shy of four hours on Monday.

Hewitt, the 2002 champion, was making his 17th and last appearance at the All England Club.

The 34-year-old will retire after a record 20th successive Australian Open next January.