Hewitt, Guccione Meet Their Match

© Getty ImagesStirling Mortlock with former two-time ATP World Tour Champion Lleyton Hewitt.

Former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, a four-time champion at the Medibank International, an ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament in Sydney, and fellow Australian Chris Guccione took on the might of Stirling Mortlock, captain of the Australia rugby union team, and Adam Ashley-Cooper in a Match Tie-break at the Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday.

The tennis exhibition, played at midday on Court One, helped to raise awareness of Medibank charity JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

Hewitt and Guccione started the Match Tie-break as a team, but the umpire felt the pairings needed to be more evenly matched and ordered a switch of partners. The Match Tie-break continued with Hewitt and Mortlock and Guccione and Ashley-Cooper. After a tight match, Hewitt and Mortlock came out the winners with Mortlock nearly acing Guccione in the process.

Hewitt, currently No. 70 in the South African Airways 2009 ATP Rankings, said: “It was a bit of fun out there; they were certainly competitive and came out there to win! Actually, I think they were disappointed when the umpire split the teams out, they wanted to beat us.

“Stirling, nearly aced 'Gouch', he wanted it bad and I heard he was really keen to get out there. I think he’s had a few more hits than he says, he has a really good serve.”

Ashley-Cooper, who plays as a back for the CA Brumbies in the Super 14 competition, said: “It was a great experience playing with Hewitt and Guccione today to raise awareness for juvenile diabetes.”

Mortlock, the 31-year-old captain of the CA Brumbies and the Australia Wallabies, said: “It was fun out there. I really enjoyed the opportunity play against and with Australia’s best at the Medibank International to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.”