High hopes and expectations were dimmed at the 17th Australian Open as Aussie pro tennis player Lleyton Hewitt hits straight sets of losses, 7-6, 7-5, and 6-3 against Serb Janko Tipsarevic.

After Hewitt faced off in the singles round against Tipsarevic, the No. 9 ranked Serbian pro player knocked out Hewitt's chances of being in the Top 100 ranking and set him packing after the first round.

According to Sydney Morning Herald, Hewitt has raised the bar with aggressive plays, even delivering his signature moves--"the c'mons, the plucky scrambling, clever court craft and clean volleying," as sports writer Jake Niall wrote--but they were not enough to put Hewitt on a better edge.

Even with a steadier match for the veteran during the second set, groundstrokes delivered by Tipsarevic proves that he may be a bigger opponent for Hewitt.

In an interview with The Australian, Hewitt expresses his disappointment for not utilizing the opportunities in the match wherein he could have played better against Tipsarevic.

"Against quality players, you got to take those chances obviously. To his credit, he raised his level and played some great points. The start of the tiebreak, I didn't do a whole heap wrong. He served big when he needed to get out of trouble," says the veteran player to The Australian.

Hewitt's career has always been a string of achievements, ever since he first ranked #1 globally at the age of 20, the youngest ever recorded. He has played in the US Opens, Wimbledon, Brisbane International, and just recently, Kooyong, where he claimed the Kooyong Classic, defeating Juan Martin Del Potro.

Admittedly, it can be a matter of age, as the Serbian pro player is four years junior to the Australian two-time Grand Slam holder. The 2013 Australian Open marks Hewitt's 17th straight attendance--but it also marks his third year for bowing out in the first round alone in Melbourne during the last five years.

It seems that many are starting to wonder if Hewitt still has the power and the drive to win his games or if they should expect the Australian Open without a Lleyton Hewitt.