A buoyant Lleyton Hewitt says he can "do some damage" at next month's French Open after ending his two-year title drought.
Former world No.1 Hewitt was facing a rushed trip to the Masters series event in Monte Carlo - where he has a wildcard entry - after winning a rain-delayed US Clay Court Championship final in Houston on Sunday.
The win wasn't always pretty, but Hewitt's 6-2 7-5 win over American Wayne Odesnik had plenty of significance for the gritty Australian who has played tournaments without a break since mid-January.
The long-sought 28th ATP tour title of his career gave him great encouragement in his bid to recapture top form and a high ranking since hip surgery last year.
It will lift his ranking from No.88 to about No.56 this week.
The win was the 499th of Hewitt's career - he's got a 499-169 record - and he has the chance to become only the third active player to win 500 matches when he faces fellow former No.1 Marat Safin in the first round at Monte Carlo.
He will have to do it with little rest, however, playing the same day he arrives in Monte Carlo on Tuesday.
The 90-minute rain delay before the final meant he missed his scheduled flight from the US and manger David Drysdale said he wouldn't depart Texas till Monday afternoon local time.
If he beats Safin, he will join Roger Federer (634 wins) and Carlos Moya (573) in the 500 club.
More significantly, his victory in Houston brought just his second clay court title - a decade after he won at Delray Beach in Florida.
And, while the field lacked any top 10 players, Hewitt was relishing the thought of the European clay court swing leading up to the French Open.
"This is what all the hard work is for, to play weeks like this and have this kind of feeling at the end," said Hewitt.
"It makes going through the surgery and all the hard work worth it. It's good stuff."
"It's a big day to win a claycourt event. I feel every year I'm getting better on clay.
"Now I'm looking really forward to the French Open. With a good draw I think I can do some damage there."
Beyond the French Open the outlook is even brighter for Hewitt who will have no rankings points at all to defend after Wimbledon, giving him the chance to climb quickly.
After powering through the first set of the final, Hewitt had to struggle against 100th ranked Odesnik.
He quickly went up two breaks in the second, but Odesnik, playing in his first ATP final, won the next five games.
However, Hewitt wouldn't let Odesnik level the match, winning the last four games to secure the victory.
"Clay is a tough surface to close players out," Hewitt said. "I was playing great tennis up to that point, but he's a tough player and he doesn't give you any cheap points out there. He makes you work for all of them. I felt I was able to put pressure on him up to that stage.
"Even though he got back in that second set every game he won, I had game points. It could easily have been 6-1 in the second set."
Rain delayed the start of the match for an hour and a half, and Hewitt said he was going to be hard-pressed to get to Monte Carlo on schedule.
"I might miss the flight now," he said. "It's going to be hard now but this is the why I can here, to win the tournament. Obviously playing Monte Carlo is a bonus but right now my focus has been on winning this tournament. Now I'll start worrying about next week."
AFP