Summary Hewitt said his thoughts were in Australia as country ground to a standstill for Hughes funeral.
SINGAPORE (AFP) - An emotional Lleyton Hewitt dedicated his International Premier Tennis League win to fellow Australian Phillip Hughes on Wednesday as the tragic cricketer s funeral injected a sombre note into the glitzy event.
Hewitt said he watched all of Wednesday s memorial for Hughes, whose death in a freak accident while batting plunged Australia into mourning.
Hewitt s doubles win with Nick Kyrgios helped their team, the Singapore Slammers, to their first victory of the fast-paced new IPTL against the previously undefeated Indian Aces.
But Hewitt, 33, said his thoughts were in Australia as the country ground to a standstill for Hughes funeral in his hometown of Macksville.
"I sat and watched the whole funeral today -- it was one of the toughest things I ve sat through," Hewitt told reporters in Singapore.
"I can t speak how tough his family and friends are doing at the moment and the Australian cricket team but it s really knocked the whole nation, not just the sport but the people in Australia as well.
"But this is when people have to come together, to come as one and I ve been really proud of our country."
Serbia s Ana Ivanovic, who has family in Melbourne, said she had also been affected by Hughes death after he was struck by a cricket ball last week.
"It s really sad to see. It makes you think a lot -- you would dedicate your life to your sport and live a healthy life and then something like that happens. It s scary," she said.
On court, the atmosphere was very different as Tomas Berdych won a "super shoot-out" with Gael Monfils to give Singapore a thrilling 24-23 victory over the Aces.
Serena Williams beat Ivanovic 6-4 but Singapore had to overcome another loss from Andre Agassi, who banged a drinks cabinet with his racquet in frustration as he went down 6-2 to Fabrice Santoro.
Hewitt and Kyrgios won their doubles against Bopanna and Monfils on a shoot-out to level the tie at 23 games each, prompting the seven-minute super shoot-out which Berdych won 10-6.
"There s no better feeling than that," said the Czech world number seven.
The innovative team event features no let serves or advantage points, a 20-second serve clock and a four-minute shoot-out at five games all as players contest a series of one-set matches.
The IPTL, which also features a DJ and dancers in what is a break away from the more traditional world of tennis, started in Manila last week and will also visit New Delhi and Dubai.
