"One of my biggest results, it was such a mental and physical battle" - Lleyton Hewitt recalls memorable Davis Cup win against Roger Federer

Reminiscing about one of the favourite wins of his career, Lleyton Hewitt recalled a battling win over Roger Federer in the 2003 Davis Cup semifinal. The Australian was down two sets but made a roaring comeback to win the match 5-7, 2-6, 7-6(4), 7-5, 6-1.

Just a few months before that clash, Hewitt made a first-round exit at Wimbledon while Federer went on to clinch his career's first grass Slam title.

In a video posted by the Tennis Hall of Fame, Hewitt spoke about how tough winning that semifinal was since Roger Federer was in top form during that period.

"One of my biggest results was in the 2003 Davis Cup semifinal. We were playing against Switzerland. We were up two rubbers to one. But I was out there against Roger Federer on Rod Laver Arena and Roger and I grew up together. We're the same age, so we knew each other extremely well. But mentally, it was a tough challenge for me because I had lost first round at Wimbledon, as the defending champion only a couple of months before that and Roger went on to win his first Wimbledon. So he was the form player in the world at the time," Hewitt said.

For Hewitt, the win was memorable because he had to overcome a quality player like Federer and also survive the tough mental and physical challenges of the five-set matches.

"For me, it was something really special. Both, because I was playing such a quality player who had won a Grand Slam, was world number one, but also because it was such a mental and physical battle."

With 42 wins in singles to his name, Hewitt is still Australia's most successful Davis Cup player.

Lleyton Hewitt and Roger Federer's fierce rivalry

Roger Federer lifts the 2004 US Open title after beating Lleyton Hewitt in the final

Leyton Hewitt and Roger Federer often found themselves facing each other in the early 2000s. In all, they clashed 27 times with Federer dominating the head-to-head 18-9. The Aussie considers Federer one of the toughest opponents he has had to face in his career.

Both peaked during the early 2000s and were a force to be reckoned with. While Hewitt won seven of the first nine meetings between the pair, the power dynamic shifted post-2003 as Federer won the next 15 matches against the Australian. Crucially, Hewitt was never able to defeat Federer at a Grand Slam.