EDS: PLEASE NOTE LANGUAGE IN FIFTH PARAGRAPH.
By Ben Mckay
MELBOURNE, Jan 21 AAP - Retiring great Lleyton Hewitt lost his match and his cool on Thursday night in a straight-sets defeat that ended his singles career.
His competitive nature got the better of him late in the 6-2 6-4 6-4 loss to Spanish eighth-seed David Ferrer.
As the match slipped from his grasp in the third set, Hewitt unleashed a toxic spray towards officials.
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A series of foot faults left the retiring Australian fuming and seeking to have a linesman withdrawn.
Hewitt asked the chair umpire to get rid of the "moron" linesman, after calling him a "f***ing cheat" following a series of foot-fault calls against the former world No.1.
In a heated confrontation at a change of ends, Hewitt unloaded on the chair umpire Pascal Maria.
"You're a friggin' idiot," he steamed.
"That's why everyone in the locker room thinks you're so full of yourself."
Maria, a 42-year-old Frenchman, is a long-serving official who has umpired several grand slam finals.
Hewitt was more conciliatory when asked about the clash in his post-match press conference.
"(It came) obviously at a frustrating time," he said.
"Being able to get myself back in that third set, it wasn't the best time.
"But it wouldn't have made a lot of difference to the match at all."
Hewitt regained his composure to shake hands with Maria after the match.
