SHANGHAI, Nov 12: A little cranky, a little out of sorts and a little slow out of the blocks, Lleyton Hewitt again fell back on his incandescent desire to win to beat Albert Costa at the Tennis Masters Cup and tighten his grip on the world number one ranking Tuesday.

It is a will to win which enabled him to become the youngest year-end world number one this time last year. It is a will to win which has already bagged him U.S. Open and Wimbledon crowns at the age of 21 and it is a will to win which is keeping him hovering above a sea of tennis talent.

On Tuesday Hewitt scrapped, gouged and clawed his way past the French Open champion 6-2 4-6 6-3 to earn 20 ranking points.

The Australian knows only too well how precious those points could prove to be - he himself overhauled a world number one, Gustavo Kuerten, to steal the year-end honour in the final week of the season last year.

A straightforward opening set put Hewitt on his way but a dogged fightback by wily baseliner Costa tested the Australian’s mettle.

It was not found wanting as he motored round the court looping forehands for winners and shovelling double-handed backhands in to the corners.

Hewitt was a blur on the distinctive blue Masters Cup court as he forced Costa on to the back foot and clinched a hard-fought victory.

Earlier Spain’s Carlos Moya picked up a cool $120,000 for 98 minutes work, beating a tired Marat Safin 6-4 7-5 in the opening match of the $3.7 million extravaganza.

The Spanish former world number one withstood an early barrage of Russian power to secure victory.

Fatigue, both mental and physical, got the better of Safin who still has a Davis Cup final ahead of him later this month when Russia take on France.

Early in the match the Russian’s immense power and sheer size left the contest resembling one of China’s great sporting passions - table tennis - as he flicked balls away for winner after winner.

But Moya held on, his green shirt slowly darkening under the strain of his exertions as he chased down Safin’s pummelled groundstrokes and in the end did enough to win.—Reuters