Lleyton Hewitt [Images] boosted his confidence ahead of next week's Australian Open by brushing aside Czech qualifier Ivo Minar 7-5, 6-0 in the final of the Sydney International on Saturday.

The world number three from Australia reeled off the first five games of the match before Minar suddenly fought back to win the next five.

The defending champion was rattled and for the briefest moment an upset seemed possible. But top seed Hewitt regained his composure, closing out the first set and then racing through the second without dropping a game to seal victory in exactly an hour.

Hewitt has now lifted the Sydney title four times in the last six years. The last man to win the tournament, formally known as the New South Wales Open, as many times was John Bromwich, who won seven between 1937 and 1949.

"It just keeps getting better and better every year," Hewitt said at the presentation.

"I've only played this tournament four times and I've won it four times."

Hewitt went into the final as a short-priced favourite to clinch his 24th career title after dropping only one set all week.

He is due to begin his Australian Open campaign with a first-round encounter against Frenchman Arnaud Clement.

Minar, ranked 158th in the world, surprised everyone by reaching his first ATP final.

The 20-year-old Czech wanted to try and earn a spot at the Australian Open and had to pull out of the qualifying draw for Melbourne in order to play in the final here. But he said he had no regrets.

"For me, this was a big success," said Minar.

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