Melbourne, 15 January 2011 | AAP

Lleyton Hewitt has completed the perfect preparation for next week’s Australian Open by winning the Kooyong Classic.

Hewitt clinched the final against Frenchman Gael Monfils 7-5 6-3 in 89 minutes.

The former world No.1 will meet old sparring partner David Nalbandian of Argentina in the first round of next week’s Open.

The 29-year-old Hewitt said he was playing well leading into the first major of the season and capable of causing upsets in the draw.

Saturday’s final begun with a flurry of service breaks as Hewitt took the early lead.

The Australian broke serve to lead 2-0, before Monfils returned fire in the following game.

Hewitt took his second straight service break for a 3-1 edge and held to establish a 4-1 advantage.

He served for the match at 5-3 and held a set point in the ninth game but was brought unstuck when the athletic Frenchman broke back to trail 4-5.

Hewitt ran up a further four set points in the 12th game which Monfils batted away – but he could put up no resistance when the fifth arrived and Hewitt took the set in 52 minutes with a passing shot.

Monfils took the initiative in the second set to break in the opening game but in the sixth game the Frenchman appeared to suffer a back problem and slowed noticeably.

Hewitt broke back as Monfils double-faulted then held serve to lead 4-3 and went on to wrap up the second set.

Hewitt and Monfils had a 2-all head-to-head record heading into the match, with the Australian winning the last time they met, at Wimbledon last year.

Meanwhile, in the play-off for third place at Kooyong, Austrian Jurgen Melzer defeated Russian Nikolay Davydenko 7-6 (7-4) 6-2.