Hewitt, Former Managers Go Head-to-head In Court

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Details of Lleyton Hewitt's commercial deals have been revealed in a Victoria state Supreme Court case involving the once top-ranked Australian tennis star and his former management firm.

U.S. firm Octagon has filed suit against Hewitt for loss of merchandising and management fees, claiming he breached an exclusive representation contract.

Hewitt has filed counter claims, alleging Octagon failed to fulfill its obligations as his agent and that he suffered loss and damage as a result. He said he severed his relationship with Octagon in December 2004.

Details of his tournament appearance fees and endorsement deals with companies such as Nike were mentioned during legal arguments before Associate Justice Melissa Daly reserved her decision for a later date, the Herald-Sun newspaper reported Wednesday.

In a previous statement, Hewitt and his management firm, Lleyton Hewitt Marketing, denied that Octagon was entitled to any additional fees since December 2004 and the company had retained certain funds to which it had no entitlement.

"As Octagon has chosen to engage in expensive and time-consuming litigation in relation to its former role as my representative and agent, I feel I have no choice but to defend myself and counterclaim in relation to the ways in which I believe that Octagon failed to discharge its obligations to me," Hewitt said in a statement posted on his Web site. "Naturally I would prefer not to be put in this position. I remain hopeful that this matter can be resolved out of court, but I am nevertheless prepared to fight to vindicate my position."