Australian punters give up on Hewitt

SYDNEY, May 10 (Reuters) Australian punters have all but given up hope of Lleyton Hewitt winning this month's French Open, with bookmakers offering the extraordinary odds of 200-1 about the former world number one.

When Hewitt was at the peak of his powers, Australians bet millions of dollars on him winning events but no longer.

The 26-year-old has not won a grand slam title in almost five years and has slipped to 20th in the world rankings.

''He was an enormously popular player a few years back,'' TAB spokesman Glenn Munsie told Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

''Everyone from big punters to pub and club punters backed him consistently. He had the image of the little Aussie battler.

''But it's not hard to track the decline in his popularity.'' REUTERS BJR ND1416