Roger Federer's defeat to Lleyton Hewitt shows jitters have returned

Swiss's three-set loss, despite has a new racket and new coach, Stefan Edberg, reveals weaknesses in his game that must be addressed if he is to mount a serious Australian Open challenge

Former world No 1 Roger Federer suffers a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 defeat in Brisbane at the hands of Lleyton Hewitt. Photograph: Jason Reed/Reuters

The jitters have returned to Roger Federer's racket – or introduced themselves to his new one – and, although there is no cause for panic, mild concern is in order. The timing – like his wayward backhand when losing in three sets to Lleyton Hewitt in Brisbane on Sunday – is not ideal.

A week before the Australian Open, Federer needed a convincing performance – and preferably another win – to consolidate what has been an encouraging return to the Tour, with a new coach, Stefan Edberg, to go with the new cudgel.

He got at least some of that after a shaky start to the final of the Brisbane International – his 14 aces mostly came at danger moments – but the 32-year-old Hewitt, one of the few consistently dangerous players older than him on Tour, gave him no peace to win 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

Federer described it as "a great final", which was only a slight exaggeration. "Lleyton was better than me today," he conceded, and that was on the money.

Hewitt, enjoying a revival in form, ought not to be relegated to the role of dancing partner; it was his 29th career title, and one he will cherish for its recent rarity – his first since Halle in 2010 when his opponent was also Federer, victory which broke a 15-match losing streak against the Swiss.

Expectations on them vary far more than the six months that separate them in age, and the 54 ranking points. If Hewitt, the perennial fighter, can make a statement in Melbourne, maybe get into the second week, he will be pleased; if Federer, the world No6, does not get that far, he will hurt badly.

He alluded afterwards to the pending arrival of a third child, promising to return in 2015. Before then, he has a tough campaign ahead to not only restore his aura but to make an impression on the front runners.

Hewitt lobbed, smashed and scurried with his trademark enthusiasm to hustle Federer out of the first set.

Tony Roche, the Australian who has worked with both players, revealed his affiliation when Federer bashed the net with a loose forehand to go 1-4 down. If Hewitt heard Roche's cheers from the stands, he did not show it. There was plenty of work left to do, and the South Australian was enthused by his opponent's raggedness but he wasted a break point in the second that would have tied it up, and Federer found new energy.

Having said that concerns over the back pain that troubled him briefly last year had long passed, he moved well enough and often hit the ball with his old fluency, striving too for advantage at the net (which Edberg would have applauded), but his backhand let him down too often and, as Novak Djokovic pointed out in London in November, he has definitely slowed.

A hot run of five aces in a row gave him three set points, and his spirits rose when Hewitt pushed a forehand wide. Yet there was inevitability about the third set once the dogged Australian made Federer move to uncomfortable places behind the baseline, teasing him with the lob and, in one glorious exchange, passing him at the net.

So, not a lot has changed – yet – for Federer after a poor 2013. Had he won here, he would have equalled last year's tally and would have arrived in Melbourne on a roll. As it is, Rafael Nadal, who won in Qatar, will probably start favourite at the Australian Open.

"If I am playing the way that I played in the first set, I think I will be very competitive [in Australia]," the world No1 said after beating Gaël Monfils 6-1, 6-7, 6-2. Monfils, by the way, later withdrew from the Auckland tournament, claiming fatigue – on the fifth day of the year. Unless the Frenchman is injured, that is just not acceptable.

As for the other main contenders in Melbourne, Djokovic chose not to play this week, and Andy Murray had his preparation cut short – a bit surprised to lose to Florian Mayer in Doha after leading 6-3, 3-0. He is easing his body back into competition after back surgery in September and might regard reaching the quarters as a result.

Maybe someone else will fill the void. Milos Raonic, who has threatened for a couple of years to make his own big statement, sees it that way. "Someone else could break through," the Canadian said a few days ago.

"There's definitely the possibility for that, it's sport. There's so much unknown and so many variables. I think there's a lot of guys playing great, especially Juan Martín del Potro last year. He managed top five, missing a big part of the season as well. There's so many guys that can step up and challenge for that spot. I don't think it's a giveaway to those three guys [Nadal, Djokovic and Murray]."

In a year that might be more volatile than last year, maybe he's right.