After 20 years and 878 matches, the professional tennis career for the Australian come to an end after the Spanish party popper Ferrer ended the second round with a 6-2, 6-4, and 6-4 easy win over wounded Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt.

Hewitt went down in three torrid sets to Spaniard David Ferrer in a second round match to end his playing career in his 20th and last Australian Open campaign.

He won two Grand Slams - conquering Pete Sampras in the 2001 US Open final in straight sets, and Argentina's David Nalbandian at Wimbledon the following year.

Portugal's Joao Sousa is Murray's next opponent - a player he has beaten on all six previous meetings - while Ferrer's reward for beating Hewitt is a third-round match with the big-serving Steve Johnson.

Hewitt was more conciliatory when asked about the clash in his post-match press conference. "I have a museum in my house and that is in it - it's the only T-shirt of a tennis player I have".

Before he fully assumes his role as Australia's Davis Cup captain, Hewitt will compete in the doubles tournament alongside Sam Groth. "I never had idols, but Lleyton was one for me", Ferrer told the crowd.

"That's why everyone in the locker room thinks you're so full of yourself". It's never hard to come out and play in front of such great spectators every time I play out here at Rod Laver Arena, it's like a second home for me. Hewitt, fighting back tears, was joined by his three kids on court, thanking the Australian crowd in one last public good-bye. It included some dramatic tennis, a few expletives - including a verbal volley Hewitt had with the chair umpire - and was capped off by an emotional send-off on Rod Laver Arena.

He won two Grand Slams but a cherished Australian Open triumph forever eluded him in a record 20 straight attempts, coming closest in 2005 when he lost to Russian Marat Safin in the final.

- Ana Ivanovic on the surging popularity of tennis in Serbia, on the back of her success and that of her compatriots such as world number one Novak Djokovic.

Last year, Hewitt was part of the Australia Davis Cup team that reached the semi-finals of the men's team tournament before losing to an Andy Murray inspired Great Britain team who went on to claim the title for the first time since 1936.

"It's the flawless place to finish", he said, thanking all those who had helped his journey. There's no coach or trainer who is going to say to me that I'm dropped or sacked, it's time to move on.

"I felt really bad. I've loved every minute of it", Hewitt said.

Hewitt was again broken by a Ferrer crosscourt backhand in the fifth game of the second set as the Australian was treated at several changeovers for a troublesome right quad.

The former world number one led by a set but lost a second set tiebreaker before going down 6-4 in the third.

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The 2014 champion and fourth seed Stanislas Wawrinka swatted away Czech veteran Radek Stepanek in the twilight, while women's third seed Garbine Muguruza and two-times champion Victoria Azarenka also charged into the third round.