The top seed and world number one, berating himself all the while, scratched and clawed his way past Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 to reach the third round.
It was not a pretty sight. The tennis was not of the highest order, but the Australian's unyielding approach made for compelling viewing.
Sheer determination and an absolute refusal to back down are traits on which Hewitt has built a career.
Against a young Russian with mighty weapons, Hewitt needed both in large measures before clinching his third round spot.
"I'm just relieved to be in the third round. Happy to get out of it in four sets instead of five," Hewitt, 22, said.
"I am not one of the hot favourites like the Spanish guys and the Argentines, but I am happy to be at the back of the pack." Next up is Tommy Robredo after the Spaniard beat Jonas Bjorkman.
A three-minute stroll away, Hewitt's girlfriend Kim Clijsters romped through in some style.
All sweetness and light, the Belgian barely broke a sweat as she ran through Marlene Weingartner 6-2, 6-2.
CRAMPED QUARTERS
The second seed out-manoeuvred and out-hit her German opponent to record the victory with the minimum of fuss. She next faces Paola Suarez after the Argentine ousted American Corina Morariu.
Third seed Venus Williams was less impressive but did just enough to oust Australian Evie Dominikovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to set up a clash with either Italy's Silvia Farina Elia, who beat Czech Zuzana Ondraskova 6-1, 6-2.
Former champion Jennifer Capriati was rock solid. The American seventh seed beat France's Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-0.
Newly-wed Lindsay Davenport also advanced, the sixth seed beating Uzbekistan's Iroda Tulyaganova 7-5, 6-1, but 10th seed Jelena Dokic was not so fortunate, ousted by Slovenia's Tina Pisnik 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
"I'm struggling with my form and nothing seems to be working," the Yugoslav said.
Men's third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero advanced, but not before taking a swipe at the organisers after his second round match against Chile's Nicolas Massu was placed on one of the outside courts.
The Spaniard, beaten in the final last year by Albert Costa, is a favourite this year and was less than impressed when he found himself on the cramped quarters of the number two court.
"I feel I'd done well before arriving in Paris but I was placed on an outside court so maybe they don't consider me as one of the favourites," said the 23-year-old Ferrero after Massu retired midway through their match.
"To play in the second court is okay but a lot of people who wanted see the match couldn't get in."
Ferrero next meets Tim Henman. The four-times Wimbledon semi-finalist beat American Todd Martin 7-6, 5-7, 6-1, 7-5.
Henman is bidding to reach the fourth round for the first time at Roland Garros, but the task of overcoming Ferrero on Saturday is a gargantuan one.
Three-times champion Gustavo Kuerten humiliated Hicham Arazi 6-1, 6-0, 6-1. The Brazilian needed just 82 minutes to complete the annihilation on the Suzanne Lenglen court.
Kuerten, Roland Garros champion in 1997, 2000 and 2001, will next face Gaston Gaudio of Argentina.
"I think it was just one of those days," Kuerten said. "I knew how I was going to play the match before I got to the court."
