Australia's Lleyton Hewitt was knocked out of Queen's in a straight-sets defeat at the hands of French qualifier Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the second round.

Hewitt, the No.6 seed who had a first-round bye, was denied the chance to challenge for a record fifth Queen's title when the 22-year-old Tsonga won 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-2).

After going a set behind, world No.16 Hewitt seemed to lift the tempo, racing to a 3-0 lead in the second set.

But Tsonga, clawed his way back, breaking the former Wimbledon and US Open champion in the seventh game and then holding his next service game to love to level at 4-4.

Hewitt was a little lucky to go 40-30 up in the next game when Tsonga lost his footing, but won the next point to hold serve.

Tsonga converted his second break point in the 11th game when Hewitt hit a backhand into the net, but the Australian broke back immediately to force the second tiebreaker of the match.

Tsonga took a 3-0 lead that moved to 4-0 when Hewitt hit the ball long and it was called out, the decision confirmed by HawkEye after the Australian challenged it.

Tsonga had five match points when Hewitt hit a forehand return into the net and the Frenchman converted the second with a smash deep into the back of the court.

Tsonga, the world No.121 who won last week's Surbiton Trophy, will meet 18-year-old Croatian wildcard Marin Cilic in the third round.

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