through his Davis Cup final clash with Juan Carlos Ferrero yesterday, allowing Spain to level the match 1-1.

Lleyton Hewitt had earlier given the defending champions a 1-0 lead with a 3-6 6-1 2-6 6-4 6-4 victory over Albert Costa.

Rafter was forced to pull out after receiving on-court treatment to both his thighs and his right arm. He was trailing 6-7 7-6 6-2 3-1.

The Spanish crowd showered the clay court in the Palau Sant Jordi with hundreds of yellow promotional mats as Rafter approached the net to shake Ferrero's hand.

Rafter, world number 15, had got off to a flying start, not losing a single point on his opening three service games. He did not threaten Ferrero's serve much either, but came from 4-0 down in the tiebreak to win seven points in a row and snatch the opener.

But Ferrero turned the tables on the twice US Open champion and levelled matters in a second set tiebreak before turning up the heat in the third set.

He broke twice to streak into a 5-1 lead. Rafter held but then received on-court treatment on his thighs and right arm.

A game later, Ferrero confidently served out. The Spanish world number 12 broke at the start of the fourth set, Rafter double-faulting at break-point under enormous pressure.

Rafter, increasingly immobile, was forced to go for winners and the inevitable errors crept in.

Ferrero kept it steady to reach 3-1 before Rafter quit to level the match going into today's doubles, when Juan Balcells and Alex Corretja will take on Mark Woodforde and Sandon Stolle.

The reverse singles will be played on Sunday, although there must now be a question mark over Rafter. Corretja could also be drafted in to face Hewitt.

In the opening match, Hewitt battled to a courageous victory over Costa and a savagely-hostile Spanish crowd.

"This is the best feeling I have ever had,'' the world number seven said afterwards. "It is a dream come true.'' Roared on by a near-hysterical crowd of around 12,000 red and yellow clad fans, Costa, ranked 26th in the world, strode into a 5-0 lead before Hewitt even registered on the scoreboard.

Lashing viciously-whipped forehands and bludgeoning flat backhands down the lines, 25-year-old Costa kept Hewitt on his back foot in all the opening exchanges.

But having lost the first set 6-3, the 19-year-old bit back with venom to win the second set and level matters 6-1.

Costa immediately dusted himself down, though, and won two breaks in the third. Looking physically the stronger of the two, Costa's second break saw him take the set 6-2.

Hewitt refused to buckle and snatched the fourth 6-4 in 55 minutes. He secured a vital break in the fifth game of the decider when Costa cracked on his third break point and fired a forehand way long.

Edging towards victory, Hewitt wobbled when serving for the match.

He dragged a high backhand into the net for 0-15 to the roars and cheers of the crowd.

A double-fisted backhand pushed into the net for 0-30 was greeted with equally vocal delight and when he double-faulted for 0-40 the stands exploded with noise.

That was the signal Hewitt needed to dig his heels in, though, and he fought back, each point won accompanied by a whoop of determination from the player, drowned out by whistling from the crowd.

They could not make him miss his stride, however, and an ace saw him register match point. He did not need a second chance and closed out before falling on his back elated and exhausted in the centre of the court.

Big win: Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt jumps in celebration of his crucial five-set victory over Spain's Albert Costa in the opening match of the Davis Cup final in Barcelona yesterday.