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Lleyton's Press Conference

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#1 · (Edited)
DAVIS CUP - USA vs AUSTRALIA 1-4
16 Jul - 18 Jul 1999


July 13, 1999

Lleyton Hewitt

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Q. Lleyton, are you nervous about this? This is your first Davis Cup.

LLEYTON HEWITT: At the moment, it's a bit of daydream, I suppose, for me to be lining up against the States for the Centennial Match, and it's a big opportunity for me playing alongside Pat and Sandon and Woody and having Newk on the side of the court and working with Rochey the whole time. I'm looking forward to it at the moment. The nerves aren't setting in yet.

Q. Do you think you'll get more nervous as we get closer to the weekend?

LLEYTON HEWITT: For sure. Coming out Friday and playing, I'm going to be nervous for sure. It doesn't matter who I'm going to be playing against. It's my first Davis Cup match. I'm going to be nervous, I think, going out there.

PATRICK RAFTER: You can't keep saying that.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Anyway, once I get into the match, I think I'll be all right.

Q. Maybe your grammar will improve, too. (Laughing)

LLEYTON HEWITT: Maybe. You never know. I'll keep having Pat help me over here.

Q. Pat, does this tie feel different, special, because it's the Centennial Tie?

PATRICK RAFTER: Not really. Obviously, we're all feeling a bit of pressure, and we're concentrating more on the job that we have to do. I know I am, and I'm pretty sure Lleyton is and the boys are. We're just trying to focus on our matches, and the Centennial is just something that is obviously big. Maybe we can reflect on that after the tie's finished.

Q. Do you feel more pressure with the changes in the Australian line-up?

PATRICK RAFTER: No, not really at all. I'm very happy playing alongside Lleyton. He's had great performances and he has kicked my butt plenty of times this year. Obviously, without Flip and Todd here, it might make the team look a little bit disorganized, but I think we have enough good players to compensate for that. So we're all very happy with the team we have got.

Q. Are you disappointed that you possibly will not be facing Sampras in a singles?

PATRICK RAFTER: It's not really a disappointment. You know the team, he will be on the team. I think we are thinking that he still might play. But, first of all, I've got Jim in the first match and I'm concentrating all my attention on that. And I guess we'll check on Thursday to see who plays, if he does play. I think Thursday we'll know.

Q. So you don't necessarily believe that he's just going to play doubles?

PATRICK RAFTER: No, not at all.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Do you? (Laughing.)

Q. Would you expect him to play singles?

PATRICK RAFTER: I think you could say that. I don't think he's come all this way to sit on the sideline and watch.

Q. Lleyton, when you were 16 and playing matches, you said that at that time you weren't nervous; you were just excited to be there. At what point did you start getting nervous in matches?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably it started when I had to go back into Adelaide. Up to then, I really had nothing to lose and everything to gain. And sort of I started getting a little bit nervous, sort of defending that title, and I had higher expectations on me going into Adelaide. But I think I'm handling it pretty well. (Laughter.) Can you shut up? (Laughter.) I think I'm handling it pretty well at the moment, apart from the media side. (Laughter.)

Q. Pat, I'm just wondering how you feel coming off of Wimbledon. You had a real great Wimbledon. Mark was playing really well. It was a disappointing loss. Where is your mindset now?

PATRICK RAFTER: I didn't look at the match as a real disappointment. I thought Andre played a very good match. So... I had a few days off. I was just really happy to finally crack through at Wimbledon. I'd been on a break there for a few years, now I feel like I can be a real part of that tournament now and in the future as well. I've come off that tournament with a lot of confidence. I had a few days off. I got here, trained with the boys, I'm back on a familiar surface, I like this hard court. It feels good to be on this hard court.

Q. Do you have any preference about you playing doubles?

PATRICK RAFTER: No. Not really. I'm very confident in them doing the job, and then I'm also ready to play if Newk and Rochey want to change things up or whatever. I feel fit enough to do that.

Q. (Inaudible)... What was going through your mind at the time when you went from the 700s to where you are?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No. I was 700 in the world. Just luckily, I was playing a Perth challenger one week. Next thing I knew, I was playing Agassi in the Semifinal. And, really, I suppose it all happened too quick for me to realize that I've jumped 600 spots. But I suppose the biggest part is being the second year, I haven't really fallen down yet. I had a great start for the year and hopefully it continues in the second half of the year.

Q. Lleyton, you went back to Adelaide after Wimbledon. What was your reaction? What was your feeling when you heard you had to get back here quick and you were going to be playing Davis Cup?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I suppose it's a dream for me to play Davis Cup. Once I have that opportunity, I'm going to take it with both hands now. And I only spent three days at home, I came back and played, started training with Rochey here this morning. And, you know, I think it's a big step for me. It's a big step for me. I'm just glad sort of Newk and Rochey put me in the right stead. They've made me work over the years, being the orange boy and that. I know what I have to do to get into the Davis Cup. I feel a part of it now as well.

Q. We might have seen a little bit right there. Is there any kind of hazing that goes on when an 18-year-old kid comes on and is playing his first Davis Cup match? Does he have to carry everyone's bags or anything like that?

ANDREW ILIE: We have to carry the bags out of the car at the hotels.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Does Lleyton have to?

Q. Yeah.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: He's been part of the Davis Cup Sports since he's been 15. We've had him at nearly every match since then. So he's really been blooded for this occasion, whenever it came. And I think he thought and we thought it would be maybe some time next year, so it's come a little bit early. But he's been totally prepared, and he's seen a lot and observed a lot and he's a great observer, as people who become champions are. So I think to go back to your question, he's going to be nervous, but it will be a good type of nervous. It will be match nervous and settle down after a couple of games. But he'll probably have to play Pete first up, which is a pretty big thing when you're coming in here for the Davis Cup match.

Q. Do you think Pete will play singles?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: I would be very surprised if he didn't.

Q. He's got until Thursday, doesn't he, to really make that announcement -- for them to make that announcement?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: From what the boys are saying, it's a team decision. So if you're on a team and you want to win the match -- I think Jim said it in the paper this morning -- the objective is to beat the Australians and win three matches before they do. Why would you have Pete sitting on the bench? I'm not trying to force him to play, I hope he stays on the bench for three days. (Laughter.)

Q. Could I ask a question of Mark. Does it feel strange to not have Todd here for this one?

MARK WOODFORDE: Yeah, of course it feels a little strange. Todd and I have had a partnership that's extended over many years. The Davis Cup has been an important part of that partnership. It does feel a little bit weird, but then again there's great support with the other guys that are here, and, you know, it's business as usual. Todd's not here, so I've got to play with someone else. Hopefully, I'll be playing with someone else and get the job done.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Todd was there in '96, was injured against Croatia and Mark played with Pat.

Q. Why isn't he here? Why isn't Todd here?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: He's had a slight arm problem the last couple of months, but that's not the main reason. They're having a little bit of a rough trot in the doubles. His singles ranking has gone way down; he lost the first round in the French and at Wimbledon had a really tight match. Todd had a couple of points there where he -- very important points -- where he had the opportunity to win the point, and he felt that he really tightened up, and he just didn't feel he was up to this. And it's not him as an individual here; it's him as a team and he's playing for his country. He made the decision that he'd rather not put that at risk. So it was his call. He made the call.

Q. Because he's not confident enough?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: He just doesn't feel that he's got enough confidence to weather the storm that will be here.

Q. Mark, was that discussed with you? I assume he talked to you about this as well, about his decision making?

MARK WOODFORDE: Yeah, I guess I had a little bit of an idea, and, I mean, it's not up to me whether he comes and plays or not. It was his decision, as Newk pointed out. He probably had a more in-depth conversation with Newk about where he stands than he did with me. But that's all I can say.

Q. John, how do you feel about this? What are your thoughts right now? How do you feel? Nervous, edgy-wise or confidence-wise with the injuries?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Well, obviously, Philippoussis was starting to play pretty well there at Wimbledon. It looked like he was heading into his best run. So things were looking very good. Then he went out. And then a couple of days later, Todd made his decision. So most teams wouldn't be able to come up with anything from there, but we've got one of the best doubles players in the world in Sandon, and Pat played with Mark in doubles against Croatia and they teamed up terrific there and won in three straight sets and were an obvious combination, as Sandon and Mark are an obvious combination. So we're very lucky to have that. And then we're lucky to have someone with Lleyton's ability, as yet unproven in Davis Cup, but you never know with a young bloke like that if he's -- he can sort of just go up like that.

Q. He's probably entering with no pressure, especially if he's playing Pete in the first round. If he loses, it's expected.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: He's got nothing to lose. He's not expected to win that one. His big test is if it comes down to the wire on the third day and he plays Jim in the deciding match. That should be fun.

Q. Sandon, your thoughts, your views, the fact that you're likely to play doubles over here? Where would you put this with some of the other results like winning the U.S. Open, et cetera?

SANDON STOLLE: Well, for me, it's a good opportunity. The year's gone well up until this point. I've played with Pat in Dusseldorf when we won that event. That was a great experience. Then coming in and me having a chance to play, it's obviously a dream to play for the country. I'm looking forward to it. So if it happens, I just want to go out and put my guts out on the court and hopefully have a win in the first match.

Q. John, I was just wondering, do you have mixed feelings about this site? I know this was supposed to be in Australia then got changed. Also, this place holds special memories for you. What are your thoughts about coming back here to Longwood to play this match?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Yeah. It's like coming back 35 years, isn't it? Nothing's changed. (Laughing) No, this was a place where we played some great matches over the years. I think the last time I had the doubles here was in '67, Rochey and I won it. Next year, '68, we played a pro tournament here with the ones that were contract pros there, and I think Tony and I played a really long five setter, I think he won the next two 12-10, 13-11, something like 6-4. And Rocco (phonetic spelling?) beat me in the Final. I think Tony won the tournament here in 70 or '71. We've got a lot of memories in Boston, which are all good ones. Hopefully, we'll leave at the end of this weekend with some good memories that we want to remember.

Q. Has a lot changed since then?

JOHN NEWCOMBE: No way.

Q. You said Todd made his decision a couple of days after Mark was injured in Wimbledon. You've been sitting on that a couple of days. Did you think you could you change his mind or --

JOHN NEWCOMBE: I wanted him to think about it for a couple of days and see how he felt. But if Todd's been there 97 percent of the time since Tony and I have been there and we haven't lost a doubles in five and a half years, since the first tie we had against Russia, and that's with -- mainly with Todd and Mark playing, so we wanted him here. But he had to make the call. And you've got to respect him for making that call. It's a big, big decision. If someone else does really well, it may cost him his spot. So it's a big opportunity for someone else to step up to the plate. It's a big call for Todd, and I respect him for making it and you've got to go with it.

Q. How are you doing up there, Andrew?

ANDREW ILIE: Are you talking to me? (Laughter.) All right. Here we go. (Laughter.)

Q. It must be good for you to be part of this, the whole team and the whole atmosphere, even if you don't get a gig? How many shirts have you ripped in practice, mate?

ANDREW ILIE: I just want to say that, you know, God forbid I get a chance to play... (Laughter.) I really would feel sorry for the fellow that plays me. That's all I have to say. So they better be praying that I don't make the court, because there will be hell to pay for everybody, so... But, no, answering your question, it's an honor, although it's pretty sad that there are a couple of injuries on the team, I'm really glad to be part of the team, and, you know, just practicing with the boys and being on the team. Hopefully, I hope I'm not going to get to play because that means we're going to have other injuries there. So I just hope that this weekend will go well, and we'll see how it goes.

JOHN NEWCOMBE: Andrew and I have been talking about if something happens and he does have to play, I'm wondering how I'm going to talk to him to change his image. He goes through the days like this -- (Laughter.)

ANDREW ILIE: It's all the drugs that I take. (Laughter.)

JOHN NEWCOMBE: He closes his eyes and goes back like that. I don't know how I'm going to get inside his head.

ANDREW ILIE: It's pretty difficult. (Laughter.) I don't know how I get inside my head sometimes. Thanks. I'd like to thank you for putting a question to me. I really appreciate it. You made my day. Thank you. (Laughter.)
 
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#253 ·
THE ARTOIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 12, 2008, 3rd Round

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/P. Mathieu
6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions.


Q. Pleased with that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It was good. He always comes out firing every time I've played him in the past. When I've seen him play at his best, he's a great ball-striker off both sides. You know, when he's serving well, it's tough because he puts a lot of pressure always on your service games. He's a very good return-of-serve player and moves well.
It was kind of like weathering the storm out there a little bit. But I knew I was going to get my opportunities. That's why he's not top five, top ten in the world. Nine times out of ten, he can't keep that standard up for a whole match.

Q. Three matches in, how do you feel you're progressing?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, not too bad. I got through all in straight sets so far. Malisse and Mathieu are both dangerous opponents. They're both extremely flashy and good ball strikers. Yeah, to beat those guys. Today I felt like from 4-1 down, I was able to turn it around. You know, I served extremely well. I put pressure on nearly every one of his service games from then on in. It was a pretty good result.

Q. How big a part does confidence play in your sport? Lots of other sports, they talk about when you're confident, the better they do.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think confidence has a lot to do with winning. You watch a guy like Federer, Nadal, these guys, even Djokovic now, when you are confident, win a lot of big matches, you get in those situations, you're sort of on autopilot out there. Especially Federer backs himself every time when he gets in a tight situation. That just comes from self-belief and confidence. He's been able to do it against the best guys for a number of years now. It's second nature to him.

Q. Obviously you had your time as world No. 1. Towards the end of that there must be a period where somebody chips an odd result against you here or there. That's happened to Federer this year. Will that make an impact on him, do you think?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Hard to say. Obviously a guy like Djokovic is young. Nadal is young, but he's been around for a lot of years now. Djokovic coming up, he's played pretty good tennis against Roger when they've played on all surfaces.
You know, you watch these young guys, even Andy Murray has played well against him, a young guy. But, yeah, Roger still does it in the big tournaments when it really counts. That's why he's still No. 1.

Q. I hate to throw it back when you're trying to build your confidence up at the moment. Can you talk about what it feels like when that bit of invincibility you built up is suddenly being chipped away?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. The game always keeps improving. For me, even when I was No. 1, I felt like there were still areas of my game I could work on and improve. Something I've been trying to do over the last couple years, but had hiccups with a couple of niggling injuries that I haven't been able to put those match, get it back to back really. Roger took the game to a new level. I was No. 1. Roddick was No. 1 for a couple of months. Roger has really taken the game to a new level since then. Rafa is extremely unlucky not to have gotten to No. 1.

Q. On the basis that nothing is forever, Rafa is the next in line to make the big challenge?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Personally I'd hope so because he's a great guy. What he's done, how he plays on all surfaces, he deserves to be world No. 1. There's no doubt that his name should be up there with the greats of the game.

Q. Roddick today said you would still be a big threat at Wimbledon. Do you feel that yourself?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I feel like I'm definitely capable of playing against those big guys. I know what it takes to win seven matches there, as well. I feel over five sets that's where the best of me comes, in the Grand Slams. That's what I play for. My best tennis always comes out in those situations over five sets.
Yeah, I'll go in there quietly confident, but hopefully I can get a few more matches here.

Q. Does defeat hurt you as much now as when you were almost invincible?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think so. It's probably more so a couple of my losses this year have been sort of through playing injured, not being a hundred percent out there. That's probably more disheartening in a lot of ways because I felt like I've been hitting the ball extremely well, but haven't been a hundred percent out there to be able to compete. For me competing is one of my biggest assets.
Yeah, that's the tough thing.

Q. When you used to go out there as world No. 1, can I assume you thought you would win the match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I go out in every match and think I can win the match (smiling).

Q. You still maintain that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Absolutely. I think I've done it enough times against the best players in the world. Last year I was one point away from beating Nadal on clay and one point away from beating Djokovic at Wimbledon and a couple points away of beating Federer at Cincinnati on hard courts. When I put it all together, I'm not too far away. Got to get my body right first. That would make life a lot easier.

Q. The Andy seems to get the odd injury cropping up now and then.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he was unlucky. That wrist injury, what he did last year, it was very unlucky. It was like Becker at Wimbledon a few years back. He just hit the wrong shot at the wrong time and did his wrist. That's a pretty unlucky injury for him.

Q. With today's match, 1-4 down, what do you think actually clicked in? What turned it around?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I started serving a little bit better, for sure. Even in the first game of the match, I had breakpoint, then I had 30-All and deuce in his second service game of the match. I knew I was going to get opportunities on his service games. It was a matter of just hanging in there and trying to get my serve on track, get that first break back, then try and build from there.

Q. 2002, winning here, going to Wimbledon and winning there, seem like yesterday or a long time ago?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A bit of both. Some days it's different. When I come back here, it doesn't feel like that long ago, no. But probably when you're away, you're grinding out on the tour, it feels like a while away.

Q. When you pull up in the car at Wimbledon, what do you feel when you get out? Another year has gone by or it's still very special?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Both of those. Amazing how quickly the years go by nowadays. For me, it's one of my favorite tournaments, as I said, if not my favorite, Wimbledon. I love it. It's built more and more over the years. Since I obviously started doing well there and won matches, you really feel the tradition walking in there. To me it's one of the greatest places to play tennis.
Yeah, it's one of the reasons you keep playing the game, too.

Q. Is the locker room attendant the same bloke from years ago?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's a new one that's taken over in the members locker room. There's a couple Aussies in there, as well, which is nice.

Q. A place you go to and think, I'm home?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, pretty much. I feel pretty comfortable when I get there.

Q. You look at the next round. Obviously you don't know who you have. Do you look at the two players individually? You'd have another crack at Djokovic on grass.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's probably improved from last year at Wimbledon. He's a great all-court player nowadays. He comes in well, has a big first serve. I lost to him at the Aussie Open as well. I know how he plays. It's a matter of me going out and executing against him. Tipsarevic is very hot and cold. He's flashy. I think he beat Murray here a couple years ago on grass. Grass definitely isn't his worst surface. He moves extremely well and can generate a lot of pace from both sides.

Q. Think back to the Davis Cup match against him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. That was the last time I played him. That was on one of the slowest clay courts I ever played on. It will be a totally different matchup to that.
 
#254 ·
THE ARTOIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 13, 2008, QF

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

N. DJOKOVIC/L. Hewitt
6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton.


Q. You weren't quite able to launch a comeback like you did yesterday. What do you put that down to today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he served a lot better than I did, you know, throughout the whole match, especially on big points. I felt like I was able to get into quite a few of his service games, got to deuce a couple of times even in the first set, and then obviously had three breakpoints in a long game there to break back in the second.
He served well on the big points. I gave him too many looks at second serves. I got off to a slow start, as well, and didn't take it to him probably as much as I could have I think early in the first set.
Yeah, he's as good a ball-striker as there is around right at the moment. And when you let him dictate, he's a very good player.

Q. Did you notice differences in his game on grass this time to Wimbledon last year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, not a whole heap. He didn't make a lot of unforced errors out there today, though. Last year he served well, as well, on the big points. He's been doing that since he got to the top 10, top 5 in the world. He does that fairly consistently, hits a lot of lines out there, especially on his first serve.
He didn't give a lot of cheap points away out there today. But, you know, I didn't quite put him under enough pressure to be able to -- to put him under that pressure to have him give me a couple of easy points, as well.

Q. Does a loss like that make you feel like you've still got quite a way to go for Wimbledon or are you encouraged by how you've played this week?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It was a strange match because I actually felt like I started hitting the ball pretty well towards the end of the match there. Yeah, he's obviously extremely confident right at the moment. Every time he steps on the court, no matter what surface it's on, he's always going to be a tough player to come up against.
The big difference today was the serving. He served a lot better than I did. If I could have put him under a little bit more pressure and stayed with him early in both sets, then that could have made life a little bit more difficult for him.

Q. Everyone is talking about the aftermath of that final in Paris last week, if the two of them meet up again in the Wimbledon final. Obviously Novak is a contender now, isn't he?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, last year he obviously beat me in a tough match, then beat Baghdatis in a tough match, took the first set off Nadal before he forfeited in the semi of Wimbledon. Up till then he hadn't really had great success on grass.
Yeah, he's just going to get more and more confidence I think playing on grass over the years. He moves as well as anyone out there, as well. He can flatten the ball out, make life tough for both Roger and Rafa, I think.

Q. How is the injury, the hip injury?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's still hanging around there a little bit. I don't expect it to disappear overnight. Yeah, it's a matter of just getting on the court, trying to get through as well as possible.

Q. Does the hip rule out the golf course?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't played golf for a few months. I haven't actually tested it with golf. When I was home, I couldn't do much for a couple of months really. Haven't been able to test it. But I won't be testing it before Wimbledon.

Q. Normally next week...

LLEYTON HEWITT: I played once last year here. Yeah, I don't think I'll be going out this year.

Q. Next week will just be practice? Will you play a couple of matches in the exhibition?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not sure. At this stage just practice. I'm happy with the matches I got this week. A couple areas to still work on. Yeah, once I get over to Wimbledon hopefully in a week's time, I'll have more confidence on the grass, as well.

Q. Is there a difference at Aorangi and Wimbledon compared to here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's a little bit. I'm not exactly sure what it is, though. That's the hardest thing. But it's definitely a little bit of difference. It probably starts a little bit longer I'd say at Wimbledon, but it's got to last two weeks as well, whereas here it's only a week's tournament. The first couple days at Wimbledon, it's probably a little bit longer than they need to have it here.
 
#255 ·
WIMBLEDON

June 23, 2008, 1st Round

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/R. Haase
6-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Lleyton Hewitt. We'll take the first question, please.


Q. Obviously a very tough match. Good to get through.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, you know, tried to do as much homework before the match. Spoke to quite a few players. I'd never really seen him play that much before. And, you know, all the guys I spoke to and had played against him said he was a very dangerous player.
So, you know, I was expecting a tough match out there today. Yeah, he served extremely well for five sets. Perhaps, you know, lost his first-serve percentage a little bit in the fifth set, which I had to take advantage of.
But apart from that, you know, he's got a lot of firepower from both sides as well.

Q. Does it get harder to come through five-set matches like that as you get older, do you think?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yes and no. But, you know, if I get into a fifth set I'm feeling pretty confident. So, you know, obviously I was disappointed that I lost the fourth set because I felt like I had the whole momentum in the fourth set. I just wasn't quite able to get those, you know, little chances or take those chances throughout the fourth set.
But, you know, obviously he came out and won it in a tiebreak. You know, I was a little thankful that I was going to be advantage in the fifth set.

Q. Do you think it was your experience that counted against his maybe?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit. I lost serve once for the match, and that was only at 5-1 in the third set, I think. So apart from that I really didn't feel like I was under pressure a lot on my service games, and I felt like I was putting a lot more pressure on his.
That's the good thing about five sets out there. The fifth set is an advantage set. Even though he played a couple of great sets where I couldn't break his serve, I was still able to get, you know, through.

Q. These are pretty crucial times for the ATP. Are you satisfied with the board election that took place this weekend? Do you favor retaining Etienne de Villiers as the chairman or would you like to see a change at the top?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I didn't I still don't know anything about the board, who is on the board or the council. To tell you the truth, I haven't been that worried about it, especially this week.
Yeah, right at the moment I haven't been on the tour leading into the French Open, whatever, when the guys were having a lot of talk about what should probably be going on in that. Right at the moment I'm not too fussed.

Q. Does it worry you that it was that hard a game on day one? Does it affect your confidence at all about how far you can go this time?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. When you sit down at the start of the tournament, to win the tournament, you have to win seven best-of-five matches. You got to get through those seven matches somehow.
Every opponent's different, and my opponent on Wednesday's gonna be -- it's gonna be chalk and cheese with the guy that I played today in terms of my whole strategy against him. They're both styles of play as well. You really have to focus on that match that you have to come up against.

Q. Do your expectations lower as you get further away from 2002?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really, no.

Q. When you say "chalk and cheese," what do you remember of Montanes from the last time you played him two years ago?

LLEYTON HEWITT: On grass he doesn't have the biggest serve. He's not going to serve me off the court like this guy could potentially today. Yeah, he's got a sneaky sort of slice serve out there and then a pretty good kick second serve, but you're always going to have a shot at it.
The toughest thing, he's a clay court specialist, there's no doubt about that. He's going to have a good forehand and he moves well. But, you know, he's not going to feel that comfortable on grass, which is a good thing.

Q. How, specifically, does the hip affect you when you're playing? Is it about speed? Is it about direction?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit of everything, yeah. It's sort of -- yeah, every shot pretty much at different times. Obviously, when I've got to move and get in certain positions, then it's a lot worse obviously.
But it's not just one position that, you know, I sort of say, yeah, that's it. That's where I feel it, so...

Q. Could you estimate what percentage fitness you are at at the moment?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to put a number on it really. Right at the moment I'm probably a little worse than four hours ago (smiling). But, yeah, it's hard to put a number on it. But come Wednesday I'll be fine.

Q. What do you do treatment-wise between now and then?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's not a whole lot I can really do to turn it around in such short notice. It's more ice, massage, yeah, just stretching, trying to not make it any worse in the next 24 hours, 48 hours.

Q. How many foot faults were you called for? How distracting is that to you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure how many got called in the end. The more distracting part is probably, yeah, after you get called once you stand back a bit further obviously, because for some reason there's only one person that kept calling. We played two and a half sets without that one person when they changed people, and then the same bloke came back again and I got done again.
That was my query to Fergus Murphy in the chair. Even when that other person down the other baseline end wasn't calling foot faults. And then we swapped and got two totally new people when they changed linespeople and they both didn't call it.
Then this bloke's come back again and called it, so that was my biggest query.

Q. Was he right to call your conduct unsportsmanlike?

LLEYTON HEWITT: When I tapped the ball over to him?

Q. Whatever the guy in the chair called you unsportsmanlike for.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. After I held serve I just tapped the ball across. It didn't touch him.

Q. Was it a fair call by him, or not?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I would doubt it. No, I would be fighting that.

Q. When you come back each year, do you have any sense of how many more Wimbledons you have left in you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I guess more so probably with injuries you're just never sure what's around the corner. Obviously coming here this year, yeah, for me two months ago, there were probably a few doubts that I'd be able to play here. Speaking to doctors and getting scans and that.
I had to make decisions on where I felt I was at and whether it was, you know, too much risk to come and play here and the French Open.
So, yeah, probably more so from an injury front you just don't know what's around the corner. But in terms of playing, yeah, doesn't cross my mind. I'm thankful that I'm here this year and enjoying it.

Q. I think I'm right that you were hitting with Andy Murray over the weekend here.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, we warmed up one day.

Q. Can you give us an indication, did his game seem pretty sharp to you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, we didn't do anything the day we hit. It was blowing a hurricane yesterday, so... It was very hard to judge where Andy's at just on that hit. Obviously he's got an outside chance of doing well here and going into the second week of a Grand Slam.
I don't think he's made a quarterfinal of a Grand Slam yet. I have no idea what his draw's like. But potentially with the way that he plays, he moves extremely well on this surface, he's got a shot.

Q. Do you have any advice for Gooch, whose Grand Slam record is a bit underwhelming at this point, and he had another disappointing loss today. Do you speak to him at all about how he can turn things around? He is obviously the successor to you clearly when you do go.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I only just found out before I walked in here that he'd lost today. Yeah, it's a tough one. Playing a lucky loser, I don't know when he would have found out that he's playing a different guy. I don't know if he knew much about the guy, as well.
It's a tough situation in that, but there's no doubt that he's got to take advantage of that, as well. So, yeah, he's been a little under the weather this whole week, as well, which isn't the best thing. But over five sets on this surface, he'd have to like his chances.
Yeah, even if he's not feeling a hundred percent he's got to try and find a way to get through those matches in Grand Slams. That's where he's really got to get to that next level, that's what he needs to do.

Q. What do you think of your draw with Federer in the fourth round?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not even focused on that at the moment. I got to get there.

Q. Doesn't wake you up in the middle of the night?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I might play him in the final if I was in the other half. I'm not sure what you're getting to.

Q. Do you spend much time with the sort of up-and-coming kids in Australia like Bernard Tomic?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't spent a lot with Bernard. He was at our last Davis Cup tie. That was pretty much the first time I met him, seen him around at all. I probably spent more time. Out of the juniors, probably Brydan Klein over the last couple years, purely because he's been at Davis Cup ties, I've been able to hit with him quite a bit.
You try and help them out as much as possible. I've had some of the younger guys come across to my house in Sydney and hit there as well. Yeah, when it fits in, it's good for them, and it's good for me, as well.
 
#256 ·
WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2008, 2nd Round

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/A. Montanes
7-6, 6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Lleyton Hewitt. First question, please.


Q. Given how tough it was the other day, how much of a bonus was it for you today to get through so quickly?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was good to get through in straight sets. You know, first set was difficult, though, because it was such a different opponent to the other day. He was serving well. It was hard to get into his service games.
When I did get 15-30 or Love-30 a couple of times in the first set he came out with some good first serves. You know, he's got a very underrated serve. It's not the best serve, it's not the biggest out there, but it's very hard to do anything with.
As the match went on, though, I felt more and more comfortable with how I was playing.

Q. How is the hip feeling?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, same as it's been the last couple of months.

Q. Did it pull up all right from your first match? You said it all depended on how it pulled up.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it pulled up like I expected, so...

Q. Would you be surprised if Bolelli gets through here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I wouldn't be surprised. I think it could go either way. González is hit-and-miss sometimes, as well. You're just not a hundred percent sure what you got.
I played Bolelli here in the second round last year. Even the score line says it was a lot easier than the match was, though. He's improved a lot over the last probably six, eight months, especially on clay.
You know, whichever guy I come up against I have to go up a notch or two on today.

Q. After the first set, what was the switch? You won nine games in a row from there.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, for the most part I felt pretty comfortable on my service games. But I started, you know, just giving myself a little bit more time on his serve, like standing back a little bit further, just getting myself into the point.
I felt like through the first set I just wasn't picking his serve up enough. When I did get it back, I was giving him the chance to dictate straightaway. I wanted to try to get myself into the point a lot more, and I did that really well in the tiebreak, especially the end of the tiebreak, to win that.
He was a little bit more despondent, I guess, as well at the start of the second set after losing the close tiebreak.

Q. If it came down to it, do you think your body would have seven matches in it over these two weeks?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'd like to think so, yeah. I've played with pain before. As long as it doesn't get too much worse, you know, I can handle it.

Q. What do you do to block it out of your mind? Obviously it's always there. You've got to do something to get through it. What do you do?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, I feel it most of the time when I'm out there. It's just a matter of blocking it out, not dwelling on it too much, I guess, not worrying about it. Unless it got to the stage where I actually couldn't walk out there, you know, I'm gonna keep trying.

Q. Just to try to get an understanding of what you are feeling, can you rate the pain on a scale of 1 to 10?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard. Yeah, sometimes it's worse than others. It's hard to put a finger on it.

Q. You're a guy who had a lot of success when you were young, like Novak. When you start to go consistently deep at majors and then have a setback, what do you do to regroup?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, I didn't see a point of the match, so it's hard to tell. Yeah, of course he'd be disappointed because he's been playing unbelievable tennis all this year.
When Marat's on, he's on, as well. I assume he must have played pretty good out there today. He's a tough player to come up against on any surface when he's on.
Yeah, I guess it will make him more hungry to come back here next year. You got to take some positives out of it. The way he played at Queen's was pretty positive, I think, on a grass court.

Q. You and Marat are sort of the same generation. Older guys still making a little bit of noise here.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm really happy for Marat. I get along really well with him. I've practiced a lot with him the last couple of years, but probably more so this year, as well.
I played him in Las Vegas earlier this year. I kind of felt sorry for him on the court. He was terrible. So for him to come out and be able to turn it around and play like this in a big tournament, yeah, it's fantastic for him, really is.

Q. One of your old coaches, Stolz, has had a bit to say about Tennis Australia, what is and isn't being done at the moment. Do you have any thoughts on the current state of development in Australia, and is there something that's not being done that you'd like to see done or vice versa?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's hard. You know, Stolz, I respect Stolz a hell of a lot. I think he's very switched on. Yeah, you've got to listen to some of his comments. I think purely the fact that Stolz, he doesn't make comments that often. He's a very reserved guy. So, obviously, yeah, there's something there that he's not too happy with.
Yeah, Stolz is the kind of guy that wants the best for Australian tennis. He came up in a system where we had a lot of guys doing well. For me, there's no doubt that more guys like Stolz have to be in the system to produce better players. We've got so many great players in the past in Australian tennis. We've got to use 'em.
Apart from that, I haven't had a lot to do with the day-to-day running of it, though.

Q. If we could go back to your hip. You're obviously sore now having come off the court. How do you feel compared to where you thought you'd be or were hoping to be at this stage of the tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I feel fine. I feel like I was expecting to be around the mark where I am at the moment. Yeah, it's not gonna go away overnight. It wasn't going to go away between the French Open and Wimbledon.
Yeah, for me, there hasn't been a whole lot of difference in the last couple weeks, which that's a good thing right at the moment.
 
#257 ·
WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2008

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/S. Bolelli
6-1, 6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Lleyton Hewitt. We'll take the first question, please.


Q. Is it intimidating having to play Roger Federer, or do you treat him differently to any other player?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Obviously, you treat him a little bit different. You know, you got to work out tactics. Last five years no one's been able to get it right here. Rafa's come close the last couple.
But, yeah, no one else has really got that close to him. So, yeah, you got to treat it a little bit differently.

Q. Do you go to bed thinking, I've got to play my best tennis? Is that what you have to aim for?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm going to have to play extremely well, yeah. Whether my absolute best, I don't know. A lot depends on how he plays, as well.

Q. What will you need to do well to beat him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, not sure. Obviously, you know, serve and return on grass are, you know, two huge keys. Yeah, if I can serve well and take care of my service games, you know, I'll get some opportunities. I won't get a lot obviously, you know, because of the caliber of player that he is.
But, you know, I'll probably get some chances. Against a guy like Roger, you really have to take those half chances when you get them, because you're not going to get a lot of them.

Q. Coming into this tournament there's a lot of talk about Roger going more susceptible or vulnerable. Do you buy into that at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I think, you know, he feels very comfortable. He's played all his matches on Centre Court so far again this year. He feels right at home on that stage.
You know, we're probably going to be out there Monday. Yeah, he's won 60 something matches now on grass, on this surface. So, I think -- you know, whether if he plays Rafa on grass, you know, because of what Rafa did to him at the French Open.
But in terms of him playing anyone else, I think he's gonna, you know, still have that aura and that self-confidence, I guess, behind him.

Q. You've played through injuries here, of course. Did you see what Tiger Woods did recently at the U.S. Open, and what are your thoughts on what he did? Any parallels?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I love watching Tiger play. He's one of my favorite sportsmen. What he did was incredible. I don't really know if anyone else would have been able to do it. Yeah, not only to play four rounds and then go out and play a fifth day.
Yeah, that's the kind of stage that was set up perfectly for him. It really was. Yeah, no one else on this planet, I don't think, could have got through with the win, coming down the 18th in regulation like he did.

Q. Through the years, how has your approach to injuries changed in regards to letting on to opponents, not letting on, complaining about them or not complaining about them?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I don't complain about injuries too much. Yeah, I think that comes from a football background. You don't show when you're hurt. It's the same out on the court. Very rarely do I give away signs if I'm hurting at all.

Q. How come?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Signs of weakness.

Q. Does the extra day help?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Doesn't matter either way, I don't think, for either of us. Yeah, after three straight sets against Montanes I felt comfortable out there today on the court. Felt like it's the best I've moved since I've been on grass today.
So, yeah, an extra day, it doesn't really matter.

Q. How would you compare your feeling about divulging information about injuries and the way you handle it with other people you've observed on the tour?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm not too sure. You know, I don't think a lot of people talk about injuries too much. You know, they sort of try to keep it to themselves.
Yeah, obviously there's not a lot I can do about my situation at the moment, because it's well-documented. After every match you're asked questions about it and you got to answer questions. Yeah, I try play the cards pretty close to my chest, though.

Q. Tactic-wise, how much of a difference can it make to have Roger's former coach on your side now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, Rochey's obviously going to know a lot. There's no doubt about that. But, yeah, you've still got to go out there and execute it as well, and, you know, not play into Roger's hands too much.
Yeah, it can only help. Yeah, for sure. But it's not the absolute, you know, key to success. You've still got to go out there and do it.

Q. Concerning today's match, what do you think about Bolelli? Did you see any difference from last year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's definitely improved. Like I said the other day, I think the last six to eight months he's really improved. He's had a lot more consistent results, week in and week out, on the tour.
He played really well at the French Open. Probably didn't quite grab the opportunity that was handed to him, though. I think he ended up losing to Llodra in a very winnable match.
So, you know, for him to take that next step he really has to take those chances. Yeah, I felt comfortable in the tactics that Rochey and I came up with. I executed perfectly out there today. I didn't do too much wrong.

Q. Both you and Roger are so experienced on grass. How do you think that's going to influence your match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not a lot. We both know our strengths and weaknesses, I think, of each other. We've played enough times. We've played a couple of times here at Wimbledon, as well, in quarters and semis of this tournament.
So, yeah, not a lot. We both feel comfortable playing, you know, on the big stage here at Wimbledon.

Q. In terms of a mindset against him, do you go into the match thinking that this is the type of challenge you play for, or do you try and treat it like you would any other match mentally?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Uhm, no, this is what you play for. There's no doubt about it. Especially in my situation, you know, these are the matches I enjoy. Yeah, it's good to get out there and play on Centre Court, play against the best player in the world.

Q. Do you think that helps you to find something more to bring to the match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I hope so. We won't know until Monday. But, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Specifically, other than Roger just improving immensely since when you were getting over on him consistently, what parts of his game do you think really, really improved?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, the last five years or so he's been consistently at such a high level. His whole game's improved. But, you know, obviously his movement probably doesn't get a lot of credit really. He's a great mover on the court. He cuts down angles extremely well out there.
Yeah, we all know about his shot-making. But, you know, he changes pace extremely well, especially off his backhand, just to mix it up, which is probably better than anyone else on the tour.
And he serves to -- he serves well on big points, but he serves well to his game, you know, to set up the point in his favor, which he probably does better than anyone else.

Q. Do you feel like you have to play a little bit outside of yourself in the match, or is that sort of a risk, because you don't want to get out of your own comfort zone, too?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, to a degree maybe, yeah, play a little bit differently, or change it up against Roger. If you're just playing in his comfort zone then he's going to enjoy that. Yeah, he does enjoy dictating play, you know, playing off when the ball is in his court and he can dictate, have you going side to side and changing pace and changing direction and all that different stuff. That's when he's at his best.

Q. He remembers your first match at 15-year-olds. Do you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, we played in Switzerland actually. Yeah, that was a long time ago, on clay.

Q. Do you remember who won?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He won, yeah, in three sets, I think.

Q. You've played him since Tony Roche has been your coach?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I played him. Rochey wasn't there. We just started working together end of last year.

Q. Of all the streaks that you're aware of in sport, and tennis specifically, how do you rate 62 straight wins on grass, five straight Wimbledon crowns?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's up there. It's hard to compare I guess with Rafa's run on clay there for a while. He got to 80 odd wins on clay, and now he's won nearly every Masters Series and four French Opens.
Yeah, they're both unbelievable feats. There's so many good players out there, not to have one bad day in those five years of big matches on grass going out there, especially when, yeah, everyone is trying to knock you off, as well.
So, you know, not to have a slip up over five sets is a lot harder, I guess. In those smaller matches where you have a couple of tiebreak sets, in Halle and that where Roger has played in the past, it's pretty impressive.

Q. When you watch Federer and Nadal, what strikes you the most in the way of differences and similarities?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, in similarity, probably the only similar thing between those two is they know how to win. Apart from that, their personalties, their games, everything is completely different. Yeah, that's good for tennis.

Q. A while back you had some really nice wins over Roger. At that time, if someone said that this guy was going to step it up and take it to you 11 straight times, what would you have said to them?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he obviously had the potential to be a great player. Yeah, I don't think anyone could predict how good he was going to be, how many Grand Slams he'd win. Yeah, the last time I beat him was in Davis Cup, and that was after he'd won Wimbledon that year.
Last time I beat him I knew how good a player he was already then. He'd already won a Grand Slam, and won it quite convincingly.
Yeah, it was hard to sort of put a mark on how many he was going to win back then.

Q. In terms of greatest player of all time, how would you compare him and Pete?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard. You know, in different eras obviously between he and Pete -- you know, if he wins the French it's so many variables in it, I guess. Right at the moment, they're very similar with the Grand Slams that they've won, as well.

Q. You've been one of the best return of servers of your era. Facing Roger, he's not serving bombs like Sampras, but holds easily. What makes his serve so tough?

LLEYTON HEWITT: As I said before, he hits the spots extremely well. It's more setting up for the next shot, as well, where he doesn't sort of let you dictate play on his service games. You know, so that's something you've got to try to get on top of somehow.
 
#258 ·
WIMBLEDON

June 30, 2008, 4th Round

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

R. FEDERER/L. Hewitt
7-6, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton Hewitt.


Q. Do you feel that was one that got away, especially after the first set?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I don't know about "got away." I lost in straight sets.
You know, the first set could have gone either way. The tiebreak I had chances. I had a second serve, sort of went after it. He put a little bit more kick on it. I just didn't quite time it. That was a big point in the tiebreak.
Yeah, then I came in on a ball, and he hit a pretty good pass. I came in on a pretty good slice. He hit a good backhand up-the-line passing shot to get up a mini break, and then hit a big ace to finish it off.
Then I just played a couple of, you know -- a loose double-fault at deuce first game of the second set, and that opened it up for him.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about his serving, what he does?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He served extremely well today. Yeah, any quarter chances that I did get, you know, I didn't have them for long. Yeah, he hit every line out there with his serve today. That's why he's the best player going around, especially on this surface. Serve is so important. He hit the target every time.
I had a few breakpoint chances there late in the second set and early in the third set. I didn't do too much wrong with them.

Q. Is the daunting thing about playing him that he obviously gets the shots in so well, or is there also a psychological barrier for everyone that he has such a great record? Is that something you have to try to overcome as well?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, you don't focus too much on that. Once you go out there to play it's about what you can do to try to, yeah, upset his rhythm, not play into his comfort zone too much.
But, yeah, when he's serving like that it's not easy on this surface purely because, as I said the other day, his serve sets up the point for him to play in his comfort zone. It's very hard to take him out of that zone.

Q. Must get very disspiriting. Seems like every time you get a bit close, he's able to step up another level. Does that get you down when you're playing like that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know about "another level." He stayed pretty similar the whole way through.
But, yeah, it was just the last five years or so he's played the big points extremely well. That's where the difference is.

Q. You did 14 aces against Bolelli. Today I think three or four. What does that mean? Does that mean you served worse or that Federer is much quicker in returning and moving and getting your serves?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit of both. I didn't serve probably as well today. Roger's never gonna hit you off the court with his return of serve, though. He gets it back to start the point, whereas a guy like Bolelli is probably going after it a little bit more and swinging.
So you can probably -- yeah, with Roger, you can probably go for your serve a little bit more on your first serve, because even on the second serve he's not going to hurt you with that first hit like a lot of other returners. Quite often he just blocks it back into play with a slice backhand.
So I'm not sure. I didn't hit probably as many targets as I would have liked on the serve. But, you know, he handles Andy Roddick and Karlovic and all the big servers pretty well. You know, actually getting the ball back in play, he does extremely well from the return of serve.
An actual attacking returner, he's not one of those.

Q. How far away do you feel you are from the best two or three guys at the moment?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Uhm, yeah, it's hard to say. Out there today I didn't feel like I was that far away. But then the big points, he played, you know, a lot better than I did. Yeah, even the first game I had Love-30, and then he hit four big first serves to win that game.
Any time I tried to take a step I couldn't really, you know, put any momentum together, I guess, or put any pressure on his service games.
Obviously he, Djokovic and Nadal are the three stand-outs at the moment, especially on a week-in, week-out basis. Yeah, I don't feel like I'm that far away.

Q. Do you feel you can get back into the top four, to get to the point where you're not drawing Roger in the first Monday of the second week?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, I've got to play a lot more matches to get the ranking back up there. That comes with, you know, being healthy and staying injury-free, too.

Q. Are you committed to doing that, playing that many matches, if you can?

LLEYTON HEWITT: If the body does, yeah. If the body holds up.

Q. What are your plans now? Are you going to look at Olympics and US Open, or are you going to have to assess the hip injury and possibly consider missing those for surgery?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm not sure yet. I've tried to not focus on it too much. But, yeah, this was the tournament that I wanted to play in. Now I'll probably try and focus more on, you know, career-wise, you know, trying to get the hip right because, you know, right at the moment it's not just getting any better.
So I'm just gonna have to speak to more people and see what my best options are.

Q. Does it get worse through matches?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. As the match goes on it gets a little bit worse.

Q. So losing the first set was even more crucial to you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. Against a guy like Roger it is. He's a pretty good frontrunner, too.

Q. Do you go back to Sydney straightaway?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think so, no.

Q. How does it feel becoming a dad for the second time?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, good. Thanks.

Q. Is the baby due in January?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure.

Q. Just given the hip and whatever you might do, as long as the body holds out, you'd be trying to come back next year to Wimbledon, that's the plan?

LLEYTON HEWITT: To where, sorry?

Q. Here next year.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. This is one of the major tournament, so I hope to be back here.
 
#259 ·
XXIX OLYMPIC GAMES

August 11, 2008, 1st Round

Lleyton Hewitt

BEIJING, CHINA

L. HEWITT/J. Bjorkman
7-5, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. It's been a while since you've been on the court. Good workout for you? How did the hit come through?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's always going to be a little bit different playing back on hard court. That's where I first got the injury, so probably been more worried since Wimbledon, whether it was going to be right. You know, it wasn't too bad. You know, there's still times I can feel it now and then.
But, you know, it was good to get out of that second set and, you know, win that in straight sets, you know, especially with so many matches banking up most days now.

Q. Obviously extra motivation playing for your country. Playing Nadal, does that add sort of a spur when you're out there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, you know, I always look forward to the big tournaments. You know, Wimbledon, you know, able to play Roger, probably a little earlier than I would have liked. It's always nice to play the big names, I think, especially when, you know, you pride yourself on playing well in the big tournaments.
You know, second round's extremely early to play, you know, probably the best player going around at the moment. But it's a good time to knock him off, too.

Q. Physically what capacity are you playing at at the moment? Is that going to be good enough against Rafa, do you think?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to know. You know, I've only been hitting probably a week and a half or so, I guess, on hard court. So, yeah, obviously it's not the best preparation. I would have liked to have, obviously been playing in Toronto and Cincinnati where, you know, I've played well the last few years. It's not the best preparation.
But, you know, I can only play the hand that's dealt to me. You know, this is it. You know, I'm here. I got a shot at him anyway.

Q. You're 3-0 against Nadal on hard court but is that too much ancient history to have any impact this week?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, that was, you know, a few years ago. But two of them were best-of-five-set matches in a Grand Slam at the Australian Open. You know, one of them probably when he was playing pretty well; the second one in 2005. So, yeah, there's not a lot you can read into it.
But even the matches I've had with him at the French Open and Hamburg on clay, even though I've lost those, you know, Hamburg, I easily could have won. I was one or two points away from beating him. He'd won 80-odd matches on that surface in a row.
I've had small chances against him. But there's no doubt that he's improved since then.

Q. I know you're going to fight hard to prevent this from happening, but with big-name matches like Rafa and Federer, would that pique interest in tennis in the Olympics? I know it's probably not one of the most popular events at the Olympics. Would a couple big-name matches help to that end?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think any time those guys have been playing in finals, you know, they've been playing some pretty good tennis. So, you know, it would obviously raise the profile probably of the final if those two were to meet in the final.
You know, because they've had such a unique rivalry over the last, you know, two or three years now, as well, and probably more so right at the moment, because Rafa started to get on top of Roger.
Yeah, I think obviously a lot of people know who the both of those two are, even if you're not that big a tennis fan.

Q. Is there a difference playing somebody like Nadal in a second or third round compared to playing him semis or finals? If so, what would those differences be?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's probably not a huge difference purely because, especially a guy like Rafa who, you know, he's pumped up any time he walks on the court, whether it's practice matches, whatever, whether he's playing golf, you know. That's his personality. So nothing's really going to change, I don't think, between a first round for him or a final.
You know, obviously he handles finals and semifinals extremely well - as well as anyone going around. And that's why he plays so well in those big matches.

Q. Which is the best part to be an Olympic athlete?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think for us, it feels more like a teams event than anything. When you're playing 11 months of the year, it's a very individual sport tennis. It's basically you and your small entourage that travels with you.
So for me to be able to hang around a guy like Chris Guccione, I think I can teach him a lot, because he's a lot younger than me. He's the next best prospect for Australia. I enjoy hanging around some of the other younger Aussie guys and being a team.
 
#260 ·
XXIX OLYMPIC GAMES

August 12, 2008, 2nd Round

Lleyton Hewitt

BEIJING, CHINA

R. NADAL/L. Hewitt
6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. I guess you didn't need to play him to know he's a tough customer.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, he's all class. He doesn't give you a lot of cheap points out there and makes you work extremely hard. You know, I felt a lot closer than the score line. I had a lot of game points on my serve and just couldn't make the first serves and hit the spots when I needed to.
Against a guy like Rafa, you know, that returns so well and gets so many balls back, you have to hit your spots, especially on the big points.

Q. How much did yesterday, particularly last night, take its toll?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It wasn't easy. I put a lot of effort into last night's match. Probably didn't get to bed until about 3:00. So, yeah, it wasn't the best preparation for today. Rafa, he's a tough enough player to play when you're feeling a hundred percent and fully fit and rested up.
So, yeah, he was still going to be too good, though, the way he played today. He hit the ball extremely well. Yeah, it was good for Gooch and I to win last night, though.

Q. You have him again in the doubles tomorrow.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah (smiling). It's gonna be a tough match. He plays a little bit of doubles, but not a lot. But he won a Masters Series tournament earlier in the year, but it was on clay with Tommy Robredo. Gooch and I got a lot of confidence out of last night's match, though. There are still areas of our game we can work on when we play together. But, you know, it's a work in progress, I guess.
You know, it was one of the most enjoyable matches I've been a part of last night, and I've played in some pretty big matches.

Q. If you had to choose one single thing about his game or mentality, why is he so tough, what would that be?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say one. He hits the ball extremely heavy from both sides, but especially his forehand - a lot heavier than anyone else on tour. It's hard to say one because, you know, he's so competitive on the court, as well, which is a huge positive for him. And also, you know, his movement's incredible. So they're probably the three key aspects.

Q. You've played him before on several occasions, but not for a while. How do you assess his game at the moment? How well is he playing?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's playing probably a lot better on hard court than he's played in the past, I'd say. His clay court game, you know, speaks for itself. And obviously he made a couple of Wimbledon finals and then won Wimbledon this year. He's done well on grass. But he hasn't been really able to make that transition to hard courts against the best guys week in and week out. And this year, especially the last couple of months, he's really been able to do that.
So, yeah, he's obviously extremely confident. He's still gonna have matches -- tonight I felt like he played, you know, pretty flawless tennis out there, whereas yesterday he probably didn't play his best tennis.

Q. About last night, did it feel more like a Masters or Grand Slam or more like a Davis Cup match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: For me it was, in terms of doubles match, it probably felt more like a Davis Cup match. I don't play that much doubles. And I can't say I get, you know, real fired up about playing small tournament doubles, you know, week in and week out.
So for me, last night I was really into the match. You know, I really wanted to win for Gooch, as well. He's a young Australian on the rise. And for him to win a match at the Olympics is a big deal. I'm not sure how we saved those match points, but we did.

Q. How did you find the crowd out there? It wasn't a full house. Were they suitably neutral?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, it was a good crowd. Made a fair bit of noise. They were very knowledgeable about tennis, I think. You know, it was a very fair crowd. I think they just wanted to see good tennis out there. The longer the point went, you know, the happier they were.

Q. Have you already decided if you're going to play Davis Cup in September?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, at this stage. I can't say I've been really worrying about it at the moment. You know, since Wimbledon, I've been hoping to be able to make the Olympics and the US Open. If I'm anything close to a hundred percent fit, then I'll be playing.
 
#261 ·
MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 13, 2009, R32

Lleyton Hewitt

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

L. HEWITT/J. Benneteau
5-7, 6-2, 6-4


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Pretty good work out.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was. You know, it was always going to be tough in the first sort of tournament match back for a while.
Yeah, trying to get into the routine for a while of getting out there again and on the big points being able to do what you want and what you're used to doing, I guess. I obviously got better as the match went on.
Plus, it was really tough conditions out there for both players. It was swirling a lot out there. Probably one of the windier days that I've actually had on that center court where I sort of couldn't tell where the breeze was coming from the whole time.

Q. You seem to be more attacking. Has that been something you've been working on with Rochey?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. You always want to do as much as possible. A lot depends on the opponent you're playing and how much they let you do it too. Felt like there was quite a few short balls out there, especially in the first set, that I probably didn't attack and step up to the line as much as I probably could have.
I missed a couple of those opportunities in the first set. Probably the second and third set I tried to do it a little bit more and put more pressure on him. Felt like with the breeze today as well it was important to try and take the ascendency of the point and dictate as much as possible.
If you came in on a pretty good approach shot out there, doesn't matter how good a passer you are out there, it was going to be tough to hit a good pass with someone sitting on the net.
I tried to take my chances out there a couple times. A lot of the time it worked really well for me. I came up with some really good volleys.
Yeah, I missed a couple, but that's always going to happen, too.

Q. How's your hip feeling?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Felt good today. Obviously tested out another three-setter, and played a couple tough three-setters last week and pulled up pretty well. Hopefully will pull up well again tomorrow.

Q. Next you've got Janko Tipsarevic. Your thoughts on him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: We've had some tough matches in the past. I've at least beaten him a couple times. Lost to him once. Last time we played I reckon it was Davis Cup on an extremely slow clay court in Serbia. Going to be a lot different conditions to that match.
Yeah, he's a great ball-striker. One of the best ball-strikers going around. Very similar to Djokovic in that sense. He moves extremely well, but you got to hang in there with him and make him play that extra shot.
Hopefully I can sort of weather the storm enough against him out there.

Q. Speaking of hanging in there, the two matches in Perth and here, dropping the first set, that might not have been a bad thing for you. Is that the way you look at it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I would have liked to have won in straight today. For sure that's probably the No. 1 positive to come out of winning a three-set match. Gives the body a tougher time.
You're going to have to win at least three sets to win any match in Melbourne. You got to be prepared to do that, and fit and strong enough to do that, so...

Q. When will the questions about your hip stop?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Don't know.

Q. Are you prepared for that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You tell me.

Q. If you had to rate it at one to ten at the moment, how do you see your body and form?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Hard to say at the moment. You know, in practice I'm hitting the ball really well. It's a matter of taking that into the match court though. You can't expect miracles when haven't played for nearly four and a half, five months on the tour.
It's not easy to come out in match situations and just pick it up straightaway. Doesn't matter how good you are. It's a matter of getting that confidence. The more matches, yeah, that will come back.
 
#262 ·
MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 14, 2009, R16

Lleyton Hewitt

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

L. HEWITT/J. Tipsarevic
7-5, 6-4


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. How was it out there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Hot.

Q. It looks it.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. No, it was yeah, I think it works into my favor though, conditions like that. You know, that's what I try and train in as much as possible and get used to it, even though, you know, it doesn't always feel that comfortable for anyone out there.
Yeah, you know your opponent is hurting as much if not worse than I am, so that's the positive you got to try and think about when you're out there.

Q. You probably sensed that he was getting a bit heat-affected.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, he's a tough player to play against because he's such a great shot maker, and then he just sprays balls out of nowhere as well. He serves in patches as well.
Like the start of the match today he was serving extremely well and hitting a lot of lines on his first serve and I really couldn't get into any of his service games.
He played a couple good points on my service games and I played a couple loose ones and I'm down a break straightaway. I really had to fight hard to get myself back in that first set.
Once I got the break back I felt like the momentum really changed out there and things were starting to go my way, which made life a lot easier. Once I was able to win that first set 7-5 instead of even going to a close tiebreak, then I felt like I could really try to put pressure on him early in the second set.

Q. How are you going with your autopilot?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not too bad. I didn't come out and play my best tennis at the start today, which sort of put me behind the eight ball a little bit.
Mind you, he didn't give me the opportunity to do that either. As I said, he was hitting a lot lines out there early. Any half short ball he was really trying to step up and attack it and put it away, which put a lot of pressure on me. I had to keep good depth. I sort of wanted to get my teeth into the match by making a lot of balls out there and making him play a lot balls. Sort of turn it into a bit of a grinding match in some ways, and I was able to do that sort of three quarters of the way through that first set.

Q. Did the crowd bother you at all, the chanting?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, that just fires me up more. It's not the smartest thing to do.

Q. So the first serves, do you feel like you need to do that better tomorrow?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit. I served well when I needed to today. Though. Yeah, first serve percentage, yeah, definitely got to try and work on that and get a little higher out there. You know, especially every round it's going to get tougher and tougher against better players, and also next week in Melbourne.
It's something I definitely got to work on. He was a good returner out there today. When I needed to, I hit the spots pretty well.

Q. Speaking of firing you up, Nalbandian next round.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, we haven't played for a while. Yeah, it's another step up in class, though. He's a top 10 player, just outside of top 10 at the moment. Yeah, he got through, you know, with ease today against Llodra who is a dangerous opponent as well, so he's obviously playing pretty well at the moment. Going to have to step it up another notch.

Q. How much do you look forward to those kind of matches where you and he have had a bit to say to each other in the past?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's not something I'll be focusing on going into the match tomorrow. For me, it's more another -- a good step to see where I'm at going into Melbourne. For me, obviously the big picture is next week, and I want to get in as good a shape as possible before Monday or Tuesday of next week.
Yeah, having an opportunity to play a guy like Nalbandian is a good opportunity for me.

Q. He likes to bait you, but he's gone off that strategy. Do you think he realized that's not very effective against you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: We actually haven't played that much really. We've only played three times, I think. We really haven't played much at all.
Obviously I killed him in the Wimbledon final, and then we had a cliff-hanger at the Australian Open in Melbourne, and he took me down pretty comfortably in the Davis Cup here in the semifinal I think a couple years ago, quarterfinal maybe.
So, yeah, it's always a tough matchup. Nalbandian plays extremely well some days and he has average loses out of blue others. He's a tough player to get a read on, but when he's at his best he's definitely in the top 10 players.

Q. What do you find most difficult about him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He's got a good all-court game, I think. He's got good feel around the court. Yeah, he moves well and can play well from both forehand and backhand. He defends well, but he can also be very aggressive as well.

Q. You had the chance to serve first, but you chose to let him serve. Do you think that backfired when you lost the first game to him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. Yeah, I just sort of feel depends on how I feel on the day, I guess, if I win the toss what I do, and today I felt like receiving first.

Q. Where would you like to see your ranking at the end of the summer?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Couldn't care less, to tell you the truth. It's not something that I'm focused on for two weeks' time. At the end of the year I'll probably look at it. Right at the moment I just want to get through and focus on the Australian Open. One tournament more than anything, not purely just a ranking for two weeks' time.
You know, rankings are on a 12-month basis, so it's really hard to says in three weeks what you'll be.

Q. How does your body pull up after each match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Felt really good today. Felt really good considering I had a 6-4 in the third match in the late afternoon yesterday. Don't have that much time to recover.
Yeah, in the heat today I felt quite comfortable.

Q. When you do your pre-season stuff, obviously you practice a lot. Do you do anything else to try and prepare for the heat, sand hills or anything like that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I do some sand hills and a lot of cross-training stuff. Probably the first three weeks or so before I actually got on the court when I was able to start running and doing stuff, I was doing -- yeah, it was all fitness work. Nothing to do with the racquet at the start.
I was fortunate that the whole month of December there was no tennis anyway, so I didn't really have rush to get back in tennis shape. I felt like I could be able to get a good base to start this year.

Q. Has the break helped you? Could it extend your career?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Who knows. Depends how it holds up, I guess.

Q.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I guess it freshens you up when you play a lot of tournaments and you're looking at results and thinking about the next tournament, where your going to be playing and stuff like that and preparing.
To have three or four months where you didn't really focus on tennis at all, you know, it's probably a good thing in some ways after so many years of actually on the tour grinding it out. Yeah, I still miss not being out there, though.
 
#263 ·
MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 15, 2009, QF

Lleyton Hewitt

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

D. NALBANDIAN/L. Hewitt
7-6, 7-5


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. That looked like another step up for you in difficult conditions out there.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was really tough conditions. I thought Tuesday was gusty out there. It was a lot worse today even.
It's the same for both players, but, yeah, you to try and find a way to hang in a lot points out there. It was tough for both of us to serve. The ball was swirling a lot.
I probably didn't get a high enough first serve percentage in, especially against a good returner like Nalbandian. That put me under a little bit of pressure, you know, especially in windy conditions.

Q. How do you assess your form against David today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not too bad. There's a lot of positives, I think, to take out of today. He's a step up, you know, in class to the two other guys that I played this week.
You know, it was a point away from taking the first set there and didn't quite get enough on the return. Just set up a little bit too much for him. He was getting tight in that situation. He obviously served for the first set and wasn't able to do it.
Then I felt like things were starting to turn my way. Yeah, he played a pretty good tiebreak, especially early on in breaker to get in is better position, I guess.

Q. You're pleased that managed to stick in there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, felt like I had a lot opportunities out there, a lot of Love-30s out there. Yeah, he served better than I did, especially on the big points today.
Yeah, in the tiebreak he served well. I didn't really get too many opportunities to get onto his serve. The set point I had in the first set he came up with a big first serve. Yeah, if I could have got my teeth into that point, then right at the time I thought I was starting to get on top a little bit.
So, yeah, it was frustrating that I wasn't able to quite take any chances when they popped up.

Q. Three days in row you're played off the back of Perth, so probably nice to have a break now.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'll just keep practicing the next couple of days. Yeah, obviously you won't have that intensity of getting ready and preparing for a match.
Yeah, can be a good thing, I guess, going into a major as well. You got to save your energy. Grand Slams are a totally different situation.
Yeah, you got to be ready to play five sets. That's a long time out there to grind out there for five sets as well. In the past I've probably had my best tennis over five sets.

Q. Do you see yourself as now being ready for five sets?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think so. I'm as ready as I think I thought I'd ever be coming into this situation. Yeah, I never really knew what to expect, especially before the Hopman Cup, going in there after so many months out.
Yeah, this is where it starts, now and the next week.

Q. The draw tomorrow, it's the first time in a real long time you haven't been seeded in a Grand Slam. What are your thoughts about that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Can't do much about it, can I? Just see what happens. You know, it's in the hands of the gods. You know, just whoever comes up, then I'll be ready on Monday or Tuesday.

Q. What does it tell you about your form when you get so close to beating a bloke that's ranked 11th in the world?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't think I'm that far away from it. You know, especially, yeah, he's a good player and one of the best players in the world and probably capable of beating nearly anyone on any surface on any given day.
I had chances in both sets out there today. I had breakpoint in the first game of the second set as well. Yeah, it's probably just not having those tough matches against the best players this probably let me down today.
 
#264 ·
AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2009

Lleyton Hewitt

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Probably not the first-round draw you would have hoped for?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, probably not. Probably a lot tougher ones as well, though. So, yeah, when you're unseeded, you're thrown in that territory where you don't really know what to expect.
Yeah, it's going to be a tough matchup. But the whole time I've been preparing the last couple of months to be ready for whoever I came up against. It was going to be fairly tough anyway.
Hopefully I can knock him out and take his draw.

Q. (Question regarding the draw.)

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, that doesn't worry me what they think too much. Obviously, you know, I think for anyone, I'm probably one of the more dangerous unseeded players in the draw. Yeah, puts a little bit more pressure on him, I guess.

Q. Have you had enough matches to get through seven matches in a Grand Slam?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Don't know. Just take the first one, see how we go after that. Right now I'm focusing on González, worrying about the matchup, what I need to do with my game to be in as good a nick as possible.

Q. Have you got any expectations of how far you think you can last into the tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I haven't. Not worrying about anyone apart from Fernando at the moment.

Q. There's been a lot of talk amongst the players about this Open should be moved into February. What are your thoughts?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think as an Australian, I think it's probably the ideal team for Australian sport. This is the time that I've always known it as the Australian Open, the dates that I've always come to, around these dates, late January, since I was coming here as a young kid to come and watch.
For an Australian, it fits in so well with obviously the school holidays and getting kids out there. And I think for the sport of tennis in this country, that really helps as well, you know, that the young kids can come out and watch a lot of it, even on the back courts, get a good atmosphere out here.
You know, I think sport-wise there's not a lot on at this time of the year either, so it sort of stands out by itself as well, which is probably a good thing for our Grand Slam. Yeah, so it's a tough call. It's obviously early in the year. A lot of overseas players have prepared well enough to win it in the past (smiling).

Q. Do you ever feel tempted to say what you just said to Roger, Novak, Andy about the viewpoint of an Australian, the way it fits into the summer here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I definitely know Roger knows it. Yeah, I haven't actually spoken to any of those guys about it, what their thoughts are about it. I'm sure Roger knows. He's had a lot of success here in the past. It hasn't really changed his performance, I guess. He's lucky that he's been able to come out after only one or two weeks' preparation and still play extremely well.
But obviously there's a lot more to it than just worrying about the players for a couple weeks, I guess. You know, the tournament has to worry about obviously ticket sales, kids being around the place, a whole lot of other things.

Q. Do the players enjoy coming here as the first tournament of the year, since a lot are coming from the northern hemisphere where it's pretty cold?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. I hope so. I think they put on a great event here. It's in an awesome stadium, great arena. You know, obviously I love playing here. But I think, you know, everyone really enjoys it here. We get looked after really well, which is good.

Q. You've been playing the sport a long time now. You've had quite a few family changes in the last year or so. What about your level of ambition now with all that experience behind you, do ambitions shift, attitudes change, or are you still as driven as you always were?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, right at the moment I'm still as driven and motivated as I think I've always been. You know, probably more so after having the injury, having to put in all the hard yards to try and get back, just to get back on the court, you know, doing a whole heap of rehab, fitness stuff, just to be able to play here.
So, yeah, if the motivation wasn't there, then I wouldn't be playing. So for me, you know, I still feel that I've got things to do in the sport. I still feel I can get back into the top 10 and push those better guys at the top of the rankings.
I've obviously got to play a lot more matches, get in that rhythm of, you know, hopefully being a hundred percent fit on the court and playing week in and week out as well.

Q. Roger Federer is on the brink of joining Pete Sampras. You've been one of their closest rivals. His achievements, where he sits now, can you believe it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Right at the start of his career, you didn't really put anyone in the same category as Sampras. That seemed like an awfully long way away before anyone got close to Pete's record.
Obviously when Roger got on that run for four years or so there, he was nearly unbeatable, especially in three of the majors. So, yeah, he's had an unbelievable run. Yeah, obviously he won the last slam, the US Open of last year, as well, so he's gonna be one of the favorites coming in here. If he does it, good on him. It's a hell of an effort.

Q. Is there still a rush coming into an Australian Open?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. Australian Open and Wimbledon are probably two of my favorite tournaments, I think. Yeah, for me to always come back and play here, it is a big thrill always. Yeah, I love playing on Rod Laver Arena. It's going to be a lot of fun on Tuesday, as well.

Q. How is the court surface this year? Are you happy with it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think it's all right. I wouldn't say it's any different to last year. It's probably on the medium to fast pace, I'd say. It's a fairly rough court surface, though. The balls fluff up quite a bit after a couple of games. But that's very similar to last year, as well.

Q. The prospects for the locals don't seem to be overly high. Is it frustrating that stories about what's wrong with Australian tennis are being written before a ball is even hit?

LLEYTON HEWITT: We don't have that many guys or players in the main draw. Yeah, it's always going to be written if you don't have the players out there. We were fortunate for a number of years, though, even before probably Pat Rafter was, you know, getting up to the top, we still had a lot of great players out there competing in the main draws, being able to make the odd semifinal, quarterfinal, consistent Round of 16s at any of the slams. That's probably what we miss, you know, at the moment. We just don't have the numbers there to be able to do that.
Until we get more guys in the top 90, top hundred in the world that get direct acceptance into the Grand Slams, it's gonna to fall back on guys like myself and Guccione.

Q. Tony Roche has indicated he's going to speak about the state of tennis in Australia after the Open. Have you had lengthy discussions with him about it yourself?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, we talk about little things now and then. Yeah, obviously there's issues behind the scenes to try and get more players to be able to come through.
Rochey, I can't speak for him, but he obviously knows more than anyone about how to make kids into players. He's been around the traps that many years and he's worked with so many great players, I think people really should be listening to a lot that Rochey has to say.

Q. Almost 40 years since Laver completed the Grand Slam. There's a lot of emphasis on Roger and his beating Sampras or equalling it here, then the next step is another Grand Slam attempt. Where do you think Laver's position in tennis history is?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It hard to say. Over time it changes so much. But obviously he's always going to be one of the greats. To win a Grand Slam twice is remarkable. But, yeah, it's hard to compare generations. It's like in golf, comparing Woods to all the older guys that won so many slams as well. When does he get put in that category the same as them?
It's a lot easier to sort of look at Sampras and Federer and try and compare the two of them than it is throwing Laver in. This day and age, there's so many different countries playing as well now. The surface of all four majors are all different as well now. There's a lot of variables.

Q. Can you remember being made the favorite for a tournament, a Grand Slam, before you'd actually won a Grand Slam?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I wouldn't have been, no.

Q. Do you think it's common sense to make someone a favorite before they've actually won a Grand Slam, going into a Grand Slam?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's probably not the done thing. Who knows who's favorite. Yeah, that's one person's opinion (smiling).
I guess the rivalry of Nadal and Federer in the majors the last, you know, three or four years... They're both at the moment 1 and 2 in the world. You're a brave man to look outside those two as a favorite going into any slam at the moment.
 
#265 ·
AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 20, 2009, R128

Lleyton Hewitt

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA

F. GONZÁLEZ/L. Hewitt
5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Midway through the fifth set, a switch in momentum. What do you attribute that to in Fernando lifting his game a bit, yours going off a bit?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Big point was probably 1-All in the fifth, I had fif-40. I had another breakpoint. I couldn't get that break. I felt at that stage I was starting to get back on top. From the second and third sets, he was dominating the match. I had to try to find a way to get back into it. I was able to do that through the fourth, broke a couple of times. Early in that fifth set, it would have been nice to go up an early break.
Yeah, he came up with a couple of big forehands on those points. Yeah, but if I could have got that early break, it could have been a little bit different.

Q. Is this the toughest loss in your career?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's not the toughest, no.

Q. Was your recent lack of match play a factor?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Who knows. Obviously, the more matches you have, the more matches against the better players in the Masters Series, big tournaments, it's obviously going to help in the tight situations on the big points.
Yeah, there was still only a couple of points in it there in the fifth set, if I could have broken there, then consolidated early in the fifth set, you know, he was ready to go as well a little bit.
Yeah, even with that set, I still had my chance out there.

Q. Did Fernando's injury break throw you at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Maybe a little bit, I guess. I wasn't quite serving as well as I had early in the match, though. Even though I won the fourth set, I didn't feel like I had my best serving set that set at all. Then the fifth set, I didn't serve great. I gave him too many chances to dictate with his forehand. Yeah, that was probably the telling point.

Q. You pushed him pretty close. He's a very good player. Is this discouraging for you with your comeback or encouraging? Does it give you hope you can get back to where you were?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't know right at the moment. Haven't really thought about it too much. You go out there and you try and beat whoever you're up against.
I'll probably look back at it in a couple of days' time, yeah, look at where I could have improved and whatever. But, yeah, in hindsight, when you haven't had the matches, haven't played five sets for quite a while, yeah, you're always going to be fighting it, I guess, a little bit.
In terms of that then, you know, I think it's a good springboard for the rest of the year. I would have still liked to have gone a bit further in the tournament.

Q. Where do you go now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Play San Jose and Memphis in a couple weeks' time.

Q. No matter what happens from here, do you feel you've written yourself into the history of this tournament by having so many great matches?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't know. I guess I wrote myself into the tournament when I lost in the final a couple years ago.
Yeah, I'm not sure. This is my 13th Australian Open. I've been coming here for a while now.

Q. Any sense that it's your last Australian Open?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I don't think so.

Q. Where do you feel you are at the moment as far as getting back into the top 10?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Right there. The guys that I've lost to, especially the last two weeks, yeah, they're both top 15 at the moment. But when they're at their best, you know, Nalbandian is possibly top-five, top-seven player and González is a top-10 player. The two losses haven't been the worst losses on paper. I probably could have easily won both those matches, as well.
In the next couple days, I'll get to assess how it went, how the body's pulled up. I'll probably go through it with Rochey and see what maybe I could have done a little bit better.

Q. How did your body hold up? Your first five-set match in months.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, pretty good. Just wasn't quite getting enough push-off in my legs, my left leg, just due to playing five sets, especially as the match went on with my serve. It probably cost me a little bit. Especially late in the fourth and fifth sets, I just wasn't getting a high enough percentage in first serves. That probably comes with the strength of pushing off my left leg a lot more than I've done in quite a long time.

Q. You said during the week that it would be nice to have someone else take a bit of the burden of expectation off you that you've had for a long time. Bernard Tomic in the last 24 hours is all over the front pages. Do you think that might help you as you come back, not having as much pressure on you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was a great win by Bernard yesterday, but he's still got a long way to go before he's in the top hundred and playing in the other slams, the other Masters Series week in and week out. I could be retired by the time he gets to top hundred. Who knows how long that will take, so...

Q. Do you see similarities in the expectations that are on him now and were on you at a similar age?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit. When I was coming up, though, Pat was already up there. We had a good stock of players, I guess. There was quite a lot of, you know, not exceptional top-10 players, but a great group. Stoltenberg, the Woodies, Sandon Stolle, Richard Fromberg. There were so many of them that were competitive week in and week out on the tour. It probably made it easier for me to hang around with guys, hit with guys, learn from them as well a lot, whereas Bernard right at the moment, there's probably really only myself and Gooch that are on the tour week in and week out in the actual ATP tournaments.
The more Aussies we can get there, the better off it is for everyone coming through.

Q. (Question regarding the surgery and thoughts of retirement.)

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not at all. I really didn't have that much time to think about the surgery, to tell you the truth. As soon as I flew back from Beijing, I landed that morning, then that afternoon I was under the knife. If I was going to retire, then I wouldn't have had the surgery done.
It wasn't something that was going to affect me in everyday life for the rest of my life. It was something that, you know, if I want to still play tennis, then it had to be done.

Q. Did you have any input as to whether this was a day or night match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I would have preferred to play during the day today, so...

Q. Will you take Bernard under your wing if he approaches you to hit with him on tour?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Absolutely. I haven't really seen a lot of him. He came to the Davis Cup tie in Townsville. He rolled up a little bit later than everyone else, so I didn't get a chance to hit with him at all there.
I really haven't seen him play a lot. Yeah, obviously to win a tour match is obviously a huge bonus. It wasn't just him yesterday. You know, Brydan Klein, who I've hit with a lot, had I thought a really good win against a really good player yesterday as well. They're boys that have to take the next step. When you get wild cards into these tournaments, you have to take them, you have to take your chance.

Q. How would you rate Fernando's chance in the tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's a tough player to play against for anyone, even the best guys like Roger, Rafa, those guys, purely because he wants to play on his terms. He's always gonna be the guy trying to dictate play. If he's able to dictate play, then he's extremely tough to beat. He's obviously in a section with Gasquet and Nadal after that. He's going to have his work cut out. But he's a dangerous floater.

Q. (Question about his left leg.)

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think it would keep improving probably six months since the surgery and rehab till it gets actually to its strongest and when hopefully you don't have any issues.

Q. How tough are the next few months going to be now? Your ranking is going to drop a bit. You won't have the protection of the seeding any more.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It won't be that tough. I'm only playing a couple of small tournaments. Got Davis Cup, a couple of Masters Series in America. Yeah, I really don't have any points to defend, apart from a fourth round at Wimbledon, for the whole year. I can't say I'm too worried about points and rankings right at the moment.

Q. Will we see you in the doubles here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, no. I think the double's draw is done already. Probably won't go and play.

Q. This is a close match. You've had a lot of dramatic matches here. What are some of the most memorable ones for you looking back?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Nearly all seven matches that I played in 2005, I think. Yeah, every match was a bit of a rollercoaster out there. That was probably the year that I had a lot of -- a couple of five-setters, a couple of close four-setters nearly every match. That and probably obviously the Baghdatis match last year.
 
#266 ·
MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS

April 14, 2009, R64

Lleyton Hewitt

MONTE CARLO, MONACO

M. SAFIN/L. Hewitt
6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Was that one of your toughest ever turnarounds, between travel and the match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think it was the toughest, yeah. Yeah, it was sort of just like one thing after another really. Yeah, it was not the best preparation, that's for sure.

Q. Can you go through your trip? I know you left on Monday, I think.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. The final was in Houston. It was delayed a few hours because of rain and the court got flooded so we had to wait for that. So I couldn't get out Sunday night. And then, yeah, Monday, with the time change and everything, it just sort of put it even further behind. Then our flights got delayed about three and a half hours, as well, out of Dallas.

Q. BA or AA?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, American Airlines. Yeah, so it was just frustrating. Yeah, nothing sort of went right.

Q. Did you come in with any expectations or you just want to give it a go and see?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not a lot. Not a lot of expectations really. Yeah, for me it's all about still going out there and competing. I actually felt like I hit the ball pretty well today. Actually ball striking, I was actually pretty happy with. So, especially just coming off the plane, I probably wasn't as sharp as I would have liked to have been or normally would try to be. But apart from that I actually felt like the ball striking, I was pretty happy with.

Q. How is your right leg? You had your treatment.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I just strained it in the final the other day. So it wasn't the best thing hopping straight on a plane and coming over here. Yeah, just got worse as the match went on.

Q. How is it now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's a bit sore at the moment, so...

Q. What made you decide to play in it last minute?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I was always going to play here. I'd been offered a wild card. It's a big tournament. So, yeah, for me, my clay court preparation is sort of up in the air as well, with Davis Cup and that as well. You know, it was always going to be an opportunity. But going into Houston, I knew it was always gonna be tough if I went well there.
Yeah, you take that, I guess. The start of Houston, though, my goal was to win the tournament. If that meant that it was gonna make it tougher for me to come here, then so be it.

Q. How did you feel having to play Marat Safin in the first round?

LLEYTON HEWITT: We've played first rounds the last couple of years a couple of times, as well. Yeah, obviously our rankings both aren't in the top 10 anymore, so you're not getting the protection of not playing each other early on.
But, yeah, he's obviously still a class player when he's on.

Q. It was almost a strange thing waking up Monday morning and seeing that you and Ferrero had won a tournament. Has it given you renewed faith, hope in your game?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I guess after the surgery and that, to come back. Last week I played extremely well. Not to drop a set through the tournament gave me a lot of confidence. I still got to build on that, though.
But, yeah, as I said, my ball striking was good today. I'm happy with the way I'm hitting the ball at the moment. There are small areas of my game I still feel like I can work on to get to the next step before the French Open and Wimbledon. That's the goal now.

Q. What is it about over the last few years you seem to be almost improving on clay.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm not sure. Yeah, the last probably two years, two and a half years I've actually played some of my best tennis on clay. I keep saying, yeah, we don't grow up on it in Australia, so it's hard for any of us straightaway to come out and play well against the Spaniards and the South American guys straight up.
But I've been able to learn and adapt to the best way for me to play on clay for my game and I feel comfortable on it.

Q. Has it come to the point now where you if you were to have one more Grand Slam victory or a chance at a Grand Slam, it could be the French Open above others? Have you gone that far?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't know about that. Rafa's still pretty tough to beat (smiling). Out of our four slams, he's probably holding that one tighter than anyone, I'd say.

Q. Your own sort of ability...

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think I can knock good players off on clay, yeah, the French Open. In the past, it's sort of been the French Open that I've probably played my best clay court tennis, as well, that court surface.
I feel comfortable playing at Roland Garros. We'll see happens.

Q. You say you didn't grow up playing on clay. What is the hardest thing you had to learn over the last few years?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, it's more the movement and the tactics playing on clay I think. When you first come on tour, you grow up playing on hard courts. It's a totally different mindset when you go onto a clay court. I think it's a lot easier to go from growing up on clay to learn to play on hard court than it is the other way.
So, yeah, it just takes time I think more than anything.

Q. What is your clay program going to be?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm not sure at the moment. Yeah, I got no idea because we got Davis Cup, as well. It's up in the air at the moment.

Q. A lot of players who come from big injury setbacks like you've had, they come back and they say they actually enjoy their tennis more. Have you found that? Do you feel it's actually more of a buzz just being out there and being able to play?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, right at the moment I don't know if I feel it. Yeah, I think when you get back out there, all the hard work that I did towards the end of November and December, for it to pay off, to be able to play the Australian summer, at one stage I wasn't sure if I'd be able to play that. So for me that was a huge bonus to be able to compete there.
Obviously you still want -- sometimes it's frustrating when the body's not quite at a hundred percent and you have had the surgery and that and you're still doing a lot of rehab to get it back. It's a long process. You have to be patient with it, keep working at it, stay positive.

Q. Where do you think you are in that process?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. My hip has actually been feeling really good on the clay, which is probably a little bit easier for my hip as well, than playing on the hard court.
But, yeah, it was probably going to take 9 to 12 months after the surgery until you actually get back to a hundred percent movement-wise and get that confidence back in the hip as well. So, yeah, last week I've moved as well as I've ever moved, so I was pretty happy with it.

Q. I know it's a long way away, but how important to you these days is Wimbledon?

LLEYTON HEWITT: One of the most important tournaments if not the most important tournament. Yeah, for me I don't think there's that many guys that have an absolute huge chance of winning Wimbledon. There's obviously the handful that we all know. But it's not like you're going to see a whole lot of outsiders come through and really do a lot of damage there.
I still give myself a good chance on grass. When you've won there, you walk into those gates, it's an amazing feeling as well.

Q. What does that feel like?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You get goosebumps walking in. The tradition sort of builds more so after you've done well there, I think. You go there as a youngster, you've seen all the greats win there before. But I think when you go back after you've done well, it's even more special.

Q. Your ranking, given where it is at the moment, it does offer you the opportunity of knocking off a seed and taking their path

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, the last few years I even when I've been ranked sort of that 16 to 30 odd spot, I've come up against Rafa in the French Open and Roger at Wimbledon in the Round of 16 anyway. So, yeah, you need a better sometimes getting a bit lower seed, knocking them off, taking their draw, especially at Wimbledon, that's sometimes where it opens up a lot more.
 
#267 ·
AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 8, 2009, R64

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/E. Schwank
6-1, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Couldn't be a better way to start, could it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, it was good. Never exactly sure, you know, how you're going to play, and your footing and everything, how confident you're going to be.
First match on grass, it's always a bit hard. I came out of the blocks really well, was seeing the ball well, returned extremely well from start to finish.
He didn't serve that poorly but I made him play a lot of balls.

Q. You've got a great record at Queen's. What's so special about playing here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure what I actually do, you know, why I have such a great record, but yeah, for me, it's always nice to get on the grass after playing on the clay for a few months.
I just go out there with a positive attitude. You know, these are some of the best grass courts if not "the" best grass courts in the world. You know, to come out here and play on this surface, it's awesome for all the players.

Q. In terms of the courts, do you prefer playing here to Wimbledon?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Ah, no, not too much. I feel comfortable on both grass courts. You're not going to get too many rough bounces on either of these.

Q. Does it ever take you a few days to adjust to grass, or do you get straight back into it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, I feel like I always hit the ball pretty well as soon as I come onto the grass. It's more just a little bit confidence with the footing more than anything and just forgetting the sliding and what you've been doing.
Obviously there's different, slightly different styles of playing on grass as well to playing on clay. We serve and return and those little things, but you know, I've been doing it for that many years now. I sort of know all those things. It's a matter of just feeling comfortable with the footing out there.
That's the biggest bonus of not having a bye here I guess this year, as well, to get a match like this today under those -- you know, the pressure of actually playing a competitive match, as well. You know, more court time.

Q. Six months into the year since you came back from surgery. How would you assess yourself?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, the hip is holding up really well at the moment. I'm pretty happy with how it's pulled up.
The first few months was tough. You just have some rough days with the hip, as well. But at the moment it's feeling pretty good. On the clay, I didn't have any issues whatsoever, so that was a good sign.

Q. How soon did you leave Paris? And when you got to London, did you get on the grass that day or the next day? And when you do get on the grass, do you go full bore straightaway or gradually work in?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I had a couple days off after Paris. Yeah, then when I got here, it was probably a day or so before I started hitting on grass.
Yeah, I took it lightly the first day or so, first couple of days. There weren't that many players here really to hit with, either. Once I could start playing practice sets and that against guys, that's when I tried to step it up a notch or two.

Q. What do you think of Roger's achievement in Paris, what he's done?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, it's an amazing achievement. Yeah, his record speaks for itself.
Yeah, from what I saw of the match yesterday, he played his best tennis in the final, ball striking-wise. He probably didn't play his best tennis that he's ever played to get through to the final in all of his matches, but, yeah, he just he knows how to win over five sets, as well, knows what it takes to last Grand Slams.
Yeah, yesterday when -- yeah, there was a lot of pressure and expectation on him. He came out and played one of his best matches.

Q. Did you ever think that Sampras' 14 would be matched?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Ah, it's hard to say. When Pete won that many, yeah, I think everyone thought that it's an unbelievable achievement and it's going to take someone a long time to do it.
Yeah, Roger's obviously an exception, though. To do it as quickly as he has, as well, and obviously at all four majors, yeah, if it wasn't for Rafa he'd probably have quite a few more, as well.

Q. As a fellow player, how do you think Roger will react to this? Obviously he had history on his shoulders and now that's been lifted. Some may say he might sort of take his foot off the gas or he could be relaxed and really go for it and, you know, dispense of all before him. How do you see him reacting to this?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I think coming to Wimbledon is probably his favorite tournament of the year, so he's going to be feeling pretty confident, I'd say. He may be a bit drunk and confident. (Laughter.)
But he's going to be -- yeah, he just won the French Open. He's got to be feeling pretty good.

Q. In terms of Grand Slams and records, do you see him getting stronger?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He's got an opportunity at every major. That's the thing about his game, and he's yeah, as I said, he's been the second-best clay-court player over the last four or five years now. There's only one guy who's really stopped him.
Yeah, every major he goes into right at the moment, he still has as good a chance as anyone to win it.

Q. What did the locker room feel when people were saying his career is on a slide? Surely you...

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think anyone spoke about it. I didn't talk to anyone about it. We know what you journalists are like. (Laughter.)

Q. But you knew the quality despite what...

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, mate. Yeah, as I said, he made the last two or three French Open finals, a semi before that.
Yeah, the only Grand Slams he's lost in the last, since I can remember, those three or four guys have gone on to win the Grand Slam; otherwise he would have captured them all. So, yeah, it's an incredible run.

Q. Who do you think is favored for Wimbledon now after the French?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Still gotta be Roger, I think, is the favorite right at the moment. He hasn't done too much wrong.
Even though last year he lost, he only just lost. He was probably only point or two away from winning against and Rafa probably played his best grass court match he could ever play.
Yeah, Roger's going he's going to be the one to beat. You throw -- those top four guys there, they're obviously the main four at the moment.

Q. Do you feel you can win it again?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think with a bit of luck and a door opening up. I think if, you know, you can last into the second week, anything can happen.
This is one Grand Slam probably where there's probably only a few guys who really believe they can win it, as well.
Yeah, the French Open, obviously Rafa was a red-hot favorite, but behind that there's a lot of guys who can cause upsets. Whereas on grass, there's really only a few guys I think deep down who believe they can win it.

Q. You've been practicing with Andy Murray and playing doubles. How did that come about? Do you think the British public have to be patient with their expectations with him for Queen's and Wimbledon?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. Well, I just I was looking for someone to play to obviously get a few more matches. Yeah, Andy was free to play doubles. That's how that happened.
It's not a real big deal either way. Yeah, he's got a good chance, no doubt about that, here and Wimbledon, the No. 1 seed here and at Wimbledon -- he's No. 3 in the in the world at the moment, and plays extremely well on this surface.
He's got his -- as I said, Roger's probably just the favorite, and then you throw Andy in that next mix, for sure.

Q. London has their Masters Cup this year for the first time. You played, I think I'm right, Houston, Shanghai, Sydney, Lisbon?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yep.

Q. What do you think of coming to London? And can you sort of remember a few of your highlights from those places, obviously Houston being the big one?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, Sydney and Shanghai were a bit better.

Q. Sydney and Shanghai.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Houston I lost in the final, but it was okay.
Well, The Masters Cup is sort of the pinnacle that everyone tries to get into at the end of the year. It's a special event, unique event, round-robin system.
But, yeah, every match is extremely tough, as you know. You go in there with the best eight guys in the world. Yeah, it's good it's being shared around I think in different places.
For me -- Andy is going to have that same feeling as I had when I played in Sydney, and I was able to come through and win that and get No. 1 for the first time ever. That was an amazing week.

Q. Another question on Roger and Rafa. As someone that played Rafa in Paris and you've played Roger throughout your career, how do they differ from an opponent's point of view?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, the way they play is totally different, obviously. Roger's a lot more all-court player, relies on his serve and his forehand, a lot more than Rafa does. Roger can mix it up so well, as well, and obviously comes in and can serve/volley and stay back.
Rafa, on the other hand, hits the ball different to anyone. No one hits the ball like Rafa. The work he gets off any court -- grass probably not quite as much. The spin that he hits with doesn't quite bite as much on grass.
But he's becoming a better all-court player these days, Rafa. You see him coming to the net. His serve has picked up. When I played him in Paris, he's serving a lot bigger than he used to.
They're both unique in their ways. That's why it's been such a good rivalry.

Q. Do you find one more difficult than the other to play?

LLEYTON HEWITT: They're both difficult. Not easy matches against those two.

Q. Why do you choose to play here instead of Halle?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I've been coming here for 11 or 12 years, so what's one more? No, I've never played Halle, and I've always enjoyed this tournament and had great success here.
 
#268 ·
AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 10, 2009, R32

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/F. Gil
3-6, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Did he just sort of take you unawares at the beginning?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I never actually seen him play before. I didn't know what to expect.
I didn't play my best set of tennis at the start. You know, I just didn't serve well and didn't execute what I needed to do.
Yeah, it took me the first set to really understand how he goes about it, as well. After that, the first set the end of the first set I started feeling more and more comfortable, you know, what to do and what his strengths and weaknesses were.

Q. Next up is Andy Roddick. How do you see your chances?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's a good test a week or so before a big major like Wimbledon. Roddick is yeah, he's always going to be one of the favorites under Nadal and Federer on grass at Wimbledon.
He's made a couple of finals there in the past and lost to Roger, so yeah, we both got good records here at Queen's. Hopefully it's a good match tomorrow.

Q. When you say it's a good test, what are you actually meaning?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Just a good challenge against one of the best grass court players in the world. He's obviously got, you know, a big weapon with his serve. He's got a big forehand. He moves well for his size.
Yeah, just playing grass court tennis, to come up against a guy like that is going to be a big step up from my first two matches here.
 
#269 ·
AEGON CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 11, 2009

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

A. RODDICK/L. Hewitt
7-6, 7-6


THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Bit of a late start. What were you told?

LLEYTON HEWITT: We weren't told anything. They just said that we had to wait, there was something going on. There obviously was a bit of a commotion out on the court. We weren't 100% what was going on, Andy and I.

Q. Have any bearing at all on either of you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I don't think so, no. We both yeah, I think we're professional enough now and experienced enough to go out there as soon as we had to.
We had another warmup. Strange. During Memphis this year, Blake and I were in the same situation. Someone had a heart attack in the crowd. It was very similar. To have it happen twice within six months is a bit weird.

Q. Pretty tough to lose a match without even facing a break point.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's a bit frustrating, but it's tough. You know, playing Andy you always know that's going to be the case and some chances you're not going to have a lot of chances out there.
It's a matter of taking those when you get those small opportunities. In terms of the actual service games, I felt like I was having the better of him. I didn't feel under pressure that much on my service games.
I played pretty clean service games, and, you know, I had one break point late in the second set there and I had two or three Love-30s in the first set and second sets. Against a guy like Andy, you have to take those half chances when you get them. That's grass court tennis, as well.

Q. Yesterday you were talking about it being a good test for you. What do you take away from the match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I take a lot away. Yeah, not many guys, you know, are going to beat him on this surface. There's only a handful of guys that have the opportunity probably if he's serving that well.
But, you know, I felt like I mixed it with him. It could have gone either way. There was only a couple points here and there. I was an early mini break up in both tiebreaks and couldn't just quite close it out when I needed to.
But still, yeah, overall it's been a good week. Hopefully I can get a good draw at Wimbledon and see what happens.

Q. Is he a real contender now for the big one? I mean, people tend to not look beyond the big two these days. Is that wrong? Is Andy still right in it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He's definitely up there. I don't know if he's probably got, you know, at the start of the tournament as good a chance to put away three or four, or two or three of those guys, I guess, you know, right up towards the end of the tournament, whereas a couple of years ago he was sort of No. 2, No. 3 in the world. He was probably more so just worrying about Roger; whereas these days those top four guys are going to be tough for him.
Yeah, he's capable of beating them. Whether he can do them all in a row at the end of the tournament if they're all there, that's another question.

Q. You obviously know what it takes to win Wimbledon. What's your kind of assessment of the kind of batting order in terms of favorites for this? Would you say Roger is well out in front?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He's not well out in front. He's in front. You have to put Rafa second very close behind. He's the defending champ, and, yeah, what he did there last year, as well. That's got to be in the back of your mind, back of Roger's mind, as well.
Nadal's the only guy who's beaten Roger on grass for five or six years now. Those two out in front and then the next couple, you know, Andy Murray and Djokovic and Roddick and a few others.

Q. What are your plans between now and Wimbledon?

LLEYTON HEWITT: At this stage, just practice, you know. Just getting more used to the grass. I feel like this week's been a positive week for me. I'm happy the way that I've hit the ball. Yeah, now it's just a matter of fine-tuning a few things and being fresh and mentally ready more than anything.

Q. Do you hope to be back here next year for a chance at a fifth title?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, hopefully. I always enjoy playing this tournament. It's one of my favorite tournaments of the year.
Yeah, the tournament director, everyone looks after me extremely well. Yeah, I try and look after them with results and winning matches out there.

Q. Back on Roger, how much of an effect do you think becoming a father might have on him in the future? And also, the fact that he's now equaled Sampras' record, if he were to go on and beat it and being a father, do you think that would lessen his drive at all, his ambition?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to speak for someone that's won so many Grand Slams. I would doubt it, though. I think he's when you're that good a player, you've got to be self-motivated to be that good and to win that many matches. And to be able to do it, he's got to be extremely mentally tough. You don't lose that. He's not going to lose that. I'm sure every time he gets on the court for the rest of his career he's going to be very hard to beat.

Q. Did it change your focus at all when you became a father?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not in terms of tennis, no. Yeah, travel-wise, stuff like that maybe a little bit more, but in terms of actual tennis and being in the gym and practice matches yeah, actually getting in the gym and practicing, I'm still 100% committed to what I'm trying to do and trying to become a better tennis player.

Q. Has he asked you for any advice? Have you offered any advice?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I haven't spoken to him about it.

Q. Having seen Andy Murray's development over the last few months and a couple of pretty comfortable wins here, do you fancy his chances as a real contender at Wimbledon?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. At the moment yeah, you'll probably see how this week pans out, but at the moment, yeah, I'd say he's favored to win this tournament.
You'd probably expect him and Roddick to be in the final now, I'd say. Yeah, at this stage, he's got to be third favorite going into Wimbledon.

Q. After your team's excellent performance in the Twenty 20, any thoughts about the Ashes?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm still feeling very confident. Very confident. Could be a blessing in disguise.

Q. Do you think it improves Murray's chances at Wimbledon, Nadal and Federer aren't playing at the moment?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think it makes any difference. Roger's won Wimbledon when he hasn't played a grass court match before going into Wimbledon before, and Nadal is that competitive. He's not going to play one of the seeded players until the third round, anyway, those guys. Yeah, I don't think it's a big deal.
 
#270 ·
WIMBLEDON

June 23, 2009, R128

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/R. Ginepri
6-4, 6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Lleyton Hewitt. We'll take the first question, please.


Q. Maybe just take us through your match. You had a bit of a shaky start, but you never looked troubled after those wobbly first couple of games.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's always tough, any tournament I think, the first few games. Yeah, just get the nerves out of the way. Yeah, he's a different opponent, as well, because he can serve in patches where he hit some good first serves, goes for his second serve.
But, yeah, he normally steps on your second serve, makes you play a lot of balls on your service games. First game of the match I had 15-40 and wasn't able to consolidate. The second game I was up 40-15 and got broken.
So, you know, apart from that small hiccup, it was pretty smooth sailing after that. I was able to dictate when I wanted to. My serve picked up. I felt like I was in all of his service games, which was good.

Q. The serve definitely picked up. You went sort of from losing the first serve to 13 aces.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, my rhythm's been good in practice. It's a matter of just keeping that going. It was a little bit swirly out on that Court 3 as well today, which just took a few games to get used to.
Once I sort of had that under my belt, I felt like I was capable to use the wind to my advantage.

Q. How do you feel about Del Potro in the next round?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's gonna be a tough match. He's a class player. Yeah, he was only a couple of points from maybe winning the French Open a couple of weeks ago.
You know, it's a different surface. He hasn't had the best success. But, as I said, he is a class player. He's an all-court player. He's got a big game. It's going to be a good challenge.

Q. What is it like for you playing guys of that stature, like a Del Potro?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's going to make a lot of aces out there, and he's gonna hit a lot of winners. It's a matter of really trying to, you know, stay in my game as much as possible and not worry about his and what he's doing.
Over five sets on grass, a lot of things can happen as well. There's a lot of up and down. When I get those small opportunities, yeah, it's like playing Roddick, I guess, a little bit at Queen's a couple of weeks ago. When you get those small opportunities, you've really got to try and take them.

Q. Do you really feel that's a size difference? I know you've had a problems with a Karlovic or a guy like that. Do you notice how big they are compared to you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. Not so much Del Potro. Karlovic, he's big for anyone. Yeah, Del Potro is big, but I've practiced a lot with Cilic and those guys and Soderling.
There's a lot more of those guys, you know, 6'4" to 6'6", I guess, that have big all-court games and move pretty well for their size.

Q. Has it ever felt a bit sort of like Land of the Giants, or you've been used to?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, just been used to it, I guess. Doesn't worry me too much. I think on this surface, yeah, you can take advantage as well of people's movement sometimes as well. I feel like I move pretty well on this surface, so...

Q. Have you had to fix your game for next time? Is there anything you picked up from this match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, the next step up's gonna be a lot different match. It's gonna be a lot tougher match. I'm gonna have to step it up, yeah, to hang with him.
Yeah, I'm gonna have to try and play a clean match. I think a lot's gonna be on the serve and the return of serve in the match, and hopefully I can get into enough of his service games to put pressure on him and keep making that one extra ball.

Q. You probably share with Nadal that at a young age you played a lot of matches, and you're both pretty labor-intensive players. With your hip and his knees, do you ascribe the five-set format in majors as contributing to injuries of that kind?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I don't think the five-set format at slams. More so the schedule I think more than anything, and the amount of matches that you've got to play, especially if you are top five in the world.
Yeah, he, as I was, the way he moves around the court and hustles for everything, it's gonna take wear and tear on your body over years. I think everyone realized, you know, it was going to happen at some point. It just depends when it was gonna happen I guess for him.
But over five sets for Grand Slams, I don't think it's a big deal.

Q. Nothing you'd ever think about reducing to a best-of-three format?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think for Grand Slams. I think it's good how it is.

Q. How arduous is it for you sort of getting through a Grand Slam to, say, five or eight years ago when you were on fresh legs?

LLEYTON HEWITT: My recovery's still not too bad. It's obviously important always, you know, especially the first week, to try and get a clean week and not waste a whole lot of energy and not put your body through too much travel.
But, again, you've got too be able to survive that first week and put yourself in a spot to do some damage the second week. Yeah, probably a little more time spent recovering.
And with the hip now, that's just an ongoing rehab, a lot of physio work, whether it's a big tournament or a small tournament now, so...

Q. We saw you have a little bit of a stumble the other day practicing. Is that sort of a regular thing now with the hip?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, that was nothing to do with the hip. That was just unlucky. I just got wrong footed and slipped over. I was more worried about my groin than my hip. My hip was fine.

Q. Just going back to the five-set thing, you've been involved in thrilling five-set matches. Do you think that the women's game could benefit from going up to a five-set format?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. It's hard to say. I don't think a lot of them would last five sets. So, yeah, the training you have to do to last five sets, especially seven best-of-five-set matches, it's a lot more than three-set matches.
Yeah, there would obviously be question marks a lot of them could last that much.

Q. Is there still a big advantage here for people who are experienced, like yourself, on grass, to sort of a Del Potro, who is a clay courter, or has that narrowed a lot because of the conditions?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it has narrowed. I've noticed in my time, the last nine or ten years on the tour, from when I first came on.
Because there was -- it seemed a lot quicker with the balls and the courts were playing a lot quicker. Whether that was because, you know, a lot more guys were serve-volleying and that as well.
Whereas now, majority of guys, even Federer, as good as he is, he plays most of the game on grass from the back of the court as well.
So, yeah, it has changed a little bit, I think. But there's still areas where grass, compared with any other surface, you can get a slight edge I think from knowing how to move and how to play and the craft of playing on this surface.

Q. What's changed, the balls?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think the balls are a little bit heavier. Whether it's the actual grass or the ball, I'm not sure. Yeah, I think Tim Henman has also spoken over the years. It's definitely played slower in the time that I've played here.

Q. So the actual grass might be different?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure if the grass. It's a little bit cut. I have no idea. But it's definitely playing a bit slower.

Q. You've always been a big one for representing Australia in Davis Cup. You're the only Australian here for the first time ever at Wimbledon. Is that something you're aware of? Does it sort of put any extra pressure on you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm absolutely aware of it. And it doesn't put any more pressure on me because, you know, it's been a couple of years now where I've sort of been the main focus since Flip and Pat haven't been at the majors.
Most of the majority of the focus has been on me anyway. So that doesn't worry me. It worries me that we don't have players, absolutely.

Q. No one in the change room.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Absolutely. Not a lot of guys that speak English anymore (smiling).
It's frustrating. Obviously we want Tomic to improve. We can't throw all our eggs in one basket either. Back ten years ago when I first came on the tour, there was a good group of guys. Maybe some of those weren't going to win majors or be in the final, but they were going to be competitive and they were going to go close to making second weeks of Grand Slams. Somehow we've got to get back to that.

Q. Back to the best-of-five set question. Why doesn't that take a toll on you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think because we prepare. All our preparation is built around the four majors. I think any of the top players who have been to the pinnacle of the sport, all their preparation is built around these tournaments.
And, yeah, this is obviously the toughest one, coming off the French, for Rafa or Roger, whoever has done well at the French. To be able to back it up a couple of weeks later, that's slightly a different story.
Yeah, leading into the US Open or the Australian Open, you get a pretty long break beforehand, and you're able to do the preparation work that's needed to last those two weeks.

Q. What do you think can be done to get more young Australian guys coming through at the top level?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. I'm not, you know, I guess in it enough to actually know what's happening back home in terms of, you know, development, squads and all that.
But, yeah, I think we still have to try and identify the right kids, as well. We're fortunate in Australia to have sport for choice with a lot of different sports. We've got to try and somehow get the best athletes.

Q. You were just talking about how you do recover now during Grand Slams. Is that some advice you would like to give Rafa, as well? You had a lot of injuries as well. Is there something you can tell him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think Rafa, he knows what to do in Grand Slams. You know, he's -- yeah, this is obviously disappointing for him to miss this Grand Slam.
But the way that he prepares and goes about his business in the majors is second to none. You know, he's as professional as anyone. So, yeah, he would have been taking doing an enormous amount of training and recovery work.
Yeah, at the Australian Open earlier this year, the way that he bounced back from his five-setter against Verdasco, to come out and beat Roger in another five-setter, there's not too many guys that can do that.
 
#271 ·
WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2009, R64

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/J. Del Potro
6-3, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Lleyton Hewitt. First question, please.


Q. You told us your game plan the other day, and it seemed to go pretty much a hundred percent to the script.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I knew what I wanted to do, but whether I could go out there and execute it, and, you know, the opportunities for me would be there, especially to take advantage on his service games.
Yeah, I executed perfectly. Hit the ball great. Served unbelievable for most of the match. Yeah, took it to him right from the start. So, you know, I was pretty happy with the way I played.

Q. Just from your reaction, that seemed like a pretty special win.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, it was a big win. I wanted to beat a top-five guy. These are the places you want to do it, too. Yeah, I've got a lot of respect for Del Potro. He's a great player, and he's only going to get better.
Yeah, he's a future Grand Slam champion on possibly any surface. You know, I knew it was going to be a tough match today, but I was up for it from the start.

Q. The crowd seemed to be on your side. They gave you a great ovation there at the end.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, it was great. It was a lot of fun being out there. I guess, you know, kind of the underdog out there a little bit, as well. A lot of Aussies out there. It was good fun.

Q. Did you feel like the underdog? Are you surprised to have won?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not surprised I won. I knew I've never played Juan Martin before, but I've practiced with him quite a few times. Yeah, I felt like I'd seen a lot of his big matches, as well. Yeah, he's an exceptional player, he's a very talented player, but he's still a little bit raw. I had to try and take advantage of that as much as possible.
Yeah, I just played a really smart match.

Q. Kind of been waiting for a day like this for quite some time, haven't you, when everything works exactly the way you wanted it to work? How good did that make you feel?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, it's great. Especially, yeah, the body felt great as well. So I felt like I could actually go out there and compete a hundred percent, lay it all on the line. That's what I like to do.
You don't want to go out there and have excuses. Yeah, I wanted to lay it out on the line, playing one of the best guys in the world, and see how you go.
You know, I felt like I was able to do that. You know, I competed as well as I've ever competed.

Q. Is the hip completely fixed now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. It's been great since I really got on the clay, you know. So around Houston time haven't had any problems with the hip at all. Leading up to that, yeah, just the hard court, it wasn't actually the same problem.
At the start of the year after the surgery it was more scar tissue and that from the operation and having to keep doing a lot of rehab on it and that.
But, yeah, since the last two, two and a half months, it's felt great.

Q. How long before you've been able to play completely injury-free like that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, it's been a while. Yeah, it comes with age, though, as well. You get a lot more niggles. Yeah, you just got to do the recovery. It seems like you gotta ice a lot more spots on your body these days than I had to eight, ten years ago (smiling).

Q. John McEnroe on the TV said it's the best he's seen you since 2002. Would you follow that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know about 2002. The end of 2004 I played extremely well. The start of 2005, I played very well, as well. Yeah, probably since 2005, yeah.

Q. What do you feel when he says that you were an idol for him, and it was funny when you said, C'mon the first time he was in front of you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, Juan Martin gets on really well with my physio, as well. My physio was born in South America. I've actually spent, yeah, a bit of time practicing with him and that.
My physio had told me that he did look up to me growing up. So, yeah, that's not the only reason I've got respect for him (smiling). He's a good bloke, but he's a very down-to-earth guy. I did know that going into the match, though, as well.
But as I said, he's going to win Grand Slams, there's no doubt about it.

Q. How important is support from Bec and your family?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, it's always important. I've got a great group of people around me. It makes life easier for me to go out there and do what I love and compete as well as I can.

Q. Can you take us back one year ago just before your surgery? Did you ever have the temptation to say, I had a great career, I have a good family, it's enough, or not?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I guess in the back of your mind a little bit, because I didn't know how the surgery was gonna go. I didn't want to spend a whole heap of time, you know, playing with the pain that I was playing with, you know, for about six to seven months last year. It wasn't that much fun going on the court and not feeling a hundred percent. So it was in the back of my mind.
The surgery was something that, you know, to go on with life I wouldn't have needed to have it done. You know, it was only if I wanted to be a professional tennis player that I'd have the surgery done and try and get back to as close to a hundred percent as possible.
Once I made that commitment to have the surgery and go through the tough rehab, being off the tour for that long, the motivation was there. You know, I think it probably hit home more when the US Open was on last year after I'd had the surgery and I was sitting back at home just twiddling my thumbs, changing nappies and stuff, but not doing a lot of other things.
I was really missing, you know, not being at the US Open, which is one of my favorite tournaments, so...

Q. Because of the weight of public expectation, is it in some ways easier for you to be playing here than at the Australian Open? Can you relate to what Andy Murray goes through at Wimbledon during this fortnight?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I guess a little bit now more so. The Australian Open's always going to be a focus, no matter what my ranking is probably. Whereas here, you sort of go under the radar a little bit more if your ranking is down a little bit lower.
Yeah, absolutely I know what Andy Murray's going through, though. He's got a good head on his shoulders, though. To me, he handles it extremely well. Yeah, I thought Tim Henman handled it unbelievably well, as well. I think you're lucky you had a guy like Tim and now you got a guy like Andy that can handle the pressure and the expectation.

Q. What possible semifinal opponent for you now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No. Long way away from that.

Q. Roger is going to be a father in just a little while. If you could give him one piece of advice of being a touring pro while being a dad, what would you say?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I hope Mirka's a good wife (smiling).

Q. Mostly be on her shoulders?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, no. Bec has been unbelievable for me. Made life a lot easier. I'm sure Mirka will be that kind of solid rock for Roger, as well.

Q. And you're pretty good at changing those nappies?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. Bec's better, but I'm not bad.

Q. While you were on court, Elena Baltacha crashed out. Just Andy Murray left. Do you agree it's him flying the flag, and Britons should be doing better here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Hard to say. When most of your players coming in needing wild cards, then it doesn't surprise me. You know, it shouldn't surprise anyone.
Yeah, it's a little bit the same at the Australian Open. Obviously, Dokic had a great run this year. We've been fortunate enough the last few years. We've still been able to have one or two players get through to the second week in the Australian Open.
Whereas in the past we had three or four people get through in the men's and women's. Yeah, we're going through the same situation.

Q. Does it feel kind of weird coming out of tournaments when you're one of the older guys with players looking up to you as opposed to years ago when you were the guy looking up to other players? Does it make you feel old at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit, I guess. Yeah, just when you look at the age of guys, Del Potro is probably around 20, I think. And, yeah, Murray is not much older, and Nadal and these guys. A lot of young guys out there.
Yeah, that just happens, I guess. I've been around for quite a while. This is about my 10th time here at Wimbledon, so...

Q. Have you set yourself that target? What would be a good Wimbledon for you this year? What would you be happy with?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't even focused. Obviously with the change at the start, I just wanted to get through Ginepri and focus. Obviously, at the start I thought I was going to be playing Nadal, and then it was Del Potro. You know, I haven't looked past Del Potro at this stage. Now I'll start focusing on my next opponent.
But I knew today was going to be a big match for me. You know, I focused all my energy on trying to get through today.

Q. Taking all that onboard, do you still feel you're a good enough player to go all the way in a Grand Slam tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. I think there's been patches this year when I've played extremely well. It's taken some of the best players to beat me in the bigger tournaments.
Yeah, I think if draws open up and the body feels good and I can play, you know, execute that kind of style of tennis for over five sets, there's no reason why I can't put a bit of pressure on these guys.
 
#272 ·
WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2009, R32

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/P. Petzschner
7-5, 7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everybody. Lleyton Hewitt. First question, please.


Q. It was hot out there. How hot did it feel on court?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not too bad. I've played in a lot hotter. Nice conditions to play in. Really nice. Be happy if I stays like that.

Q. Do you think the heat was a factor for your opponent?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No. I don't think it played a bearing. Three straight sets anyway. I don't think either of us got tested, you know, physically.

Q. Fairly evenly matched throughout almost all the three sets. But your experience, do you think was what won you over and he was frustrating himself and that affected his game?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's a tough opponent. He's very flashy out there, hard to get a read on him. I played him a couple months ago on clay in Munich. First time I've ever really seen him play. I think he won a title indoors at the end of last year.
He's a tough player to play against. He's got a sneaky first serve and big serve first, good all-court game, nice slice backhand, and he moves well. I knew it wasn't going to be an easy match out there today.
I was fortunate. I wasn't quite able to break halfway through the first set, and then I was able to get the break the end of the first set to go up 7-5.
Played a great tiebreak. That was the key to the match in the end to go up two sets to love.

Q. You beat him in Munich in straight sets as well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I beat him in three sets. Lost a set there.

Q. What's the difference then? How did you beat him if he's such a great opponent?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, no, he's a good player. You know, he's got weaknesses in his game, as well. You know, on the big points I knew that they were going to be the key today, and I was able to take those.
It would have been a bit nicer to have broken when I had the opportunity earlier in the first set and also in the third set. First game of the third set, I had a couple of breakpoints. He played the breakpoints pretty well today. In the end it was nice just to win in straight sets.

Q. When you were having hip problems and surgery, how realistic did you think it was that you'd be in a position like this going into week two at Wimbledon?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I gave myself a very good chance. After the surgery, my surgeon was very confident that I'd get back to, you know, full fitness. You know, I don't think we expected to go out and, you know, put a lot of damage I guess in the Australian Open, a couple of my first tournaments back. It was gonna be six or twelve months after the operation that I was gonna start feeling better and better.
Yeah, I was prepared to do all the hard work to get to this stage of the big tournaments. It's nice to be in the second week of a slam.

Q. How do your emotions and feeling of accomplishment compare now, having done it after what you've been through, with when you were a much younger player?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I guess when you're at the top of your game and you're No. 1 in the world, you kind of take it for granted, Round of 16s of slams. When you're unseeded, it's not always that easy to get the easy draw to come through the Round of 16 and make the second week of these kind of majors.
That's what's pleasing this week, is to come through and do it against worthy opponents. You know, and not drop a set so far is nice, as well.

Q. How much did the support you had out there help you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It was fantastic. It was a great feeling out there. Obviously Sam played the first match out there, as well. It was a good day for Court 2 to get a lot of Australian fans out there.
So, yeah, I had the whole crowd behind me, which was great.

Q. Three straight-set wins. How does progress the second week this year compare to previous years, and in particular 2002?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, 2002, I only lost two sets for the entire tournament, and they were both to Schalken in the quarterfinals. Apart from that, I didn't drop a set, so obviously I played pretty clean tennis that year.
Yeah, it's important to play clean tennis to obviously save energy. At the end of the day, you've got to just find a way to get through the first week, as well. You can't win these tournaments in the first week, but you can obviously be knocked out.
It's important to try to find a way through. You know, I've been able to do that so far.

Q. Parallels with 2002 at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't really thought about it too much. Obviously I have great memories of this place every time I walk in the joint. So, yeah, it's a fantastic place to come back and play.

Q. There's always a lot of talk about the surface, how it's changed over the years. Where do you lay in sort of on this question of it being slowed down from the way it used to be?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think it's as I said a couple days as ago, I think it's a little bit slower. Whether it's the balls or not, I'm not sure. Then again, guys are still serving 138s, 140s. It still feels pretty quick out there in those conditions.
I think when guys are playing from the back of the court so much, as well, yeah, there's a lot more rallies. But then you have a match like yesterday with Karlovic and Tsonga, and there was hardly a rally in the whole match. So if you're a good enough server, you can still hit through the court, that's for sure.

Q. Going back to the group of fans, do you know any of them? Are they just sort of a little group?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I only know one or two of them I think that follow the Fanatics there, come to a lot of Davis Cup ties and that. So there's a couple of people in there that sort of lead that. I think they camped out again last night to watch obviously myself and Sam play today.

Q. There was a point when one of the stewards apparently asked them to quiet down a bit. I presume you wouldn't want them quieted down at all.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Uhm, yeah, I don't know. I thought they were fine out there today. Yeah, I felt the whole crowd was really into it. It was a good atmosphere.

Q. Does it get distracting when they start singing pop songs and stuff?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really for me. I'm used to it. It's all the sort of same songs that I've heard so many times in Davis Cup, so for me it's sort of it's a background noise, a lot of it. And I feed off 'em when I need to.
So I think I use 'em -- yeah, for me it works perfectly for me because I can feed off 'em when I need to.

Q. It's been pretty rare that someone has finished the year No. 1 and regained it. You have a unique perspective on that. What are the variables that make that so difficult?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm not sure. It is an extremely tough thing, you know, just to get to No. 1. But obviously to get it back, I guess, normally you got to play quite a lot of tournaments as well to be able to get it back, I think.
Obviously, Roger would be extremely close to getting it back from Rafa now that he's not defending here. Yeah, it would be a great achievement, as you said.

Q. Is it injuries? Is it mental?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Both probably. A bit of both. Yeah, I don't know. I think the game keeps changing and keeps improving, as well.

Q. You haven't played Stepanek for quite a while. What do you expect from him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's a different kind of match. A little bit like today's match. He mixes in the serve-volley, chip-charge. He comes in. He's a good all-court player. Yeah, he's dangerous from the back of the court as well. Sort of flashy from the back of the court, similar to today's opponent a little bit: an all-court player, moves extremely well. Yeah, he's very comfortable on this surface, as well.

Q. He talked about struggling through his match on a bad knee, getting his doctor in from Prague. Can you let that enter your head?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I won't be focusing too much. I didn't see much of his match today at all. So, yeah, obviously to last five sets against David Ferrer you must be feeling not too bad.

Q. Do you feel fit enough now to go deep into the second week? Do you think your body is up to doing that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I hope so. I've done all the hard work back in December, yeah, not only for the Australian summer, but to last throughout the year, as well. So, yeah, I feel confident my body can hold up.

Q. You mentioned the amount of work you've had to do. Having had the career you had before having serious surgery, it would be very easy to go, That will do me, and walk away from it. Where does the hunger to do all that hard work come from?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. I still think, you know, when I look at the guys in top 5, top 10 in the world, I still feel like I'm good enough to be up there. I think that's probably the motivation.
Playing in these tournaments, as well. You know, growing up, these are the places you want to play at. I've been fortunate enough to play well at a lot of these big tournaments. The passion and hunger's still there obviously. The day that that's not there, it is time to hang up the racquets.

Q. Do you set your goals down in terms of getting back in the top 10, or is it the slams?

LLEYTON HEWITT: At the moment, it's more focusing on the slams, trying to get the best out of myself at those slams. If I'm able to, you know, do well at those slams, the ranking will take care of itself. Obviously, I'd like to get back in the top 20 as soon as possible.

Q. What is your sense of appreciation for Roger's accomplishment as he approaches the possibility of breaking Sampras' record for majors, given your experience in majors?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's amazing what Roger's done. Every record that he's equaled or broken is amazing in itself. Yeah, the way that he's been able to go out and be so consistent in so many Grand Slams back to back is, yeah, an incredible effort. It's hard enough just to do it for a couple years. He's been able to do it for, you know, five or six years now in a row.
But, you know, something like 20-odd Grand Slam semifinals in a row which is, yeah, a little bit unheard of. Yeah, physically you've got to be extremely strong to be able to do that, but obviously mentally as well. Not to have lapses in the first week of a Grand Slam, it's not that easy.

Q. When you watch him play, what do you appreciate most?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He's got a great all-court game. He's a very smart player.
 
#273 ·
WIMBLEDON

June 29, 2009, R16

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

L. HEWITT/R. Stepanek
4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Lleyton Hewitt. First question, please.


Q. What happened there with your thigh?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Just a bit of a strain midway through the first set. Was just, yeah, causing me a couple of issues out there. I wasn't quite able to move the way that I would have liked early on in the match.
You know, it was frustrating through the second set. So, yeah, just got some treatment. Yeah, tried to forget about it as much as possible.

Q. It was like a different game from then on.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit. Yeah, I was able to start dictating play a little bit more and sort of put a bit more pressure on his forehand. He was hitting his backhand extremely well. He was attacking both sides off it and returning well if I missed my first serve.
My serve definitely picked up from then on in, though. I was struggling a little bit pushing off with my left leg on the serve. Got better as the match went on.

Q. Did the treatment do the trick, or were you pushing through a bit of pain in the last three sets?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Still a little bit of pain. Had to get more treatment during the rain delay, as well. Just, yeah, tried to give myself as much chance as possible to go out there and compete.
Yeah, still a little bit of pain out there. But it was enough to get over the line.

Q. Sometimes if you cool down during the delay, it might come up again

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit. Wasn't sure whether it was going to work in my favor or not, to tell you the truth. Wasn't a lot I could do. I was able to see my physio, as well, obviously in the locker rooms and then. He knows my body as well as anyone. Yeah, I have a lot more trust in him, as well, knowing what's going on.

Q. Will you have to have any more treatment? Are you confident it's going to be all right for the next match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I hope so the way I finished off today. Hopefully I didn't do any more damage to it, you know, from that first twinge when I first felt it, yeah, late in the first set.
Yeah, well really we'll do all the same treatment we were doing and everything. Obviously we can work on it today and tomorrow. I'm sure I'll be very close to a hundred percent by Wednesday.

Q. What was going through your head? You're two sets down, probably hurting a bit. Are you thinking, I might be out of here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. It was tough 'cause I was trying to block out my leg more than anything and focus on not looking at the big picture, trying to get back in, and yeah, winning in five sets.
I was more trying to get the third set under my belt. I really wanted to try to get up a break. Even though I lost the first two sets, in the second set quite comfortably, I felt like I had chances on his service games and I was going to have a lot of chances on his service games.
I just wasn't quite returning the way I would have liked the first two sets. I felt like I if I could start getting into his service games, and put pressure on that, then, yeah, hopefully my whole game could pick up. That's what started happening. I started returning a lot better and I started putting a lot more pressure on his serve.

Q. Are you starting to feel the invincibility of the days when you were first in the world?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't know. Right at the moment I'm just taking it match at a time. Yeah, obviously when you're making the second week of Grand Slams, you know, all the time then sort of on autopilot a lot of times.
You go out there and you trust what you do. Yeah, that's why I've tried to play a lot more tournaments the start of this year to get back in that groove of playing a lot of matches. Obviously winning, you know, these tight matches against quality opponents, that gives you a lot more confidence.

Q. Going back maybe 18 months, two years, do you think you would have been able to pull out a comeback like that with the state your body was in back then?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I've always been fit enough an hungry enough to keep fighting and that never-say-die attitude. Probably more so only that last that year, that eight months whatever with the hip, six to eight months that I was playing and not feeling a hundred percent. Just wasn't a hundred percent sure whether the hip would hold up more than anything. And then other muscles around the hip would start shutting down.
So, you know, it was probably more a question mark just in that period last year.

Q. You made a point of going over to thank your supporters. How much of a role did they play in lifting you today, and how much have they helped you through the tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, they've been great. Yeah, they've been fantastic. I draw a lot of emotion and energy from those guys out there, as well. Yeah, the rest of the crowd, as well, seemed to be all going for me, as well. It's been nice playing Court 2 the last couple of matches. It's been a good arena to play at. I've had a lot of crowd support.
Yeah, especially in today's match when you've got to dig deep, try to find a way out of it, you know they're going to be there for the long haul.

Q. Given the Australia/England thing, do you particularly want to play Murray?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, doesn't bother me. At the moment, I'll just start worrying about Roddick leading at the moment. You know, I'm not worrying about Andy Murray too much yet. I'm worried about Andy Roddick.

Q. How do you feel about Andy Roddick? Can you turn around that result from Queen's, do you think?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, Queen's was only one or two points in the match. You know, I felt like I had the better of him in the actual service games that we were playing. I didn't face a breakpoint in the whole match. Had one breakpoint opportunity on his serve. Wasn't able to take it. Two or three Love-30s on his service games.
You know you're going to get aced out there. You know he's going to come up with big shots. You've got to weather the storm and take those small chances when you get the opportunity. That's what it comes down to playing these big matches at the end of these tournaments.

Q. With Andy Roddick, you're both veterans on the tour. Probably nothing that is going to surprise him about you, and vice versa. How do you go about preparing matches against an old rival like that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'll probably focus more on my game than probably his. As you said, we both know each other's games pretty well. We played at Queen's on the same surface, similar conditions only a couple of weeks ago.
So, you know, I'll just try and work on my game and make sure that I'm executing how I want to, and obviously I'm gonna have to go out there and try and take care of my service games quite comfortably, as well. You know, just wait for those opportunities.

Q. The fans today, are they the same guys that have followed you over the years?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A few of them are. Obviously a lot of expats living in London that have sort of joined in with a couple of the regulars. Yeah, a couple of the guys I know as part of the Fanatics that are at all the Davis Cup ties. There's a couple there that I know.

Q. You haven't got them tickets?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, they've camped out the last I keep getting text messages from Wozza saying the boys are camping out every night. I think they're already starting to camp out tonight for Wednesday.

Q. Is he here, Wozza?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, Wozza is not here.

Q. Do you think it gets annoying or a bit unfair for your opponents when you've got them being quite as loud as they were today, being told by the stewards a couple of times to tone it down?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. You know, I've played in a lot more hostile places I think than playing here. I think they've been great. It's been a good atmosphere. Yeah, for an opponent I'm sure they're not thrilled about it, but, yeah, going against them. But then again, they're not in their face either.

Q. Bec sort of left. Not sure whether she needed a comfort break. She came back at the start of the third. Are you superstitious who is in your entourage, where they are?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not at all. She might have been seeing the kids. I don't know what she was doing. Yeah, doesn't bother me at all.
 
#274 ·
WIMBLEDON

July 1, 2009, QF

Lleyton Hewitt

LONDON, ENGLAND

A. RODDICK/L. Hewitt
6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Hard to combat that service game of Andy's?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. You know you're going to get aced a lot. I knew that going into the match. Yeah, you're gonna get some breakpoints and you're going to see them go pretty quickly as well.
It was a matter of trying to hang in there as much as possible and make him play that extra shot. I was nearly able to do it.

Q. You were clutching your leg at times. How big a factor was that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I was a little bit sore stretching out, on my serve as well. That was probably the biggest issue. But, you know, still was able to go the distance and go five sets.

Q. Double-faults early on. Was that an issue with your serve?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it wasn't yeah, one of the worse things was trying to push off from my left leg. So, yeah, just grabbed, you know, a lot when I tried to push off sometimes. Yeah, I didn't serve quite as well as I would have liked.

Q. In a few days when the disappointment of this match subsides, how do you think you'll look back on the Championships as a whole?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, there's a lot of positives to take out of it. The guys that I've beaten. Yeah, especially the Del Potro match, the way that I actually went out there and took it to him. Yeah, played great tennis for three sets against a worthy opponent.
Yeah, even losing to Andy today. Yeah, he's one of the best grass court players out there. He's been to a couple of Wimbledon finals, a few semis here as well. Yeah, it's not a bad loss, but I would have liked to have snuck through.

Q. You've seen Andy Roddick's game in all the different stages of his career. What are your thoughts on the way he's playing right now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not a huge difference really throughout his career. His strengths are still the same. His slight weaknesses are still pretty much the same, as well.
Yeah, he's maybe trying to stand up in the court a little bit more than he was a couple of years ago, you know, especially returning serve probably, not trying to get dictated too much behind the baseline.
Yeah, he mixes it up well as well. When you got a serve like he has he can take a few chances, a few risks on his opponent's service game.

Q. What are your thoughts on the matchup, Andy versus Andy?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think it's gonna be a tough one for Roddick to win. I think, you know, when I've seen Andy Murray at his best, I think he matches up extremely well against Roddick.
Yeah, it's going to be an interesting match. A couple years ago I saw them play here because they were in my section, and Murray took care of him convincingly. And Murray's a lot better player now than he was then.
Roddick's gonna have to play a helluva match to beat him.

Q. How much does a five-setter like that take out of you physically and mentally?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it takes it out. Obviously Roddick will be on a high as well though, getting through. But physically he's gonna have to recover, you know, quickly.
I mean, Murray I don't think, had too tough a time out there today, so he's gonna be feeling pretty fresh.

Q. A lot was made of Murray's recovery after the game on Monday, the fact he was 22. Andy Roddick is only four years older. Will that be a significant factor?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think it will be a lot. Yeah, Roddick has a lot of easy service games as well where doesn't have to work for every point out there either.
So it's probably slightly different than playing a guy recovering that had to play five sets of grinding from the back of the court against another baseline player.

Q. Andy said after the match that maybe going back five years, six, I don't know how many years, might have been a bit sort of fi or scrappy between you two. But I think his quote was, We're just a couple of old married dudes now. It was a different sort of sense of the match. Did you feel that as well?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I think we re both we were giving everything we had out there. Yeah, I don't think we left -- either of us left anything in the locker room, that's for sure.
So, yeah, I don't know. I guess -- I'm not really sure what he means by that. Yeah, as I said, you know, I think we were both going pretty hard out there.

Q. Take us through the break game late in the fifth.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I couldn't take my chances when I needed to. Yeah, I just missed a couple of short forehands there when I had the opportunity to come in on his backhand.
Then on breakpoint I actually played a good point, and he came up with a good pass. Yeah, he hit a lob at my feet. I had to come up with a half volley. Wasn't able to hit the half volley, sort of half volley dropshot, short enough. So he got up there and hit a good pass.

Q. Compare Andy's serve to the other great serves that are in the game today.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's definitely one of the great servers out there. Yeah, he's up there with the best of them. Karlovic, obviously he's a different kind of server, though. Just the way that the ball's coming down from his height, it's so different to anyone else out there.
It's very hard to compare his serve with anyone's. Apart from that, Roddick's is as good as anyone.

Q. The umpire missed a call or the linesman didn't make a call, and Andy was disputing it at the change of ends. Did you get a sense he got a little distracted at that point?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I didn't really know what was going on. Yeah, I think Andy was more just frustrated that he didn't break that game, you know, was letting his emotions out during the changeover. Didn't worry him too much.

Q. Did you have trouble with your grip there a few times?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I was just a little bit sweaty. Yeah, just struggling a little bit a couple of times.

Q. You've moved forward in the rankings now. Look forward to the next slam, the tournaments in between?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, obviously the US Open will be the next focus. Yeah, for me it's just about getting my body right and being able to compete there again.
You know, it was disappointing that I missed it last year. Yeah, it will be nice to go back to Flushing Meadows. It's one of my favorite tournaments obviously. Special place for me to go back to. It's nice going back there not having to defend any points either.

Q. Do you go back there with more belief than you might have had after this sort of week and a half?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. I think just knowing what I'm capable of playing like and the standard that I'm able to play over five sets against the best guys in the world, back-to-back matches in Grand Slams.
And, yeah, as I said early in the week, I've had to put myself out there and try and play a lot of tournaments this year to get back in that routine of playing a lot of matches.
Even though I lost this one today, I came through the tight match against Stepanek, the clutch match against Del Potro. Even though I played a lot of those years ago, you still got to get back in that routine.

Q. A lot of players have had serious setbacks and great comebacks late in their career. How does this period now where you're fighting back compare with the early days where you had all your great triumphs?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't know. I guess now sort of for me it's more looking at the last phase of my career and trying to get as much out of it as possible. Yeah, doing all the hard work to get as much out of it as I can the next few years.
Yeah, right at the moment, after the surgery, I knew it wasn't going to be easy to get back, it was gonna take time. Yeah, now the body's feeling good. It's time to keep pressing on.

Q. In some ways is it even more satisfying now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, yeah, I guess after having a surgery and you're not a hundred percent sure you're never a hundred percent sure after a surgery how well you're gonna feel after that, how quickly it's going to be able to come back and whether you're gonna be able to compete with the best guys in the world.
You know, I feel now that I'm able to do that.

Q. Has your performance here suggested that you're ahead of where you perhaps expected to be, or have you sort of performed as you expected to coming in?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, coming into this particular tournament I felt pretty good physically, and I knew mentally I'd be able to hang around for five sets against the best guys.
Yeah, it's more just an extra added belief now that I can go out there and you know you can do it more than anything.

Q. If you'd played Murray, it would have been a nice Ashes appetizer. Who is going to win the Ashes?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. Feeling pretty confident at the moment. You guys don't talk about the last one. You just keep going back to '05. Everything on the TV is '05. There was one in between that. Everyone's forgotten.
 
#275 ·
ROGERS CUP

August 11, 2009, 1st Round

Lleyton Hewitt

MONTREAL, QUEBEC

J. FERRERO/L. Hewitt
6-1, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. How tough is it to get out there and play these days? Do you find it difficult or...

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's not that tough. It's still -- I'm still very motivated, and when the body is feeling good it's a lot easier.

Q. Body is feeling good now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I had a slight tear last week. I have been out of practice since coming here, arriving here. So, yeah, I wasn't expecting a whole lot out there today.

Q. Were you pleased with the way you fought in the second set?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I actually felt like my ball striking was pretty good out there. As I said, I haven't been out to play any practice sets the last three or four days since getting here. That's been hard going out there just today straight into it and see what happens.
In the back of my mind, I didn't want to do any more damage to my leg, either, obviously before going into another Masters Series next week but more the US Open in a couple weeks' time. So my movement was -- he moved exceptional out there today and I didn't move so well, and that was the difference.

Q. Do you think you'll be able to step it up the next couple of days in terms of your practicing? Did you feel like the leg wasn't affecting you too much?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it was affecting me a little bit more today than I would have liked; that's for sure. It's more now that hopefully there is no more damage done, and I can get ready for Cincinnati next week.

Q. Have you been watching Kim's comeback at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, no.

Q. Before this week, your last couple of losses were in tough matches against very good players. What do you think the difference is between winning those matches and not being...

LLEYTON HEWITT: Both those against Del Potro and Roddick, the last couple since Wimbledon could have gone either way. Yeah, I was only a point or two in each of those matches.
As I said, I did the injury against
Del Potro last week, so for me it was a good effort just to have got that close in the end.
So that was frustrating, because I was a set and a break up and feeling really confident, and then he goes on and wins the tournament, so...

Q. When you keep getting injured like this and try to come back, do you feel like you take a lot of steps back every time or...

LLEYTON HEWITT: Sometimes, but, you know, since through I guess from Houston, yeah, so far through to Washington I've been, touch wood, it's been pretty good, and I've played some good tennis.
You've just got to get those matches under your belt, especially since the second half of last year I didn't play any matches. It's not easy to just step in and play your best tennis straightaway against these guys. All of these tournaments are extremely tough fields. You're going to have your work cut out in every match.

Q. What's the toughest part, physical or mental?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, a little bit of both, you know. Obviously if you're physically struggling, then it becomes a mental battle as well to go out there and compete and lay it all on the line every time. That gets frustrating if you can't do it.

Q. Is it frustrating to know guys you beat four or five years ago you struggle with now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's only a handful of them, I guess. Obviously there's a lot of younger guys coming up nowadays that are a lot better than they were five years ago.

Q. For a player like you who has been at the top and trying to get back, when you see a situation like Federer or Nadal, does that limit your expectations going into a Grand Slam or a tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I think you still focus on who you're up against, obviously. But 9 times out of 10, if you're going to win one of those big tournaments, you're going to have to beat one of those, most likely one of those two guys to win the tournament.
It's obviously going to be a tough challenge, especially the way they've been playing the last four or five years now. But, yeah, that's the motivation, as well. Try and keep improving, and they take the game to a new level and you've got to try and keep up with them.

Q. I know it seems like Rafa and Roger take a lot of the attention and kind of everybody else is in the shadows. Does that make a difference at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. You know, there has been since I first came on, I guess Agassi and Sampras were the great rivals, I guess. It's good for the sport to have that kind of rivalry, as well.
Some of the matches that Rafa and Roger have played have been incredible tennis, especially to be able to do it in the Wimbledon final last year but then the Australian Open final this year as well. To be able to do that in those great matches, they deserve the limelight.
 
#276 ·
WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 18, 2009, R64

Lleyton Hewitt

CINCINNATI, OHIO

L. HEWITT/R. Soderling
4-6, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. Thoughts on your win this afternoon? You saved a couple match points in the second set tiebreak.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was good. It was always gonna be a tough match against Soderling. He's been playing great the last three or four months. Such a big hitter out there. He wants to play on his terms and he wants to dictate play. Sort of had to weather the storm out there today and wait for my opportunities.
Second set tiebreak could have gone either way, obviously. You know, I played a good game the first game of the third set to break serve, and served well for the rest of that set.

Q. What were the pleasing aspects of that performance, say, compared to last week in Montreal?

LLEYTON HEWITT: My body felt a lot better. That was the difference. Yeah, gave me a lot of confidence to be able to actually go out there and compete. Last week in Montreal I couldn't compete, which is frustrating.
So, yeah, I felt it was a very high standard match. Both of us hit the ball extremely well. We both hit it extremely clean. He's the kind of guy who's gonna hit a lot of winners out there. You sort of got to make him play that one extra shot a lot of times. You can see the confidence. He's swinging at the hips and swinging very freely at the moment.

Q. So this leg problem that you talked about after your match in Montreal, that's gone? You're a 100%?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Getting there. Feel a lot better than last week, that's for sure.

Q. How do you define success at this stage of your career?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not sure. For me, it's still yeah, obviously this year has been a bit different coming back from the hip surgery. Probably didn't have, you know, quite the expectations that I've had on myself going into, you know, matches I guess since I was world No. 1 and in the top 10 for a lot of years there.
This year are has been a little bit different. For me, it's been more about getting the body as close to 100% as possible, but more preparing for the four majors and trying to get my ranking up there as quickly as possible.

Q. How are you happy with where it is right now, 42?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I have no points to defend. I didn't play this time last year. So, yeah, so far this year, you know, I've got better and better as the year's gone on. I was happy winning in Houston on clay there and not dropping a set. But then Wimbledon was when I played some of my best tennis.

Q. Today I believe Soderling had 50 unforced errors, and you had only had 11. Can you talk about your focus today and how you were able to minimize those?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, yeah, that was always gonna be the matchup though, really. He would have had 50 unforced errors and probably so many more winners as well. Yeah, it's a big difference. Both our games are so different, the styles of play out there.
So for me, as I said, it was more about weathering the storm and trying to get that extra ball back in play and make him come up with the extra shots. In the tiebreak, obviously if he's serving he's gonna be tough to beat.
When I was able to get those small opportunities in his second serve, then I really had to take 'em.

Q. Just your thoughts, you know, next opponent, Benjamin Becker.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, gonna be a tough match. Never played against him before. I think this surface probably suits his game, the style of play he plays. He got through his first round quite comfortably, so I won't be taking him lightly.

Q. Speak of Federer, you two have experienced a lot of same things: you been No. 1, not been No. 1, married, father. What do you think keeps him going?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. I guess when he's feeling good and that he's obviously you know, I guess the records and still Grand Slams, I'm guessing anyway.
I think when you've been to No. 1 and you've obviously won slams, that's sort of where you want to play your best tennis, I guess. You know, I'm sure the same is for Roger.

Q. So you think the taste of success is what keeps driving him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, in the majors I think, absolutely.

Q. Andy Roddick, you played him three times this year: twice on grass and once indoor. Have you sensed that he's improved and doing things better on the court, making better decisions? What's your take on that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Maybe a little bit. It's hard to say. I don't think it's been, for me personally, a huge difference. He's probably hitting his backhand a little bit better. His strength has always been his serve and the way that he can take care of his service games and obviously use his forehand extremely well as well. He moves around the court well for a big guy.
I guess just, yeah, winning some tight matches gives him confidence as well. He probably lost a couple of those matches early last year, and then makes it tough to get out of that situation.
 
#277 ·
WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 20, 2009, R16

Lleyton Hewitt

CINCINNATI, OHIO

L. HEWITT/S. Querrey
6-1, 2-6, 6-3

MODERATOR: Questions, please.


Q. How tough were the conditions out there today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, tough conditions for both of us. Yeah, got really gusty breezes out there, and it was hard to know really at which end or which way it was coming from a lot of the time. It was more having to play smart tennis out there and play the percentages a little bit more.
I was able to play a really clean first set there, but he obviously picked up his first serve in the second set and put me under a lot more pressure and started going for a bit more.
It was a tough third set to get out of.

Q. You must be pleased with your return. You seemed to return well in those conditions?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, I put a lot of pressure on his serve. I was happy the way that I hit the ball out there today. I played a smart match against him and tried to keep him off balance as much as possible. Yeah, put a lot of pressure on him. I came into the net quite a bit as well.
Yeah, try and make him come up with the big shots on the big points. That was probably the difference.

Q. This tournament can be really hot and perhaps a lot more humid than what it was. Have you found it not being so taxing, the conditions in terms of how you're feeling?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. The past years I've been here, 2007, the last time I was here, was an extremely hot year here.
So, yeah, it's been nice get through the quarters and not waste a whole heap of energy. Obviously the first match was a tough, grueling match against Soderling where I had to retrieve a lot balls and, yeah, grind out a lot of points out there. The last two matches haven't really taken a whole lot out of me.

Q. Roger Federer talked about playing you and how much he enjoys. He even said today that to play you would be the match he would've wanted to play because you've had such a long rivalry over the years. Do you see it the same way?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. He's the benchmark. He's obviously the in-form player at the moment and the guy to beat on any surface, especially after winning the two last big majors.
So, yeah, we have had so many big matches over the years in a lot of situations, whether it's Masters Cups or Davis Cups or Grand Slam semis and finals. It's always a privilege to play Roger, especially at the business end of the tournaments.
Obviously bot our focuses are gonna be on the US Open in a week's time and trying to hone our game as well as possible for that. Yeah, if I can go out there and execute, hopefully it's a good match.

Q. If you can beat him, the confidence will be lifted not only for this week but also for the US Open.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. As I said, he's the benchmark. He's where it's at. He had tough match today against Ferrer, who obviously pushed him to 6-4 in the third. Hopefully I can go out there and do the same tomorrow.

Q. Can you talk about your relationship with Roger? Kind of building on what you said, you grew up together. Are you guys friends off the court?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I guess in this sport you don't get that close to your opposition quite that much, I guess, purely because it is such a one-on-one battle.
Yeah, the respect that I think that Roger and I both have for each other is huge. We have grown up together and played a lot times together. He's a great guy. He's very down to earth for the success that he's had.

Q. Looking at the head to heads, 2003 was obviously a pivotal match that you came back and won. Since then, he's pretty much dominated that. What are you gonna need to do to play him to turn the tables on him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't know. Something different, obviously. Yeah, he's had the wood on me the last, yeah, quite a few times now since then.
Yeah, he obviously want wants to dictate play and play on his terms. And he's very good that, and possibly as good as anyone out there. I'm gonna have to try and mix it up and go out there with a good game plan.
When I last played him back two years ago here, it could have gone either way. I led a break in the third set there and ended up losing a tiebreak in the third.
So hopefully, yeah, I can get my teeth into the match and play on my terms.
 
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