Hewitt unflustered by tough draw

It’s five years since then world No.4 Marat Safin defeated determined Australian Lleyton Hewitt in the final of Australian Open 2005. The win, watched by more than four million Australians, crushed local hopes of a fairytale finish like one of the burly Russian’s errant racquets.

Today, heading into his 14th Australian Open campaign, Hewitt says his game hasn’t changed “a whole heap” since that memorable night.

“Yeah, you're always trying to improve and work on little areas of your game,” Hewitt told the media ahead of his first match on Tuesday.

“In terms of playing, I still know my A-game. Yeah, if we're trying to add a few little things on the side of that, that's more to help out and maybe not be as predictable.

“I'm still as patient I think as anyone out there. I like to think I play the percentages as well as anyone, as well.”

Hewitt will open his Melbourne Park campaign against under-the-radar Brazilian Ricardo Hocevar, who battled his way through qualifying this week at Melbourne Park.

“Qualifiers are always tough. Over five sets, though, I'm going to get a feel for him. Throughout the first set, anyway.

“But going out on the court, I'll be concentrating on my game. If I take care and execute the things I want to do, then I’ve got a good feeling I can get through it.”

If Hewitt does get through the match, as expected, and makes it to the third round, he may face his conqueror from this week’s Medibank International in Sydney, Marcos Baghdatis. A likely fourth-round meeting with Roger Federer would be next on his agenda, but Hewitt isn’t fussed by his difficult draw.

“Grand Slams, there's no easy draws, mate. Everyone is here to win. You have to win seven matches to win these tournaments over five sets. Anything can happen.”

Hewitt spent yesterday practising with tall Czech Tomas Berdych ahead of participating in the Hit for Haiti benefit today at Rod Laver Arena.

“I hit the ball extremely well yesterday in practice. Couldn't have been happier the way I hit it. As I said, I've done all [the] hard work,” he said.

“Now it's a matter of going on the match court (and) hopefully executing and doing the things that me and my team will talk about before the match.”

Hewitt will be hoping to go further than he did last year – he was knocked out in the first round by 2007 finalist Fernando Gonzalez in five tough sets – at his home major.

“It's still a great excitement every time I come here. I love walking down the corridors, walking onto centre court,” he said.

“I've got a lot of great memories from this place, playing at Melbourne Park. They all come back when you walk through the corridors.”

Hewitt will be hoping to add one more great memory to that already long list before he bids his final farewell to Melbourne Park, not that the thought of retirement has crossed the 28-year-old’s mind.

“It's not something I'm thinking about. I haven't thought about it in the past. This year's no different. I'm not thinking about that right at the moment.”

ao.com

Lleyton Hewitt earns praise from Andre Agassi

FORMER great Andre Agassi has hailed Lleyton Hewitt as one of the "best shot selectors in the history of tennis".

Agassi's praise, contained in the American's controversial autobiography Open, comes a week after Hewitt was lauded as the third-best player of the decade behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal by the ATP World Tour.

Agassi said much of Hewitt's on-court intelligence was attributable to Darren Cahill, the South Australian who coached both men to grand slam titles and the world No. 1 ranking.

Agassi said Cahill's desire to have his former charge Hewitt beaten in the 2002 US Open semi-finals, after switching to the Agassi camp, was an extra boost for the American in New York.

Hewitt is one of several Australians to draw praise from Agassi, including Pat Rafter, Mark Philippoussis and Jason Stoltenberg.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tenni … 5814846611

Wywiad z Lleytonem po I rundzie AO:

Q. Fair bit to be happy with that one.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's always tough first round of any slam. Yeah, probably a little bit more so because I had no idea really how he played either. So, yeah, did all the homework we could do before the match. Until you actually get out there, you never really know.

So, yeah, he's a grinder. He was gonna hit a lot of balls back, and he served better than I thought he would. But I returned really well, especially at the start.


Q. Conditions a little tricky out there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was tough. It was pretty cold, so it was really heavy conditions. It got heavier as the match went on. The balls were fluffing out quite a bit purely because of the conditions. I think they weren't flying that much, so it was actually hard to generate a lot of pace out there as well tonight.


Q. For the night session, you happy to play earlier?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, if you get through, it gives you a little bit ‑‑ you get to bed and do all the rehab and physio and treatment and all that stuff a little bit earlier.

But, yeah, I didn't have any say. It was whenever I was gonna be on, so...


Q. You seemed to hit the ball really cleanly in Perth and tonight. Can you compare it with any other point that you've hit the ball this well consistently?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, yeah. I've been hitting the ball pretty well, you know. Throughout last year and at Wimbledon I hit the ball extremely well and made a good run there. I had to knock off Del Potro, and a month later he wins the US Open.

So, yeah, my ball‑striking has been pretty good. Ever since I came back from hip surgery, it's more the confidence in moving and getting into the right position to do it.

Yeah, obviously you're gonna be a step up every round, though. You're gonna play more quality opponents, and you still gotta be able to strike the ball and get in position a lot better than against a guy like tonight.


Q. You feel like you're hitting it as well as you ever have?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I'm hitting the ball all right at the moment, so just keep it going.


Q. You said after the match you always aspired to win this tournament. Does it still have a real burn for you after getting so close a few years ago?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. I would love to win it. It's never gonna be easy. Obviously it's a tough tournament to win. Any Grand Slam is tough. You need a little bit of luck. You gotta play well in the right matches.

Yeah, we'll see what happens.


Q. Obviously always had a fair bit of expectation on you, too. Are you ready for that to start growing?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm used to it by now. Doesn't worry me too much. I played enough big matches in Davis Cup, and I've sort of had that thrown on me at a young age. Playing Davis Cup for Australia, there's a lot of expectation.

Yeah, that was instilled in me at a young age by Newc and Rochey and those guys. I had to learn to deal with it.


Q. Do you like it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It doesn't fuss me.


Q. Being ranked 22 at the moment and playing the way you are, you have a look at those guys underneath you working down to No. 1. Do you see some names there that you think, Well, you know, we can knock over a few of those and see where you're gonna end up in the not too distant future?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, there's a lot guys that are ahead of me on ranking that I think I can take care of. But, um, a lot depends on the how many tournaments you play and your priorities as well. My priority is not a whole heap based on rankings anymore. My priority is mainly on getting my body ready and mentally and physically being as ready as possible for the four majors.

That's what I pride myself on. Obviously wanted to come into this tournament this year seeded, though. Purely ‑‑ it's a lot tougher if you're not seeded, like last year coming off hip surgery and drawing a guy like González.

So, yeah, I did all the right things to do that this year. Yeah, if you play well in the slams and the big tournaments, your ranking is gonna take care of itself anyway.


Q. Is that the next aim, to get back inside that top 16, that next level?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's not something I've really thought about too much. Where I am at the moment, I was never gonna meet the 1 to 8 guys anyway in the third round. That was always gonna be in the round of 16 anyway, which is the same as if you were 9 to 16 in the seedings.

So, yeah, from 9 to 16, 17 to 24, that's not a huge difference.


Q. Can you talk a little bit about how much you have to recover from these games these days in contrast to previous years?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I've always been one to, yeah, try and do all the rehab and get the right treatment and everything. Not cut corners anyway, you know, any time in my career.

But you probably do it a little bit more nowadays, especially after having a surgery and stuff like that, just to stay on top of things a little bit more. You probably take it for granted a little bit when you're 18, 19, you know, to probably 22, 23. So, yeah, probably trying to take care of your body a little bit better.


Q. Where is the cap this year, the baseball cap? Is that something new this year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I won Wimbledon without it.


Q. But it's been constant for a long time. Is it just a constant thing that you've chucked it away this year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, yeah, I don't know. Probably couldn't find one in my bag, so...


Q. What about the next opponent. I haven't seen the score, but Donald Young, how do you match up with him and potentially Rochus?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, both slightly different players, depending on who I play. Played both of them last year. Played Rochus indoors in Memphis in the quarterfinals there, and played pretty well.

Knocked him off comfortably. But, yeah, he's always gonna bring his A game pretty much every time, and you pretty much know what to expect with him. He's a good competitor and he doesn't give you any cheap points. You've gotta go out there and beat him. He won't beat himself.

Donald Young is probably a lot more naturally talented and he's definitely a lot more of a shot‑maker and probably likes the big occasion a little bit more. I played him in Washington. He's a bit of an up‑and‑down player. As I said, he can hit a lot winners, but he can make some unforced errors as well.

There's been big tickets on Donald for, yeah, quite a number of years now. Yeah, by him qualifying and starting to make it through into some of these Grand Slams, he's obviously starting to fulfill that potential.


Q. Just to get your thoughts on the current state of Australian tennis at the moment, obviously there's some talent coming through. You've made some comments in the past about the leadership of the game and the direction it's going. Do you see any progress or development since you last commented on that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I don't know enough since I last commented, so there's no point really going into it right at the moment.

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Konferencja po II r. AO

Q. Great to see you have a straight‑sets win. Playing someone you don't play that often, he probably surprised you a bit in the first set. What turned it around for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Just tried to be a lot more solid, especially towards the end of the second set. I felt like I got out of the blocks well. He started serving a lot better and then, yeah, he mixed up his game very well.

He's very flashy with his forehand. He can generate pace from anywhere on the court. Yeah, when he's actually got time to run onto the ball, because he is so quick, he actually comes up with some pretty good shots.

So he was returning well, and I wasn't serving as well as I would have liked early on. My serve got better as the match went on, and that definitely put me in a better position to be a little bit more aggressive on his service games.

Q. When would you prefer to play on Saturday?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Doesn't worry me. At this stage I haven't thought about it. I'm gathering that it'll be Saturday night. I assume. I don't know. Whatever. It doesn't worry me, day or night.

Q. Will you request the early match on Saturday night?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably not. No. Whatever. I would be surprised if they ‑‑ I'm not sure why they're going some men and women different nights. I have no idea what the deal is with that.

I would assume at this stage they'd probably put us at 7:00. I'm not sure.

Q. Is that last one with Marcos two years ago still the most memorable of your career?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Absolutely. I think just the whole ‑‑ it was sort of epic in the locker room before we went on the court as well. We both warmed up and kept getting told we were gonna be the next match on.

Once the night session started, they were gonna be moving the women's. That all got canceled, and then we're sitting in a situation where the women ended up going three sets and we weren't gonna be playing that night.

It was just a weird situation for both of us to be in. Then to go five sets like it did, it just added to the drama.

Q. Tomic was pretty critical about the scheduling of his match last night and the fact that it went too late. Just wondering, as someone who has finished a match after 4:00 a.m. Does he have a case?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, as I said, I don't know why they're putting some mens matches first and some after the women's. I have no idea. We've all been prepared, I guess, if we do go five sets, nine times out of ten I've always been the second match after the women's.

There's only been a couple occasions in my career that I've played in the last couple of years that I've played a 7:00 or 7:30 match. You always know if you go five sets it's gonna be a long night. That's just how it is.

Q. Should he expect any sort of leniency? He said because he was young, it was hard for him that late. Is that just part of the learning experience?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think it's part of learning. I don't know whether he requested night or day or what he did. If you get scheduled at night, yeah, that's what's gonna happen. You gotta be prepared for that to happen.

Q. Would you be surprised that a 17 year old would be complaining about playing a night match on Rod Laver?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. He seems like the kind of kid that would enjoy it. To play in a big atmosphere. I think he handles that pretty well. I think deep down he would have enjoyed playing a big match.

Q. Was today's match ideal for the Baghdatis confrontation?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's ideal in the fact that I got through in straight sets.

Q. But he ran around a lot.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. It's a big difference. One is left‑handed and the other is right‑handed. I'm gonna have to come to terms with that.

I played Marcos last week and I know what to expect. He's in good form and hitting the ball extremely clean. He's gonna be feeling confident after winning last week. Knocking off David Ferrer in five sets isn't easy either.

Q. Are you enjoying this growing rivalry with Baghdatis?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, we've only played three times. (Laughing.) It's not quite like the Nadal‑Federer just yet. Yeah, for some reason some guys you play more at Grand Slams than you do on tour events. Marcos and I have been one of those matches, I guess.

Q. When you played with Marcos the other day, was he any different than the last time you played him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really different, I would say. He's always played well in Australia. You look back to the year he made a good run and made the final here and surprised everyone. The year beat him and played well. This year in Sydney he played well as well.

Obviously last year was tough for him in patches, just because ‑‑ I don't know if he had surgery or not. But, yeah, he definitely had a couple injuries and that set him back quite a bit. He went back to the challengers, and you gotta take your hat off to that. He's a class player, and he's a lot better than a challenger player. For him to be able to do that is a great effort.

Q. His match went nearly four hours today. Do you see that as a good advantage for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, can't be bad that I got through in straight. Yeah, at the end of the day, I know that I've done the work. I know that come Saturday I'll be as fresh as I can be.

Won both my matches in straight sets so far so...

So, yeah, haven't put a foot wrong.

Q. How do you feel?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I feel fine.

Q. Were you surprised that Cilic was taken to five sets last night?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I didn't see any of the match. It's hard to explain. Cilic is, yeah, a very good player. I think a little bit when he's expected to win he doesn't quite play as well as ‑‑ you know, when he had to play a guy like Murray and that at the US Open, Murray and Del Potro, he had very little pressure on him.

Yeah, still, for Bernard to go out there and take ‑‑ Cilic is a quality player. Absolutely.

Q. Do you think he's moving closer to Davis Cup contention?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, the comment I always said was, yeah, anyone ranked 300 in the world can't ‑‑ doesn't matter if it's Klein or Matosevic or whoever it is, they can't expect to be playing Davis Cup. It's not gonna be their call. It's gonna be Fitzy and Woodbridge's call and the selectors to who they put in.

You have no right to say that you'll be playing Davis Cup in that situation. So, yeah, he's obviously around the mark. Personally, I feel it was a pretty good tournament for the Australians in the fact that Luczak, I saw a little bit of his match against Nadal, and he hit the ball as well as he's ever played, which gave me great confidence.

And then I saw a little bit of Carsten Ball the other day against Verdasco as well. In terms of Davis Cup, I'm a little happier with the players coming through.

Q. Did you watch any of Marcos' match today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit on the TV. Not enough.

Q. What are hoping for in terms of fan support against Baghdatis?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's Australia, so I look forward to a lot of support.

Q. Do you think it'll be quite even out there? I mean, he's got quite a big fan club here.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I always get support on center court. Don't think it'll be any different.

Q. Was it good to beat someone a lot younger than you today and someone that scrambles around and has big tickets around the world?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it wasn't something I thought about his age going into the match. It was more, yeah, it was good that I played him in Washington a few months ago towards the end of last year.

Yeah, he plays a little bit different and he's flashy and rides a bit of a wave for a few games, and then throws in a couple of suck games out of nowhere. So it's good to know where he's at. He's a lot better playing than his ranking is right at the moment.

He obviously struggled with the expectation of being the next great hope for America for a while. He's been 70 odd in the world, and won't be long before he's back there?

Q. Do you think the powers that be in Australia can learn from how the Americans treated Donald Young early in his career giving him so many wild cards, and that possibly put his career back a year or two?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yes and no. You gotta have other people to give 'em to, and maybe they didn't have other people to give 'em to. That's why he got 'em. Yeah, maybe he was performing ‑‑ yeah, he obviously struggled and got some rough draws there, too.

Some of guys I saw him play, Henman and there was a few other guys that he got a wildcard in Masters Series events, and even US Open I think James Blake. There was a few guys that he's had tough draws against.

Yeah, everyone is a little bit different, I think.

Q. Do you feel your game suits Marcos'?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think I can ‑‑ I think there are certain areas I can mix up pretty well against him. He's obviously a great ball‑striker, very clean off both sides of. Yeah, when she's serving well his whole game sort of comes together a bit more. Obviously I'm gonna have to serve well against him. Yeah, that's gonna be a big key.

Q. What do you do to get psyched up before matches? Are you still watching Rocky movies, or is there a new form of inspiration?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not watching movies anymore. For me, it's more I just like hanging around with my team and obviously in the locker room and, yeah, going through the warm up and the preparation that I need to be ready to go out there. I listen to a bit of music, and that's about it.

Q. Kim Clijsters is called Aussie Kim since her relationship with you. What do you think about her comeback?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, her comeback is unbelievable. Yeah, it's not easy to take any time off tennis these days. I just know from hip surgery to come back and then try and, yeah, to pick up where you left off isn't easy. So, yeah, for her to come back and third tournament back win a Grand Slams is incredible.

Yeah, in terms of I think Kim and Justine, yeah, they're still a class above 95% of the women players out there anyway. It was never gonna take those two long to come back and get competitive at the big tournaments.

Q. What music do you listen to before a match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Whatever. Always changes.

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/new … 00906.html

Wywiad po meczu 3 rundy AO10:

An interview with:
LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When were you aware that Marcos was in trouble?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Towards the end of the first set he started to try to shake his arm out a little bit. Yeah, he dumped a couple of forehands, hit some rally balls into the net. He was obviously shaking his arm, and then he called the trainer.

For me, I had to try and stay in the moment as much as possible. Felt like I was hitting the ball well and extremely clean. I wasn't ‑‑ my frame of mind out there wasn't gonna change at all.

Q. Is this the ideal lead‑up for a match against Roger Federer?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, in terms of my ball‑striking, absolutely. I took it up another notch tonight, which was great. I hit the ball as well as I have hit it in a long time. It's not gonna be easy against Rog. It's not going to be easy. I'll be ready come Monday.

Q. What do you do in your preparation now to compensate for the fact that you didn't have a big workout tonight?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Nothing different. No. Um, yeah, it's just a blessing that I didn't finish really late and, yeah, have to bounce back from a tough five‑set match, because it's hard enough playing him when you're fresh.

I'll do all the same preparation that I've been doing. Everything is going according to plan so far.

Q. So you would rather have a shorter match than a longer match leading up to playing someone like Roger?

LLEYTON HEWITT: For me, it doesn't matter. I couldn't have got any more out of tonight's match than what I got anyway. My ball‑striking, as I said, I didn't put a foot wrong. I served great. I moved great. I hit the ball fantastic. I did all the right things on my side of the court.

You know, I took care of my service games extremely well and was confident and put a lot of pressure on him. In terms of that, me going out and hitting more balls or playing out there a few hours longer, I was only gonna obviously make a few more mistakes and get negative on yourself. There's no point in doing that.

Q. Is there a slightly different letdown process that you've built yourself up to a game and obviously it didn't go the way you expected it to?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. As I said, I was extremely happy with everything that I did tonight. Yeah, it's like Danny Green when he's boxing. He expected to go 12 rounds and he didn't even last a round. You take it when you can get it.

Q. Could you hope to be in better form coming into a match against Roger?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, I felt like I stepped it up every match. Obviously the opponents have got tougher every match. Tonight was always gonna be a step up in class. Even though it didn't obviously pan out the way it was supposed to, I guess, Marcos ‑‑ you got to be extremely wary of him.

In the second set, I felt like the only points I was really pressured on was when he was hitting the line on his first serve. Apart from that, I was all over his second serve and putting a lot of pressure on him.

Yeah, I moved the ball around extremely well. I made him ‑‑ yeah, he didn't hit one winner, I don't think, in the first set.

Yeah, even if he's a little bit injured, against a guy like Marcos, it's not an easy thing to do.

Q. Fitness‑wise, is this the best you've been going into an Open campaign for while?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was only really last year that I wasn't ‑‑ yeah, there were a few question marks. I had done all the hard work, but it was just whether the hip was gonna hold up. I hadn't played any matches. A lot of the other years I've been pretty fit coming in. Same as this year.

Q. You lost the last 14 matches against Roger Federer. How can you beat him Monday? What will be the key?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Win three sets before he does. That's what I'll be trying to do.

Q. Do you feel very different coming into this match than you did in New York in September?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, not a lot. Not a lot different, really. Um, yeah, I hit the ball pretty well going into the match against him in New York as well.

I made a quarter and obviously lost to Roger in straight sets in Cincinnati a week or so before the US Open. Obviously unlucky to draw him in the third round at the US Open.

By my first two rounds there I played faultless tennis as well. Went through both those matches extremely comfortable and hitting the ball great going into the match with Roger.

Yeah, my knee was probably a little bit not in such good shape going into that match, which I'm a lot more confident on now. So, yeah, that was probably a little bit more worrying.

With that said, I was still able to take the first set off him and push him towards the end of the third set, which could have gone either way. Obviously he ran away it in the fourth. Yeah, I had some chances.

Q. Are you expecting to play Monday night if you get a choice?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Mate, I haven't really thought about it yet. Haven't thought about Roger yet. I haven't thought about when they'll put us.

Q. When does that start to happen, the thinking about Roger?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably tomorrow.

Q. So you just enjoy tonight?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, just do all the right things: rehab and get some food and doing everything that I've been doing for the last three months.

Q. You have run into Roger more often I think than any of the other active players on the tour at the moment. Do you view this as one of your greater opportunity to get one back, given his record at the Masters and Doha, that he hasn't been in as good a form?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, he doesn't lose too many matches, especially big matches, and especially Grand Slams. You just got to look at his record last year in Grand Slams.

Yeah, it does take a great performance to beat him. That's why he's been the greatest player possibly ever, because he keeps putting himself in a position to keep winning Grand Slams.

Yeah, every time he does lose to anyone ‑ there hasn't been many ‑ it's pretty much been Rafa or obviously Del Potro in the final of the US Open. Yeah, last year those two guys were the only two guys that beat him in five sets at slams. So you're gonna have to be ready for a challenge.

Q. Obviously you wouldn't be playing if you didn't believe you could beat Roger. What is it that makes you continue believing you will eventually get over on him one day?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, well, I still think there's room for improvement in my game. Heals and I have been working on stuff. You're not gonna play your best tennis day in and day out.

You play for those moments, to play against the best players, Roger is that. This is what motivates you. If you can't get up for these matches, you shouldn't be playing the game.

Q. Having played him 20 or 21 times, is this the greatest rivalry you've had, maybe the most special rivalry you've had your career?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Um, yeah, we've played a lot of big matches. Obviously played the final of the US Open, we played a Davis Cup match here as well.

Nine times out of ten I've played him in most of the majors as well, apart from the French Open. So, yeah, a lot of them have been pretty big occasion matches.

Yeah, he's obviously, as I said, possibly the greatest player ever to play. So any time you get to play those guys, as I said, it's ‑‑ yeah, the motivation is there.

Q. Sharing the billing on Monday with Sam Stosur. Good to see Sam get through?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I didn't see much of Sam's match today. We obviously played the Hopman Cup together. Good for her to get through. Obviously she was a little down on confidence coming in here for last couple of the matches to win in straight sets.

She's got nothing to lose going out there against Serena either. So, you know, for her, everything to gain and nothing to lose. The weight is off her shoulders now. She can go out there and enjoy it.

Q. Seems to have been kind of an injury‑prone day for some of the other players. Marcos was one of three people that retired in matches. It's not hot out today. Are there some other conditions that you think might be contributing to it, or it's just the first big tournament of the season?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, I can't really speak for the other injury ‑‑ Marcos, I'm sure it had something to do with his long match two days ago. So it had nothing to do with weather or conditions today.

From what I heard, Youzhny pulled out with a wrist, so didn't even start the match. That didn't have anything to do with him.

Koubek, I don't even know why he pulled out. It's got nothing to do with conditions right at the moment.

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/new … 81968.html

Wywiad po przegranym meczu 4 rundy AO10:

An interview with:
LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How disappointing was that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's always disappointing when you lose in a Grand Slam. But he played special tennis though. Hit the ball extremely clean, and I just couldn't get into his service games, which made it tough.

Q. Do you get the feeling that he seems to lift his play against you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he hasn't played too many bad matches against me. Tonight was as good as, yeah, US Open final in 2004. He had patches where he played, you know, first and third sets he played incredible sets there. Especially in a bit blustier conditions, but, yeah, tonight he was able to keep it up pretty much the whole match.

Q. What do you think you have to do against Roger when he plays like that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm not sure right at the moment. If I knew, I would still be out there.

Q. Is it a case that you still feel you're driven to bridge the gap with him? Is that what drives you now still?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, what drives me is to ‑‑ I still think I can become a better player. That's more the motivation. But obviously he's the, yeah, sort of the limit at the moment. He's the No. 1 player in the world.

Yeah, everyone says it wasn't an absolutely great year for him and he still won two Grand Slams and lost in two finals in five sets in the other two. Yeah, he's obviously the benchmark.

Q. Did you feel like you had your A game?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I felt like I was hitting the ball pretty clean out there. He hit his backhand ‑‑ normally it can go off slightly, and he hit it great tonight from start to finish.

Occasionally he gets some cheap points and he shanks a few balls here and there. Obviously the conditions were pretty nice out there tonight as well. There wasn't a lot of breeze, but he hit the ball extremely clean as well.

That was always tough because he was confident and moving extremely well. Felt like he was putting the ball on a dime every time.

Q. When you reflect back on this tournament, what will you think about?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, from my point of view I did everything right. I prepared exactly the way that I wanted to prepare for the Australian summer. Gave 100% every time again. I ran into the best player right at the moment I would say.

Q. The way you played the last few weeks, where does that put your mindset for the rest of the year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, obviously I've been able to work my ranking back up. I feel good about that. Don't have a lot of points to defend for ‑‑ really through to Wimbledon, the quarters there.

Yeah, I feel comfortable I can do some damage. The way I hit the ball tonight, I still think I could have taken a lot of other guys still left in the draw. That's probably a little bit more frustrating.

Q. You had some different strapping on your knee. How is the body holding up generally after the first Grand Slam of the year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's fine. I've played with knee strapping for a long time. About five, six months now. So, yeah, that's feeling as good as it's felt.

Q. Everything else okay?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I feel good.

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/new … 82734.html

Kolejna operacja Lleytona Hewitta.
Australijski gwiazdor doznał ponownego urazu biodra i może pauzować nawet 3 miesiące. Operacja odbyła się w Hobart, a sam Hewitt ma nadzieję na powrót na drugi tegoroczny turniej WS - Roland Garros.

Hewitt set to sit after surgery

Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt has had surgery on his right hip in Hobart this week following his loss to world No.1 Roger Federer at Australian Open 2010.

Hewitt said he sustained the injury the day before his first match at the Hopman Cup while practicing, but refused to let it derail his Australian Open campaign after coming back from a similar injury to his left hip last year.

“I did one movement at the Hopman Cup in practice the day before my first match, and I felt something straight away. I knew it wasn't that good,” Hewitt told a packed press conference at Melbourne Park on Saturday afternoon.

“At that time, I wasn't 100 per cent sure whether I was going to be able to play any of the Australian summer. At least I gave 100 per cent and tried to block it out as much as possible. [i] was able to get through the summer.”

After having scans on the troublesome hip and discussing various options with his team, Hewitt elected to have surgery in an attempt to return in time for the French Open in May.

He will, however, miss Australia’s Asia-Oceania Zone Group I Davis Cup tie against Chinese Taipei at Melbourne Park in early March and some hardcourt tournaments in the US, including Indian Wells (which he has won twice) and Miami.

Hewitt said this injury is slightly different to the problem he experienced with his left hip that kept him out of the game from August 2008 to January 2009.

“I had a tear in my labrum, which is around my hip joint. So I pretty much had torn that off the bone. I had a few issues with my ligament, as well, in there.”

Despite yet another injury setback and his 29th birthday fast approaching, Hewitt says that retirement hasn’t crossed his mind.

“I thought maybe if I retire now and come back in 12 weeks, you know, Kim [Clijsters] and Justine [Henin] do that, then come back and win slams. Could have been an omen for me,” he said.

“I've worked too hard to come back. I feel like I'm hitting the ball as well as I've nearly ever hit it … the bloke I lost to the start of this week (Federer), he's as good as you get right at the moment.”

Hewitt said that after having gone through a similar experience with his left hip, he knows what’s in store this time round.

“It's kind of easier to know what to expect. Even when I come back, you might have some good days and some bad days.

“But you put up with that. At least I know the kind of pain that I'm going through at the moment. [In] a few weeks, it will go away.”

After completing his rehabilitation at a yet-to-be-decided location, Hewitt will set his sights on returning to the Grand Slams, where he thinks he is still a chance.

“For me the obvious goal, the next one will be Wimbledon. It's a place where I feel comfortable at. It's a place I played extremely well last year. [i] was only one or two points away from making the semis there. I feel like if I can get back and play some matches before Wimbledon, I have an outside chance of doing well.

“I don't feel like I'm that far away, my ball striking, from doing some damage in the Grand Slams.”

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/new … ml?fpos=r5

Dzisiejsza konferencja prasowa.

An interview with:
LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Before we start, Lleyton has a few words to say.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Thanks for all coming today. Obviously, a little bit frustrated to be having this press conference. But, you know, it needed to be done.

After I finished the Australian Open, two days ago I had to go in and have hip surgery on my right hip. It's been causing a few problems since the Hopman Cup at the start of the year. Wasn't an easy decision to make, but one that I felt was necessary right at the moment, so...

I'll take any questions.

Q. Is it the other hip?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's my right hip this time. Yeah, as I said, during my pre‑season in November and December, I didn't have any worries. I did one movement at the Hopman Cup in practice the day before my first match, and I felt something straightaway. I knew it wasn't that good.

Yeah, right at that time I wasn't a hundred percent sure whether I was going to be able to play any of the Australian summer. At least I gave a hundred percent and tried to block it out as much as possible, was able to get through the summer.

Q. Is the rehabilitation going to be as bad as the previous operation?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It will be very similar, very similar.

Q. You still have the urge to play tennis?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely, otherwise I wouldn't have had the op straightaway. I could have waited a couple of weeks, see if it settled down a little bit better after straight playing a tournament.

At the end of the day, from the scans I had before the Australian Open, you know, speaking to the experts that I had around me, we pretty much knew that the decision was pretty much out of my hands right at the moment.

Obviously, what I play for these days are the Grand Slams. If I waited any longer to have anything done, it would have been very similar to 2008 where I sort of prolonged it because I didn't exactly know what was going on and ended up missing the US Open because of it.

For me having it done right now, I'll be back, ready for the French Open.

Q. What is the medical term for it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, I had a tear in my labrum, which is around my hip joint. So I pretty much had torn that off the bone. I had a few issues with my ligament, as well, in there.

Yeah, it wasn't exactly the same as last time. This one was probably more just an unlucky movement that caused it I think at the time.

Q. Have they given you any time, how long the rehab might take?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Uhm, not a hundred percent 'cause you never really know until you sort of get back in the rehab.

Obviously, yeah, it's put me out of the first Davis Cup tie, quite a few of the tournaments, all the hard court tournaments throughout the States. Yeah, for me I'll be looking to get back on the clay at some stage before the French Open.

Q. How much pain were you in throughout the Australian Open?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I was in, yeah, a reasonable amount of pain. But, yeah, I've played with pain in the past. As I said, 2008, we didn't know the extent of the left hip, what the actual problem was. So I actually played throughout that year with quite a lot of pain anyway. I'm able to block it out as much as possible.

You know, during Sydney, it was not great against Baghdatis in the match in Sydney. That was pretty much why in the end I sort of had to fall away from that match and try and concentrate on the Australian Open.

Q. Is there something about the way you play that makes you more susceptible to hip injuries do they think?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think so. I think this one was probably a little bit more unlucky, whereas the last one, my bone in my hip at some stage was going to cut the labrum anyway, how the bone was, where this was more a little unlucky where I landed in a position that actually sort of tore it.

As I said, I did as much training in November and December, harder training than I'd ever done in a pre‑season. The body couldn't have felt better. So it was a little bit frustrating going into the Hopman Cup.

Q. After this injury, any sort of thought of giving it away?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, the only thought I thought maybe if I retire now and come back in 12 weeks, you know, Kim and Justine do that, then come back and win slams. Could have been an omen for me (smiling).

You know, for me, that never went through my mind. I've worked too hard to come back. I feel like I'm hitting the ball as well as I've nearly ever hit it. How I was feeling, the bloke I lost to the start of this week, he's as good as you get right at the moment. I don't feel like I'm that far away, my ball striking, from doing some damage in the Grand Slams.

Q. Where did you have the surgery done and where will you do the immediate sort of rehab?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I had surgery in Hobart, the same as last time. Rehab, not sure yet. Got to speak to my guys, obviously my physio, Ivan, just go through what's best for me. I haven't really been through all that just yet.

Q. Obviously you still think you can win slams if you're coming back?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, you know, obviously it's frustrating because I felt like I was in such good shape, and I felt like I'd done everything possible coming into the Australian summer to give myself as good a shot. I still gave a hundred percent. I lost to the best player in the world at the moment.

But, yeah, for me the obvious goal, the next one will be Wimbledon. It's a place where I feel comfortable at. It's a place I played extremely well last year. Was only one or two points away from making the semis there. I feel like if I can get back and play some matches before Wimbledon, I have an outside chance of doing well.

Q. Is it harder or easier having been through it once?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's kind of easier to know what to expect. Even when I come back, you might have some good days and some bad days. Even when you start playing matches again, yeah, it could just be a little bit stiff in the hip joint afterwards.

But you put up with that. At least I know the kind of pain that I'm going through at the moment. A few weeks, it will go away. I got to start doing all the right things again.

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/new … 63140.html

Hewitt Sidelined Following Hip Surgery

Former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt expects to return to competitive tennis in time for Roland Garros in May, following surgery on his right hip. The Australian underwent the surgery on Thursday, following a fourth-round loss to Roger Federer at the Australian Open.

Speaking at Melbourne Park on Saturday, the 28-year-old Hewitt confirmed the injury had occurred during the Hopman Cup, a mixed teams exhibition tournament in Perth at the start of the year.

“I did one movement at the Hopman Cup in practice the day before my first match, and I felt something straightaway. I knew it wasn't that good. I had a tear in my labrum, which is around my hip joint. So I pretty much had torn that off the bone. I had a few issues with my ligament, as well, in there.

“Obviously, what I play for these days are the Grand Slams. If I waited any longer to have anything done, it would have been very similar to 2008 where I sort of prolonged it because I didn't exactly know what was going on and ended up missing the US Open because of it,” added Hewitt, who underwent surgery on his left hip in August 2008.

Hewitt made a strong comeback from the surgery on his left hip, winning his 27th tour-level title at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston (d. Odesnik) in April and reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon (l. to Roddick in five sets), and is optimistic of recovering in time to mount another strong challenge at Wimbledon in June.

“I've worked too hard to come back. I feel like I'm hitting the ball as well as I've nearly ever hit it,” said the Adelaide native, who has won two Grand Slam championships during his career. “The bloke I lost to [at] the start of this week (Federer), he's as good as you get right at the moment. I don't feel like I'm that far away [in] my ball striking from doing some damage in the Grand Slams.

“For me the obvious goal, the next one will be Wimbledon. It's a place where I feel comfortable at. It's a place I played extremely well last year. [i] was only one or two points away from making the semis there. I feel like if I can get back and play some matches before Wimbledon, I have an outside chance of doing well.”

http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis … rgery.aspx

Hewitt has second bout of hip surgery after Aus Open loss

Lleyton Hewittleaves his press conference on crutches after announcing he had hip surgery two days ago. Picture: Michael Dodge Source: Herald Sun

AUSTRALIA'S premier tennis player Lleyton Hewitt is out of action again following more hip surgery.

Hewitt had an operation on his right hip in Hobart two days ago and faces lengthy rehabilitation.

The former world No.1 is aiming to be back playing again by May in time for the European claycourt season leading to the French Open.

Hewitt, who had surgery on his left hip late in 2008, said he felt pain in the right hip joint during practice in Perth for the Hopman Cup in early January.

"I made one movement during practice the day before my first match. Straight away I knew it wasn't good,'' he said today.

"I wasn't sure that I would get through the Australian summer. But I've played with pain before.''

The mishap tore Hewitt's right hip joint and the latest injury will rule him out of Australia's Asia-Oceania Davis Cup tie against Chinese Taipei at Melbourne Park in early March.

The 28-year-old refuted any talk of retirement and said he planned to play on once he gets the medical all-clear.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/hewit … 5824997354