adidas04int

2004 adidas International

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

January 17, 2004

L. HEWITT/C. Moya 4-3 (ret.)

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton, please.

Q. Apart from your obvious concerns about Carlos, how did you feel about the way you played?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I thought it was a very high standard match early on. Hot conditions out there. Obviously, you know, it was playing a lot quicker out there today, I felt like. And, you know, he was playing as well as I've seen him play. I felt like my game had really gone up another notch today. Even though it was only seven games, I had to fight off a couple of breakpoints early. Did that well at the tougher end. Then knew that I could capitalize on his service game and have a small chance when I was up the better end, which is the further end out there. And I was able to do that. Obviously, when the injury happened, you know, I was Love-40 up, and, you know, had a winner coming, I guess, up the line anyway in the open court. But, you know, I felt like I really, really went up a notch today. You've got to against the kind of player that's the caliber of Carlos Moya, so...

Q. Do you think you're at the peak of your game?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm playing pretty well, I think, at the moment. Getting more and more confident with every win you get under your belt. As I said, today was, you know -- throughout the week, Carlos is obviously one of the best players out there at the moment - and, you know, probably most of the time as well. He's a former world No. 1, he's won Grand Slams, he's a big-match player. I knew I had to go up a level today, and I felt like I was able to do that. In the other matches, they probably hadn't been such big names, I guess, as playing guys like Moya.

Q. Is there any part of your game you need to improve on?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's hard to say right at the moment. I think just keeping that rhythm going. You still got to go out there and get the job done next week. Next week, even if you're not playing well, you've got to find a way to win. That's what it's all about.

Q. Moya played very impressively the first game.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah.

Q. What were your thoughts? It was really great tennis. You played as well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, obviously, he came out, and his weapon is his first serve and his forehand, obviously; everyone knows that. You know, the first game I couldn't really touch anything. He dictated. Then I played a good game and then I had Love-30 in the third game. He came up with a couple of big serves. But I sensed that that was my opportunity down that end to try and break if I was going to. So I knew if I could get out of that next game, which I was able to fight a couple of breakpoints off, then I'd have a real crack at him the next time I went down that other end. That's what I was able to do to get up Love-40 there and put some pressure on him.

Q. It's a pity. It looked like it was going to be a spectacular final.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, that's how it felt. It felt like a very -- just for those seven games, it felt very high standard. It's obviously disappointing for everyone - both players. Obviously, more so with Carlos. Not so much he's lost the final, but he's got to try and get himself right for next week. Obviously, the crowd, after a pretty rainy, ordinary day yesterday, now to get this.

Q. Yesterday you had a short match against Verkerk. Today was a short match. How do you feel about your preparation?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's fine, I think. I've played enough matches over the last, you know, two weeks now that -- you know, it could be perfect in one way that I've gone out there and I've had to prepare and warm up and do everything in match conditions, but I haven't actually had to use that full energy that you normally would against a guy like Moya or even Martin Verkerk yesterday. So, you know, could be a blessing, I guess. And the good thing is, though, I had to face breakpoints out there today. So, you know, I've come through a small pressure situation in a match condition, but I didn't have to waste that extra energy, I guess.

Q. Not getting a full match against a real top-notch player, whereas Roddick and Nalbandian and Federer and Agassi are going head-to-head in Melbourne, do you still feel this is a better choice?

LLEYTON HEWITT: That's an XO, though.

Q. Do you feel you're at your best level as in the past?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm playing pretty well at the moment, I think. I've trained extremely hard, and I prepared myself as well as I could for the two Davis Cup - well, especially the final of the Davis Cup. But I felt like I was playing really well at US Open as well. That's when I started playing a lot better, I felt like. Roger and I did a lot of work. Against Ferrero that day, I thought that was a great match we were having until I hurt my leg. He was too good in the end. But he showed how good he was when he went out and beat Agassi up the next day. So since then, I've played some great Davis Cup matches, and trying to keep that confidence going now.

Q. The way you're playing now and the way Roger has things going, does that ridicule the stuff that was said early in the year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think Roger and I never listened to any of that rubbish anyway. Roger is a great guy. He's worked as hard as anyone I've ever worked with - you know, harder, I'd say. He puts 100 percent into everything he does with me, you know, whether it's scouting other guy's matches, finding out information that we need to do. He does a range of things. It's not only the stuff that we've done on the court, working on tactics and technically and stuff like that, it's also in the gym and sort of the whole package is really taken care of, which it's nice to have a good start to the year like we have so far this week.

Q. Is your preparation for Melbourne as good as it can be?

LLEYTON HEWITT: We'll find out next week. But, you know, at the moment I feel good. You know, you can -- you can always have, you know, some losses out of nowhere, I guess. We won't know that until next week. But at the moment, I'm executing as well as I hope, I guess, going into the first Grand Slam.

Q. Just a quick question on the court surface. Is it just coincidence it's another ankle injury on Rebound Ace?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Today's probably the heat, I'd say, more than anything. It's an extremely hot day out there today. The court, you know, I don't know how hot it is court-side, but on the court it would be, you know, up towards 60, I'd say. So it gets hot out there, it gets sticky. We've seen -- the ones I can remember when I was younger is like Sabatini, Woodforde, they sprained their ankles really bad at the Australian Open on hot days. It's awkward. It's partly probably because of the court as well; I'm not really sure. I know mine last week, it was indoors, so you can't really blame that. Alicia and Kim wasn't really a twisted ankle, so...

Q. On the subject of ankles, is Kim's improving?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's going all right. She had a light hit yesterday. We just take it day by day.

Q. A couple of days ago she said Sydney is a special place for her. Because you proposed to her here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah.

Q. Do you have the same feeling, do you also think Sydney is special for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I guess. It's a nice city and it's something that we'll always have in the memory bank. You know, it's one of the -- it's a great city. Obviously, you know, having the Harbour Bridge there, the Opera House. There's not too many places that you get those kind of views, I think. You know, I don't play too bad tennis here either, so... (laughter). It's all right.

Q. Australian Open is a much bigger tournament, but it's a similar situation. Do you have very many expectations? You always overcome them here, but the Australian Open, are you not satisfied with the results at the moment? You have a lot of pressure and expectations.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, you know, the last couple of years has been tough, I think. Last year I played pretty well at the Aussie Open. I didn't play here in Sydney. I thought I handled the expectation and the pressure pretty well. Lost to a guy who just played too well on the day. You know, there really wasn't a lot I could do about it against El Aynaoui last year, and the year before I had chicken pox. The last couple of years it's been a little bit out of my control, I think. I think I've handled the situation of being No. 1 seed and have pressure on me pretty well, especially in Davis Cup ties and that. You don't get much more pressure and expectation than in those matches, so...

End of FastScripts….

ASAP Sports

2004 adidas International

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

January 14, 2004

L. HEWITT/K. Kucera

6-4, 6-1

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton, please.

Q. What happened at the beginning of the match there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I had chances in probably all four of the first four games that I lost. I was probably trying to attack a little bit too much, especially for the conditions that it was out there. And, yeah, after that I just decided to go back to playing consistently, trying to get some rhythm early, and then try and build it up again. Yeah, I was able to do that. Obviously, in the second set, once the momentum had really changed, I was able really to get on top of him and start playing some good, aggressive tennis in those tough conditions.

Q. When you're 4-nil down, obviously just said you try to find some more consistency. What do you try to do mentally in that position? Do you have to be more aggressive mentally even though that doesn't mean you'll be more aggressive with your game?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know about aggressive. You can't get too down on yourself, I think. You got to try and realize that it's a tough match and, you know, you still got another two sets even if you go down in that set to bounce back. I wasn't giving up that first set no matter what, but I was gonna hang in there. But if I did end up losing the first set, then I wanted to try and find that rhythm by the end of the first set that I'd be ready to go right from the start in the second set. Fortunate enough that I was able to get back out of it and win in straight sets.

Q. Is that a difficult thing, balancing that sort of defense with the attack?

LLEYTON HEWITT: In those conditions today it was. I'm trying to play a little bit more aggressive in my whole style of game, and the conditions are just totally different to what I really warmed up in this morning. It was real overcast out there. Obviously, it was a lot heavier conditions than when I first played my first match. The ball was flying a lot more. The wind, I just really couldn't get a hold of it early. Karol is a kind of player that no luck can go wrong with his game, you know, wind or no wind. He doesn't go for too many heroic shots. He runs a lot of balls down. He makes you play that extra ball. He's a great mover out there. So I think that sort of all combined with, you know, getting off to a slow start.

Q. Are you pretty close to your own game now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's good. I keep winning. I think going into, you know, big tournaments and having that winning feeling and being match-hardened is definitely a good thing.

Q. You looked pretty pumped up there in the second set. Are you enjoying your tennis at the moment?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, you enjoy it when you get out of jail like I did in the first set. Then, you know, the momentum really swung there. Obviously, if you're 4-love up and at a point to go 5-love up and then end up losing the first set 6-4, I just felt like I really had to keep the pressure on him early in the second set. I was able to do that. The whole body language had changed on Karol's side of the net as well.

Q. Do you feel like you're peaking at the right time for the Aussie Open?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I feel like I'm playing well. You still got to go out and do the job next week. You know, I don't know if form will play a huge part in next week's game, in next week's tournament. Still, Juan Carlos Ferrero lost first round here, and I still think of him as one of the favorites next week so...

Q. What's a good result for you this week, is it to win the tournament or just go into next week feeling like you're in good form?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think that's more so. Obviously, if you get to the semis or finals here, then everyone wants to win titles. At the moment, it's trying to get matches under your belt. Try and work on little areas of your game, get that rhythm going. So far, so good. Got another match tomorrow against Clement to try and work on that again.

Q. How have you changed, do you think, from two years ago and the year before and three years ago when you played Adelaide and played Sydney and won and were on a winning streak? What's different now about you as a person?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I think I set, you know, different goals now. Yeah, back then, I think every tournament, week in and week out, is like a Grand Slam. Nowadays, the priorities are Grand Slams and Davis Cup for me. Obviously, the bigger picture. And when you're able to win Grand Slams, you know, the thing that drives you to keep going and get better is to win more of them. Obviously, you know, it's nice coming and playing smaller tournaments, but you still miss preparation for the big ones.

Q. Is it just too draining to have that intensity all the year round?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think a little bit. But I think, you know, for me, obviously when I first came up, it was more about ranking, getting your ranking high, playing a lot of events, I guess, to do that and get your ranking when you're 16, 17 years old. Obviously, winning titles like Adelaide and Sydney is a huge bonus for anyone that age. But, you know, after you win a Grand Slam, then your priorities, I think, are to try and win more of them. You have to prepare as well as possible, I think, for the Grand Slams.

Q. Do you get a feeling that other players might think now that you're not as intense as you were a couple of years ago?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I don't really care what they think.

Q. You won three matches in Hopman Cup.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yep.

Q. This is five to win here.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yep.

Q. Another seven to win the Australian Open. That's 15 straight you have to win. Is that too much?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I've won that many before, so...

Q. You're not worried?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not at the moment. I didn't play that many matches at the end of last year. It's a totally different situation to when I've come probably and played here in the past. I'd played a lot of matches towards the end of the year. The last few months, I only played three Davis Cup matches. They're highly pressure matches, but I still feel like I can bounce back and not be too flattened, I guess, by playing so many tour matches.

Q. How long can that freshness last? How far can you carry that break?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I guess depends on how well you do and how many matches you play during the next few weeks. At the moment I feel good so...

Q. There's a really good team environment you have in Davis Cup. What do you get as individuals when you're in a Grand Slam from the Davis Cup experience?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Davis Cup's always helped me. You know. The team atmosphere. I always found after I was at ties, even when I was the orangeboy not playing, I just felt like I'd hit a lot of balls, been around a good environment. I'd really gone out there with a positive attitude, I think, to improve. I think that's definitely what Todd Reid and Chris Guccione are feeling at the moment. They were at the Davis Cup final. Todd's been in a few of the last ties towards the end of last year. I think they're both making huge in-roads because of that experience, and I think because of Fitzy's and Wally's presence and helping them out at Davis Cup ties. I think all the team really embrace them not only as the orangeboy, but really the next players in Davis Cup for Australia.

Q. Does it spill over into the other tournaments?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I hit with Todd Reid here, as soon as I arrived here in Sydney. You know, I think, you know, it spills over. We talk and hang around in the locker room and whatever, in between matches and stuff for sure. I think it's a pretty good situation. Obviously, Frommy is working with Todd and Chris as well. So that's a guy that I played Davis Cup ties with and Todd Woodbridge did. So it's a pretty good group of guys.

Q. Just along that line, what do you have to do mentally, just you're advancing through a tournament, suddenly you're in the semifinals and you have to play Mark. What do you have to do then mentally?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, you just got to go out there and worry about your game more than anything. You got to forget who you're playing. Obviously, Mark and I, we had to play in the Scottsdale final at the start of last year. We lost a doubles final. We were in the doubles final straight after that final, the singles. It was an awkward situation for both of us, but it was a good result for Australian tennis that we're both playing well at that stage. When you go out there, we just got to forget about it. The matches can go either way. We both know exactly how each other plays. We've practiced a lot together. We've played doubles. We both know how each other thinks. We've helped each other in Davis Cup. You just got to try to forget about it. It's awkward for anyone.

Q. When you come off the court, say, as you did in Scottsdale, is it straight back into the relationship that you had previously, or is there sort of like a period of..?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's probably about two minutes and then... Obviously, if you win a title and the other guy's lost a title, then it's obviously -- you don't want to go up and start talking about the match too much. But, yeah, especially in that situation, because we had to go out and focus on the doubles final straight after, so... Yeah, it's an awkward situation, but it's something that you got to try and deal with.

Q. How excited are you by Todd Reid and Chris Guccione performing well this week? And having been through the same process at that age, successful yourself, what are the things they need to know for the next few weeks?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's not only the next few weeks; it's the next few months and trying to really, you know, ride the wave and keep it going, you know, not just think you're home and you're on the Senior Tour now week in and week out. They've had great results this week, and they've shown what they can do and the potential they've got. But that's got to make you want to work harder to get even higher and to realize that -- they've both got a real chance of, you know - I don't know how far they could get - but of doing really well and being on the Senior Tour week in and week out. So, in my mind, yeah, this success, who knows, you know... Todd's out there playing at the moment in a tough match with Mantilla. If they win a few more matches, if they lose today, they've both had big wins and now they've got to be more and more hungry to go out there and get better.

Q. Doing this well, is there a chance you are going to change your priorities at all? Are you still going to just play what you want to play, or will there be a temptation to go back to No. 1?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know until if it happens. You know, I really can't comment. I don't know. Maybe I'll retire (smiling).

End of FastScripts….

ASAP Sports

2004 adidas International

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

January 15, 2004

L. HEWITT/A. Clement

6-1, 4-6, 6-3

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton, please.

Q. That fifth game, third set, Love-40.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was a big game to try and get out of. First point I hit a pretty good forehand into the corner. Then second point I hit a good second serve. He sort of just pushed it back, and floated long. Third point, again, I went for another forehand and hit it well. You know, was obviously a huge game to get out of 'cause I was telling myself if I get out of that game, then I felt like I could break him the next game to go 4-2. Obviously, he's gonna be on a bit of downer after not breaking that game. It was a huge turnaround, I guess. Just tried keeping the pressure on him early in that next game. I had a lot of love-30 games out there on his serve in the second and third set, and I just couldn't capitalize.

Q. Is it good for your confidence to get into a situation like that and get out of it as emphatically as you did?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's good. You only get those situations in matches. You can't get that from, you know, playing practice sets and getting in that same situation because it just isn't the same with the crowd and the pressure that you're under right at that particular time, serving breakpoints down. It's always nice, I think, to get out of those situations in any tournament. But, you know, to go through at such a close stage in the third set was positive.

Q. You were in such control in the first set. What swung it to put you on the depression in the second?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I just played a couple -- I was 30-15 up in the first game of the second set. Just played a couple of loose points there. His backhand up the line was incredible today. He was hitting it like a passing shot every time. He hit that on breakpoint against the breeze, which was strange, because he was hitting a lot better against the breeze than he was with the breeze. He played a couple of good points there. From then on, he was just sort of having a go on my service games, where I was pretty, you know -- I don't know how many points I lost in those next few service games the rest of the second set, but it wouldn't have been many at all. He served a lot better. He sort of came out and went for it a little bit more. Obviously, his confidence got up because he was a service break up and all he was really concentrating on was holding his service game. Yeah, he's a tough player. You can't hit a lot of winners against the guy. He's very quick out there as well.

Q. Is he also a bit deceptive in what he's doing or not?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's tough. He mixes it up. You know, throw in the serve-volley down breakpoint, or second serve serve-volleying he hits a half-volley dropshot winner. Just little stuff like that. He's an awkward player to play against. He's not someone, I guess, that you wouldn't say is technically, you know, the most sound guy out there, I guess, or like a normal, you know, sort of textbook player. But he makes it work for him.

Q. Do you feel your game stepped up a little from yesterday?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, well, the end of yesterday's match, from 4-love down I played pretty faultless tennis out there yesterday. So, you know, the first set out there today I felt like he didn't play badly; I just sort of dominated. I hit my forehand great. Yeah, he really couldn't, I guess, find a weakness out there in the first set. As I said, I just played a couple of bad points start of the second set and it turns out you're in a bit of a dog fight after that.

Q. This is your first semifinal since July. Obviously, you haven't played that much in between. Are you enjoying winning, going through a tournament and having that feeling again?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I guess. You know, the focus mainly is on next week still. You know, just take it one match at a time here and then trying to get the rhythm and the preparation right. And, obviously, the closer you get to playing in a final or having a chance to win another title, then, yeah, it's always a nice feeling.

Q. How will you approach your semifinal if you do play Mark? Any differently?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, it's an awkward match for both of us. You just got to try and block it out, and one of us - if we're playing each other - one of us is gonna get an opportunity to play in the final. But, you know, for Australian tennis it's good because we're both obviously in pretty good form going into the Australian Open. In one way, it's positive for both of us. In another way, yeah, it's an awkward matchup. You'd rather it be a final than a semifinal.

Q. What about tactics-wise?

LLEYTON HEWITT: We both know how each other play. We just got to go out there. It's pretty much on the day, I think, with those kind of matches when you know your opponent so well. Yeah, it's always awkward no matter which Australian you got to play against, especially a guy that, you know, I've spent, you know -- probably the closest to on tour the last 12 months.

Q. Would you say your ankle is 100 percent now? Is there still a twinge there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, pretty good. The ankle's been good. It's recovered well. Took a couple of days off, obviously, when I didn't have to play the final in Perth. Traveling here and got on the court as soon as I -- the next day after I landed here. Yeah, I haven't felt it at all, which is good.

Q. A lot of the women actually have ankle problems. Is that anything to do with the courts or just coincidence?

LLEYTON HEWITT: The ones I've seen -- I don't know if it's the court. It gets a bit sticky now and then. What happened in Perth, you know, I twisted mine and I don't think it had much to do with the court. I was sort of just recovering for a ball. Kim's is a little bit different with the Achilles' at the back of the foot. I'd say that probably could have happened on any court. Alicia, she's had hers happen on all different kinds of courts. It's still the same problem. I know there's been a history of Rebound Ace, there's been some bad ankle problems over the years, but I feel like mine probably could have happened on any surface.

Q. Is it more widespread than we think, or is it because there are big players suffering those injuries at the moment the attention is on those guys? Or are ankle injuries common across the tour?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, we've probably had a little bit more the last couple of weeks, I'd say, than in general. But you always get some now and then. That's the sport we play in. You know, especially guys like myself or even Kim or whoever, you know, we do so much running out there as well, you know, scrounging for so many balls out there that, you know, stuff like that's bound to happen at some stage or another.

End of FastScripts….

ASAP Sports

2004 adidas International

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

January 16, 2004

L. HEWITT/M. Verkerk

6-2 (ret.)

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How was that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I felt like I hit the ball well, considering, you know, for most of the morning didn't really know what was going on with the weather and who was going on first or, you know, how things were gonna pan out. So in that regard, you know, I was happy to get off to a good start. Never played against Martin before. Felt like I handled his serve pretty well.

Q. Did you have any clue whatsoever what was going on with him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I couldn't tell anything. When I was out there, it was a little bit weird because, obviously, he was down Love-40 in that first game of the second set. Sort of was lining up, ready to serve, and I was ready to return. Then he sort of walked off to the chair. I wasn't quite sure what was going on. I heard afterwards that he wasn't feeling great out there. Yeah, I felt like with my game, though, I was concentrating pretty well on just my game.

Q. Was there any concern that the weather might mean you couldn't play at all today, then there might be a bit of backing up in the weekend before the Open?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was definitely a concern, no doubt about it. I think probably all the players - singles, doubles, women, men - yeah, organizers, everyone, I think. So, yeah, obviously the crowd's got to be disappointed with Lindsay pulling out tonight as well, and matches changing around left, right and center. It's an awkward situation, I guess, the week before a Slam, or a few days before a Slam now. Yeah, for me, it's awesome to have a chance to go and play for another title. But then again you've got to remember what's on the line the next two weeks as well.

Q. Would you say that was a blessing in disguise?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Could be. I'll tell you in hopefully a fortnight's time.

Q. Have you found the right balance between...?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's not like I need that many matches now, I don't think. I played seven matches now from Perth and through Sydney now. So, you know, I feel like I've got enough matches against worthy opponents. Tomorrow's obviously going to be another step up in class, playing against Carlos.

Q. During the rain delays did you have time to look at the draw?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I've seen the draw, yeah.

Q. What do you think?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You can only look at your first round, you know. There's so many good players around these days that, you know, I got a qualifier first round. I don't even know yet who that's going to be, obviously. I won't be looking too far forward. But there's obviously some pretty tough first rounds which you really expect, I think, in the men's tennis these days - Blake-Moya, Gonzalez-Roddick, Johansson-Philippoussis, so...

Q. Do you think you've improved as the week has gone on?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I was playing pretty well in Perth, I felt. Probably just maintained that level, I guess, the whole way through this tournament. I've had a couple of lapses, obviously - the start against Kucera, couple of loose games against Clement. Apart from that, I've played pretty faultless tennis, I think, this week. For me, yeah, I guess I couldn't be happier with my game right at the moment. Through to another final here in Sydney, so...

Q. Seen much of Moya this week?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't seen him hit a ball. I know how he normally plays. He's obviously playing extremely well. He's one of the best players in the world at any time, but he's come off a win in Chennai last week. He's gone through his matches pretty convincingly this week. It's going to be a tough match for me. I just got to go out there and worry about my game, and hopefully get off to a good start and see what happens.

Q. Your ankle, is that okay?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, I'm fine at the moment, yeah.

Q. Good week's work.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, at the moment. Try and finish it off.

Q. Being in a final now, does it mean anything to you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, you always love playing, you know, in finals at tournaments, you know, playing for titles. Obviously, you know, the bigger titles, the Grand Slams and stuff like that is obviously the priorities. But any titles go on your record. Not everyone is capable of winning too many tournaments. It's not the easiest thing to go through there and win five matches in a row. So, you know, it's tough against worthy opponents like we have these days not to have one bad match within a week.

Q. What is it about this tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. Don't know. I've always played well, even when it was at White City. Coming off a win in Adelaide and, obviously, Sydney was always stronger than Adelaide, the tournaments. I'd come here, beat Bjorkman when he was No. 4 in the world first round; following year beat Rafter and Kiefer. Then after that won it twice. I've always really enjoyed, I guess, the tournaments in Australia at the start of the year. For some reason, I've always performed well here at Homebush as well.

Q. Looking through the draw gives me the impression ...

LLEYTON HEWITT: Next week or here?

Q. Next week. It is the strongest looking draw I can remember here for a long time. Seems to be so much more depth in the whole thing. When you look at the number of great first-round matches and possible third, fourth matches as well. Do you get that same impression?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, there's a lot of dangerous floaters, I guess, in the draw as well these days. You look at a guy like Safin, he's not 77 in the world or whatever he is. He's a Top 10 player. I don't think anyone would want him in their section as a seeded player. You know, James Blake, he's another guy. Fernando Gonzalez. The guys I've met. Thomas Johansson, the last time he played in Melbourne he won the tournament. There's a hell of a lot of good players out there. You've got to be wary and give respect to every opponent you play. I think that's the thing about men's tennis at the moment; it's very, very open, and to win seven best-of-five set matches is a tough thing to do.

End of FastScripts….

ASAP Sports

2004 adidas International

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

January 17, 2004

L. HEWITT/C. Moya

4-3 (ret.)

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton, please.

Q. Apart from your obvious concerns about Carlos, how did you feel about the way you played?

Q. Do you think you're at the peak of your game?

Q. Is there any part of your game you need to improve on?

Q. Moya played very impressively the first game.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah.

Q. What were your thoughts? It was really great tennis. You played as well.

Q. It's a pity. It looked like it was going to be a spectacular final.

Q. Yesterday you had a short match against Verkerk. Today was a short match. How do you feel about your preparation?

Q. Not getting a full match against a real top-notch player, whereas Roddick and Nalbandian and Federer and Agassi are going head-to-head in Melbourne, do you still feel this is a better choice?

LLEYTON HEWITT: That's an XO, though.

Q. Do you feel you're at your best level as in the past?

Q. The way you're playing now and the way Roger has things going, does that ridicule the stuff that was said early in the year?

Q. Is your preparation for Melbourne as good as it can be?

Q. Just a quick question on the court surface. Is it just coincidence it's another ankle injury on Rebound Ace?

Q. On the subject of ankles, is Kim's improving?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's going all right. She had a light hit yesterday. We just take it day by day.

Q. A couple of days ago she said Sydney is a special place for her. Because you proposed to her here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah.

Q. Do you have the same feeling, do you also think Sydney is special for you?

2004 adidas International
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

January 12, 2004

L. HEWITT/S. Sargsian
6-4, 6-2

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton, please.

Q. Solid start, Lleyton.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was good. Conditions were very different from Perth last week. So it took me a while. The ball was flying a lot more, obviously, outdoors. The wind was quite swirly out there as well, which I didn't have to deal with last week. So all in all, it's nice to have another win under my belt and get off in straight sets.

Q. Good memories of that court for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I've had some big wins there not only in this tournament in the past, but also in Davis Cup. Probably more so against Sweden that year where I beat Bjorkman and Johansson in two tough matches. So, yeah, it's a great court to play on, great arena.

Q. How different is it playing a tour match again? It's been quite a while since you played a tour match. Is it a different feeling?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not that different, no.

Q. He's kind of a perfect opponent to play at this time, this stage of your preparation.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I was expecting a tough match. I think he beat Philippoussis in the Aussie Open last year in the third round, and he's a very tough player on this kind of court, I think. You know, it bounces up. He hits the ball pretty flat out there. He's a great mover around the court. And I just felt like, you know, he's a guy that you can get very grooved with as well because he hits the ball very clean off the baseline. It was tough conditions for him as well. He's obviously flying in from wherever he played last week. To come out here in different conditions when the ball's flying a bit more - I found anyway - it was whoever could probably adjust to that quicker, I'd say, was a lot suited.

Q. Does this sort of feel like a bit of a fresh start for you? I mean, it is a new season, after all. Last season wasn't the best you've had. Does this feel like a new beginning for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Little bit. Not so much a new beginning, I don't think. I felt like from the US Open, every match that I played after that, even though it wasn't a lot, the Davis Cup matches and right through the US Open to the quarters there, I played some of my best tennis I've ever played. So, obviously, even though the Davis Cup matches were split out over a fair period of time, I was still able to handle that pressure and expectation of those two - obviously two huge matches against two of the best players in the world. So I think after those matches you sort of want to get back out on the court as soon as possible and keep performing week in and week out.

Q. How is the ankle?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, felt okay out there today, so...

Q. Your forehand is getting better?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, hitting my forehand better. I feel like I went for it out there today. As I said, the conditions, you really had to try and always get something on the ball. You had to try and hit with a little bit more topspin out there. Otherwise, the ball was just flying. Whereas in Perth last week it just felt very heavy, sort of dead conditions indoors. The balls seemed to be fluffing up a lot more than they are here this week. You know, you've got to be probably a little bit wary, whereas last week you felt like you could really hit through the court because the balls were a lot heavier. Whereas this week, it feels like you've just got to be careful, get a bit more extra topspin work on the ball; otherwise, it might fly long.

Q. Do you expect similar conditions in Melbourne next week?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'd say so, yeah. I'd say so.

Q. Based on your past experience there, how does it compare with this court?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Melbourne's changed. The last few years, it's probably been a little bit slower than it has. There was that one year it was pretty quick, in 2000 it was. Apart from that, the last few years it's actually probably been a little bit slower. Last time I played on this court in these tournaments, it was slower than Adelaide and Melbourne. It was probably the slowest because it was the newest arena put in. So, you know, I'm not really sure. I just have to work it out when I get there.

Q. Has that got something to do with the way they treat the court in Melbourne?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. I know the guys who do it in Melbourne and Adelaide; I don't know if he does it in Sydney as well. I know the guy pretty well. He does it in Melbourne and Adelaide. They do those pretty much the same. I know he doesn't do Perth. I know someone else does that. But I'm not sure who does Sydney.

Q. Do you feel less pressure going into the Australian Open this year given your ranking and so forth, than you did the previous two years?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's always pressure and expectation coming into the national title when, realistically, we've probably only got two main guys who are contenders, Flip and myself, I think. So we've really got to try and -- you're always in the spotlight. We try and put it in the back of our mind as much as possible. But it's great for tennis that I think that emotion is still there from the Davis Cup victories the last few times. Flip and I have had a couple of cliffhangers as well. So I think tennis is on a bit of a high in Australia at the moment, and I think they'd like to see an Australian winner. That probably puts that same pressure as being the No. 1 seed the last two years.

Q. Do you feel just as confident as you did the last two years when you had the No. 1 ranking?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I feel like I'm hitting the ball just as well - if not better. It's been just a totally different preparation, whereas the years before I've always come off the Masters Cup and playing a lot of matches. This year, I just focused on the Davis Cup final and did a lot of hard work and training that I'd last right through the Australian summer.

End of FastScripts….

2004 adidas International
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

January 11, 2004

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you like the court?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's nice. Yeah, I haven't played on this court for, you know, on the Rebound Ace, obviously. Last match was on a clay court out there in the Davis Cup. So, yeah, I like playing out here at Homebush. I've had pretty good success here, so...

Q. Is it a question of trying to find the right balance in the lead-up to the Australian Open?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I guess. I'm not really sure what's the right balance, I guess. Until you hold up the trophy, you know, you'll never know what's the best for you. I guess it depends on how many matches you play towards the end of the year before as well. So, obviously, I played three matches in the Hopman Cup last week. I'm looking forward to hopefully getting as many matches as possible this week under my belt.

Q. Do you feel not playing as much at the end of last year gives you a better chance this year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think for the situation that I've come in not playing probably as many tournaments at the end of last year, you know, who knows? If you go out there and lose first round, then you've got to reassess it. But, you know, I feel like at the moment I played pretty well last week in Perth. And, you know, go out there and just take it one match at a time this week and see what happens.

Q. Can you talk about playing in Melbourne.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, you know, I love playing in Melbourne. I love that arena. That's one of my favorite tournaments of the year. I really enjoy going out there. It's a big buzz just leading into the tournament. Yeah, you just got to go out there and take it one match at a time, though. Davis Cup ties, you can just focus on that one or two matches that you got to play; whereas in a Grand Slam like the Australian Open, you've got to worry, you know, obviously if you're gonna win it, you've got to win seven best-of-five set matches. But you don't want to get too far ahead of yourself at all. There's a lot of good players in those 128 that are in the draw.

Q. Do you have a favorite to win?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's a lot of tough players, mate. There's probably a group of 10 to 15.

Q. Can you just talk about how it feels to be under the kind of pressure that you're under when you play there.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, sure, there's probably more expectation and pressure, or the spotlight's on you more, I guess, on both Mark and myself, coming into Melbourne. But, you know, we've had to deal with that in so many Davis Cup ties, and big Davis Cup ties in our home country. You're playing in your home tournament and you're playing under the Australian banner, but you're still "Game, Hewitt" instead of "Game, Australia" in Davis Cup ties. There's that probably extra pressure and expectation in Davis Cup ties that you got the whole nation behind you, willing you on. It's a totally different situation, I guess, in a lot of ways. But, you know, I think I've been able to handle that situation so well that coming into Melbourne, I don't get that much more nervous or put any more expectation on myself to go out there and win the tournament. You try and not lose focus. It's always that old saying, but you've got to take one match at a time. You just don't know who your next opponent is going to be, and draws can open up, and you've got to take your chances.

Q. You obviously get a lot from the crowd as well?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, you know, obviously the crowds are great there. And, you know, you got to relax and stay positive and, you know, realize that, sure, you're gonna be in the spotlight, but you got to try to block it out as much as possible and just think about what's ahead of you, and going out there and trying to perform and doing all the preparation, the right things; that you're going to go out there and perform as well as possible and, I guess, have no regrets at the end of the day.

Q. Can you talk about Roger.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, Roger's been great. We've spent a lot of time together. You know, he probably hasn't got the credit that he's deserved for working so hard leading into those Davis Cup ties where he gets very little reward out of Davis Cup ties. He spent a lot of time with me when I went to Kooyong for a week or so earlier than everyone else. We spent a lot of time in the gym building up leading into that, not only for that Davis Cup final, but also preparing for the whole Australian summer and try and get a good base for 2004. So, you know, at the moment I feel good, and it's all about going out there, though, and the little areas you work on on the practice court, producing that in a match situation.

Q. Did you wait until you were feeling more mature until you went into the gym?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I've always done a little bit. I've probably just done probably a fair bit more, though, the last year or so under Roger, I think, more than anyone else. It was just an area of my game that I felt like, you know, I could maybe capitalize on and to take me to another level - not only on hard court, but on all surfaces. It will probably pay benefits physically getting a little bit stronger on clay more than any other surface, I'd say.

Q. How do you feel about Greg's situation?

LLEYTON HEWITT: What's that?

Q. Greg Rusedski.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, I thought you were talking about Greg Norman, sorry. Mate, I don't know anything about it.

Q. Has it surprised you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I've heard rumors about you know, obviously, all those other players, that something had happened. I didn't play those last few tournaments of the year, so I really wasn't paying too much attention to the tour at all. So I didn't know much about that at all. You know, you can't find a guy guilty until he's actually proven guilty. So at the moment, I think Greg is fine. Greg's playing here and in Melbourne, so...

Q. How do you deal with that sort of thing? I guess you can't really speculate. He's saying 46 other people had it in their system. How do you deal with that sort of thing in terms of supplements? Are you wary after the past year or two?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, I think you're wary the whole time you come in, what goes into your body. It's a tough situation because there's been problems, and we've seen there's been problems in the whole listing of it with the Bohdan Ulihrach case. I think that's a classic example. But I don't know all the little ingredients that puts the whole case together, and it's very hard for myself to comment.

Q. So in terms of your own advisors and stuff like that, in terms of the things that you will take...

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, anything you take, you got to get it checked by your doctors and tournament officials and everything just to make sure.

Q. Does it frighten you, the fact that Rusedski is suggesting it may have been ATP trainers who gave him the supplements?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, there's already been one situation where, I think, a few came out that that happened in electrolyte tablets or something at one tournament. And, yeah, I guess it does worry everybody. Because if you do get singled out with something and a lot of other people have had that same thing in their body or whatever, and they've been given off because there's a group of them, you just don't know the background. But I don't know the whole testing procedure with those other, what Greg says, 47 people or whatever happened. So, you know, it's very hard to comment on Greg's individual situation.

Q. Do you take tablets from the trainers on court, or do you have a system where you try to teach yourself what to take?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I don't take any tablets extra at all, apart from if you're playing out on the court and you're cramping or whatever and you have your ATP trainers come out to the court and tell you, "You got to take these tablets; otherwise, you got no chance of finishing the match," or electrolytes, you're not feeling well out there, that's what the ATP trainers are out there for. They're the ones who have done all the research. They know what's best for fitness-wise and for your body. You know, the ATP has employed them so the players can trust them. So I'd like to think that you'd be able to trust what you get given.

Q. Do you know of any other players that the same thing happened to them as well, to Bohdan Ulihrach?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know anything about all those others. I've got no idea who they are and know nothing.

Q. Somebody wrote that Greg would be ostracized by other players.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I got no idea. You know, I'd say hello to him. I'm not that close to Greg, but I wouldn't ignore him or anything; that's for sure.

Q. Do you think drugs is a problem in this sport?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I guess probably in a lot of sports. It's not only tennis that's had people being singled out, I guess, or had issues and been banned for three to nine months. There's a lot of sports that have problems. You just got to deal with every case individually, you know, and on the situation.

Q. Do you think tennis has more than any other sport?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think everyone's had issues throughout time.

Q. How is your ankle?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, not bad. It was still a little sore playing against Kucera the other night after I hurt it against Malisse. It was funny, I went over a couple extra times that match against Kucera, just not quite as bad as the first time against Malisse. So it was weird to have it a few times in one event, but I'll be fine to play.

Q. Could I ask you a question about the marketing of tennis. The last few years, the women's tour has marketed tennis a lot on women's sex appeal.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You like that?

Q. Huh?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Do you like that?

Q. Not personally. I know that sounds strange. But at the top of the men's game, you've got Andy Roddick, Federer, Juan Carlos, yourself, Andre, Moya, all very sexy guys.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Are we? I don't know, mate.

Q. Well, they're now appearing in Vogue, GQ. Andre has his own cologne. Have the men actually caught up to the women in terms of marketing sex appeal?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I'm not sure, mate. No, I don't know. I really don't know. I don't know how much people would like to get that kind of sex appeal, or the fans would like to, you know, see the players in that kind of side. I really don't know. I don't know whether that would be a positive or if it is, for someone like yourself, as you said, you'd prefer not to see it. So I really don't know if more of that would work in a positive or a negative.

Q. In terms of bringing more fans.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It may or it may not. See, you said that you didn't prefer it, so...

Q. Will Kim play in Melbourne?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'd say in Melbourne she'd probably be certain.

Q. Certain?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I'd say she'd at least try. It's a Grand Slam anyway. You know, I'd say it's getting better every day. So I'd say Melbourne is a very good chance of playing.

Q. What about here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Here, I don't know.

End of FastScripts….