McEnroe: Crowd Let Hewitt Down

By Richard Pagliaro
Tennis Week
01/22/2003

In his peak as a player and current career as a commentator, John McEnroe has mastered the art of evoking an audience reaction. In the space of a single game, McEnroe's abrasive antics on court could alienate an entire stadium of spectators, while his brilliant play could elicit electrifying cheers of adulation from the very same group of fans.

Tennis is a singular sport, but McEnroe and arch rival Jimmy Connors turned the game into theater with the crowd often elevated to the role of active participants rather than passive spectators in the ongoing drama.

From his seat inside the broadcast booth, McEnroe watched Younes El Aynaoui's compelling conquest of top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt and was stunned by the sound of silence from the crowd after El Aynaoui took the third-set tiebreaker en route to a 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 victory.

"I feel like Australians know their tennis so it was surprising to me they didn't get behind him," McEnroe told the Daily Telegraph. "Given he was the only Aussie left in the draw, I think the crowd could've lifted him up a little bit more.I think the crowd never really thought he (Hewitt) was going to lose. But if you're pulling for the Aussie guy, you've got to expect the unexpected. It can all happen so quickly. Suddenly, the next thing the guy's out of the tournament."

The Australian crowds and media have never really embraced Hewitt with the same enthusiasm they reserved for Patrick Rafter. The reverence for Rafter had as much to do with his personality as his play. The affable Aussie was the ideal mixture of competitiveness and class on the court and showed a self-depricating sense of humor off the court.

In contrast, Hewitt, while respected for the fighting spirit and guts he brings to the game, presents a less-inviting persona to the Australian crowd.

"Pat's personality was more easy going," McEnroe said. "Lleyton's unbelievably intense. Pete Sampras is arguably the greatest player who ever lived, but he didn't get the same crowd support Jimmy Connors got. Jimmy Connors was a magician with the crowd. There was something about the way he could play and also use the crowd in a positive way."

It's not that Hewitt doesn't care about the fans — he's just so engrossed with the battle at hand that the crowd is almost an afterthought. Hewitt's success is built on self-reliance. His fascination with the "Rocky" films has been well-chronicled and reveals his identification with the underdog role.

Though he's the top-ranked player in the world, Hewitt remains the ultimate underdog in many ways: underestimated at the outset of his career, undersized at 5-foot-11, 150 pounds, and unable to overpower opponents with the speed of his serve or pace of his strokes.

The fist-pumping Hewitt relates to Rocky because he relishes the role of underdog. It's the fuel that fires the inferno of intensity within him. It's the reason that some of his greatest victories — thoroughly thrashing Pete Sampras in the U.S. Open final, scoring a major Davis Cup quarterfinal win over Gustavo Kuerten on red clay in Kuerten's hometown of Florianopolis, Brazil and beating British fan favorite Tim Henman in the semifinals en route to the Wimbledon title — came on foreign soil.

On occasions when Hewitt has had the home crowd behind him — losing to Nicolas Escude in the 2001 Davis Cup final staged in Melbourne and failing to surpass the fourth round in his career at the Australian Open — he has struggled to produce his best tennis.

While Hewitt may well be one of the rare players who prefers adversity to adulation as long as he continues to win the crowds will keep coming out for his matches.

El Aynaoui ends Hewitt's Open dreams
Monday, January 20, 2003
www.supertennis.co.za

World number one Lleyton Hewitt's Australian Open dreams died on Monday
when he was outgunned by a 31-year-old Moroccan in the fourth round.
Younes El Aynaoui, who has gone beyond the fourth round of a grand slam
only twice in his 13-year career, stunned the Melbourne Park crowd by
blasting the Wimbledon champion off court 6-7 7-6 7-6 6-4.

In a smoke-filled atmosphere created by bushfires to the north of
Melbourne, the pair threw everything at each other from the start.

Hewitt, racing around the court, a picture of intensity, punched winners
right into the corners whenever he was given anything short of a length.

El Aynaoui, 31, better known for his amiable nature and laid- back style
than for any on-court success, flailed away with his enormous forehand,
hitting a backhand only when forced to by the Australian.

His serve was a potent weapon too, crashing down 200 kph-plus serves from
his full 1.93 metres height and producing 33 aces.

Nothing could separate the pair as they traded blows from the back of the
court throughout the first set forcing it into a tiebreak. El Aynaoui drew
first blood, breaking for a 2-0 lead but Hewitt stormed back to take it
7-4.

WISHFUL THINKING

Most of the Australian crowd suspected the Moroccan might lie down after a
valiant early effort. It was wishful thinking and the vibrant African
contingent knew better.

El Aynaoui came out for the second set more fired up as ever. Again, the
pair went at it toe to toe. Again they forced a tiebreak.

This time it went the Moroccan's way.

A furious Hewitt berated himself, screaming at the ground as he looked for
answers, but there were none to El Aynaoui's serve which whistled past him
with increasing regularity.

The third set followed the same blueprint and again entered a tiebreak as
the tension built.

After an early exchange of mini-breaks, it was El Aynaoui who grabbed the
initiative, hammering a double-fisted backhand down the line for a 6-5 lead
and set point. His serve again proved the difference as he crunched down a
huge delivery which Hewitt could only slap into the net.

Ahead and showing no sign of letting up, El Aynaoui was focused on the
finish line. Still he ripped forehand winners past the world number one,
still he sent serves fizzing past him.

The match looked to be heading for a fourth tiebreak set but in the seventh
game Hewitt finally cracked, throwing in a nervous double fault as El
Aynaoui grabbed the only break of the match.

VICTORIOUS SMILE

El Aynaoui served out for 5-3 and Hewitt held forcing the Moroccan to serve
for victory.

He opened that game with his 33rd ace but followed it up with a fifth
double fault as nerves took a grip. He windmilled his arms to loosen
tension but it had little effect as he netted a simple forehand to allow
Hewitt a 15-30 lead. Two points later Hewitt held a break point.

He netted a forehand, though, and his frustration boiled over as he smashed
his racket into the ground, hollering in fury.

An acrobatic jump smash earned Al Aynaoui a first match point and he
converted it as Hewitt pushed a backhand wide before raising his arms and
eyes and flashing a bright, broad victorious smile to the heavens.

Roddick strikes back to beat Youzhny

A fist-pumping Andy Roddick produced a stirring comeback on Monday, the
ninth seed beating Russian Davis Cup hero Mikhail Youzhny 6-7 3-6 7-5 6-3
6-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The American battled back from two sets down in sweltering conditions in
Melbourne, finally breaking through when he forced 25th-seeded Youzhny into
a wild backhand on his second set point at 6-5 in the third.

Another backhand error from Youzhny gave Roddick the key break in the
fourth game of the fourth set as he wrestled the initiative back from his
fellow 20-year-old, who had won both their previous meetings.

Roddick, pumped up and thumping his chest after the big points, pressed
Youzhny into a loose forehand to break in the third game of the final set
and fired down his 19th ace to consolidate for a 3-1 advantage.

The demoralised Youzhny surrendered his serve again in the next game and
Roddick easily closed out the match to win in three hours 14 minutes and
set up a possible quarter-final with world number one Lleyton Hewitt.

Roddick also reached the last eight of the U.S. Open in 2001 and 2002, his
best results in a grand slam to date.

Youzhny, who famously won the deciding rubber to give Russia victory over
France in the Davis Cup final in Paris last month, was trying to reach his
first grand slam quarter-final.

- - -

El Aynaoui beats Hewitt
January 20, 2003
www.news.com.au


MOROCCAN Younes El Aynaoui has beaten world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt 6-7 (4-7)
7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in the fourth round today.

The 18th seed from Rabat secured the only break of the match in the seventh
game of the fourth set when Hewitt double-faulted.

Hewitt had a break point in the final game of the match but was unable to
convert it.

El Aynaoui had also reached the quarterfinals at Melbourne Park three years
ago, while Hewitt has never advanced to the last eight at his home grand
slam event.

The Moroccan will now play American ninth seed Andy Roddick in the
quarterfinals on Wednesday.

El Aynaoui, 31, had his best-ever season in 2002, winning three
tournaments.

But he was at long odds to beat Hewitt, the tournament favourite, who has
regularly said the Australian Open is the one event he wants to win more
than any other.

- - -

"Hewitt out in Open upset"
January 20, 2003
www.abc.net.au


Hewitt out in Open upset

Moroccan 18th seed Younes El Aynaoui has upset top seed Lleyton Hewitt's
bid to win the Australian Open with a stunning four-set victory in the
fourth round.

El Aynaoui beat the world number one 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 in three-and-a-half
hours to shatter Hewitt's dream of becoming the first home-grown Australian
Open champion for 27 years.

El Aynaoui, who will play ninth-seeded Andy Roddick of the United States in
the last eight on Wednesday, played the match of his life to vanquish
Hewitt before a full house of home fans.

The big-hitting Moroccan slugged it out with the 21-year-old Australian
with hardly anything seperating the pair in the first three tiebreak sets.

But the momentum swung 31-year-old El Aynaoui's way in the third set
tiebreaker when a series of big forehands gave him a set point at 6-5 and a
crucial two sets to one lead.

Hewitt found the net with a forehand to give the set and decisive advantage
to the Moroccan.

El Aynaoui broke Hewitt in the seventh game of the fourth set when the
Australian double-faulted on break-point and the Moroccan fought off break
point on his own serve in the 10th game to take the match on his first
match point.

A fortuitous net cord, a smash and two Hewitt forehand errors gave him the
biggest win of his career.

No Australians are left in the men's singles draw.

- - -

Hewitt rolled
www.australian-open.com
Monday, 20 January, 2003
by Scott Spits

Australia's great hope to win the Australian Open, world No.1 Lleyton
Hewitt, has been bundled out of Australian Open 2003 in an epic
fourth-round clash with Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui.

In a memorable clash that lasted more than three-and-a-half hours, the
first break of serve happened late in the final set with El Aynaoui
eventually winning 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Following the match Hewitt felt he had played well and paid tribute to his
opponent El Aynaoui. "He normally makes a few more unforced errors or hits
double faults but he was just in the zone and had great rhythm on his serve
today," said the top seed. "I gave it everything I have but he was too
good. It's tough at the moment but I have to try not to get too
disappointed and just bounce back bigger and better."

Hewitt acknowledged the expectations placed on him at his home Grand Slam.
"Obviously the pressure and expectation on you are more focussed but when
you are a top player playing in a Grand Slam then there's always pressure
and expectation. I try to block it out as much as possible, try to enjoy
the fact that there are 15,000 people barracking for me."

And a visibly upset Hewitt said he was going to try and take learn from the
experience. "At the moment it's really disappointing - there's no other way
to put it - but I didn't leave anything out there today. I gave everything
I have. When I look back on this match in a couple of weeks or a couple of
months when I feel like thinking about it again, I will honestly be able to
say I fought as hard as I could out there."

It is the second time that El Aynaoui, the No.18 seed, has reached the
quarter-final stage at a Grand Slam tournament after he reached the final
eight at last year's US Open.

The Moroccan will now play American Andy Roddick who managed perhaps his
greatest ever Grand Slam effort - coming back from two-sets-to-love - to
defeat dangerous Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

Roddick, 20, who has reached the quarters at the past two US Opens, agreed
he may not have been capable of such a comeback one or two years ago.

Earlier, his compatriot James Blake had a disappointing fourth-round clash,
losing to German No.31 seed Rainer Schuettler.

Roddick lost the first set to Youzhny in a tie-break before winning 6-7
(4-7), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 on Vodafone Arena.

Earlier, Schuettler started strongly and, despite dropping the third set,
had the measure of his more fancied opponent 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

The 26-year-old said he wasn't concerned about whether he was the favourite
or the underdog.

"I go out there (and) I try to play my best," he said. "I had no pressure
today at all. I just went out there, tried to play good tennis, and I did,
so I'm happy with it."

Schuettler committed only 19 unforced errors for the match to Blake's 35 on
the way to his first Grand Slam quarter-final. His previous best result at
a Grand Slam was a fourth-round loss to Carlos Moya at Melbourne Park two
years ago.

Schuettler will play the winner of tonight's round-of-16 clash between
Argentine No.10 seed David Nalbandian and Swiss No.6 Roger Federer.

Exclusive by Pete Sanderson
BBC Sport Online in Melbourne

Lleyton Hewitt marked his Australian Open exit by letting out an almighty yelp, dropping his racquet and falling to his knees in disbelief.

The 13,000-strong crowd at the Rod Laver Arena greeted Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui's win with rather more decorum, but looked equally baffled by what it had seen.

Somebody somewhere hadn't read the script.

I can't remember anyone serving so well against me in my entire career



Lleyton Hewitt

As world number one and tournament favourite, Hewitt was meant to breeze into a dream final with Andre Agassi, lifting the trophy just in time for the champagne to be uncorked on Australia Day.

But, despite falling at the fourth hurdle, the man the locals call 'Rusty' was honest in his assessment of the game.

"There was some awesome tennis out there both from me and Younes," a still-out-of-breath Hewitt said.

"I can't remember anyone serving so well against me in my entire career - maybe Sampras once or twice, but [Younes' serving] was a masterclass of placement and power."

"I felt good out there but he was gutsy and kept coming to the net and fending me off with that big forehand of his - he was just too good," Hewitt added, proving the word humility does exist in his dictionary after all.


Hewitt crashes out
The 21-year old had been under immense pressure from the local press and fans to win the tournament.


El Aynaoui's win opens up the top half of the draw
Expectations were raised even higher when the Aussie media highlighted the fact that only two Grand Slam winners - Hewitt and Agassi - were left in the draw.

Hewitt admitted it was impossible to ignore the constant attention.

"Although I didn't admit it at the time, I certainly felt the pressure," he said.

"When you're in your home country the press focus on you and the expectations seem higher.

"When I'm in London or America I don't feel there is quite as much pressure on me to win. Everyone is looking at the likes of Agassi, Pete Sampras and Tim Henman.

"I do try to block it out - but I guess as world number one and the only remaining Australian in the tournament I should expect the media spotlight to be on me.

It hurts more to lose in front of your own fans but I'll have a lot more opportunities to win here - I'll be back



Lleyton Hewitt

"On reflection I think I can learn from this and grow up a little bit."

Having won Wimbledon and the US Open, Hewitt remains unconcerned at talk of him joining the legion of players - such as Tim Henman and Pat Rafter - who have failed to win their home Grand Slam.

"Admittedly, it hurts more to lose in front of your own fans but I'll have a lot more opportunities to win here - I'll be back," he said.

"People forget that it is really tough to win tennis tournaments all the time - even if you're playing well.

"In golf at least it is just you and the course. You've only got yourself to blame if you play badly.


Hewitt is confident he will win in Melbourne
"In tennis if you come up against an opponent like Younes and he plays the game of his life, the likelihood is you will lose."

Once Hewitt has recovered from this latest setback, his next big challenge lies in the shape of Britain in the Davis Cup.

Is he licking his lips at the prospect of taking on Britain in Sydney?

"Ah, I've not really thought about that one yet," he said.

"I guess it depends on who shows up. There's not been many British guys knocking around here over the last few weeks.

"It would be nice to take on a full squad."

Clearly shaken by the prospect of another meeting with Henman, Hewitt bids me farewell and heads back to the Rod Laver Arena to watch his girlfriend Kim Clijsters go one better than him in the women's event.

"That should keep the family happy," he joked. "At least until I get to Sydney."

thanks Astrid