"Hewitt gears up" by Leo Schlink
from Herald Sun, 30/04/2001

Lleyton Hewitt will today begin preparations for the French Open in the unorthodox surrounds of a women’s tournament in Croatia.
Hewitt, the architect of Australia’s fabulous Davis Cup quarterfinal victory over Brazil in Florianopolis last month, has travelled to Bol for the Croatian Open.
The world no. 8 will use the tournament facilities to practice with coach Darren Cahill while also supporting girlfriend Kim Clijsters.
Hewitt’s sister Jaslyn will also be in Bol for a junior tournament.
Hewitt has not played since slaying Gustavo Kuerten and pushing Australia to a 3-1 victory over Brazil on clay.
The Adelaide baseliner immediately flew to Belgium to rest before the Monte Carlo Masters Series event, but was again struck down by breathing problems.
Hewitt intends to resume in Rome next Monday before tackling Hamburg and the World Team Cup in Dusseldorf.
Hewitt, 20, will then contest the French Open at Roland Garros from May 28, searching for his maiden grand slam singles title."

Breathing problems plague Hewitt
From our wire services
16 April 01 (FoxSports AUS - News Interactive)

AUSTRALIAN Davis Cup hero Lleyton Hewitt has withdrawn from the Masters
Series event in Monte Carlo after again experiencing breathing difficulties.
Hewitt will undergo tests in Belgium this week instead of playing in the
third Masters Series event in the principality.

His father, Glynn Hewitt, said the condition could be allergy-related but the
exact trigger of the young South Australian's breathing difficulties was
still a mystery.

Hewitt Senior said he hoped the tests could help shed more light on the cause
of a problem which first surfaced last year.

"He's still having some breathing problems and he's decided to have a bit of
a break," he said.

"We're just trying to put a handle on it ... he just wants to have some tests
done.

"It appears his throat flares up and he gets a breathing disorder and he
struggles to get air in."

He said the 20-year-old's breathing had been troubled in Australia's
first-round Davis Cup tie with Ecuador in Perth in early February and the
condition flared again a short time later in the United States.

Hewitt went on to pull Australia to an upset 3-1 Cup quarter-final victory
over Brazil away earlier this month, winning both his singles, including the
decisive victory over world No. 2 Gustavo Kuerten, and the doubles with Pat
Rafter.

Hewitt Senior said one problem had been getting continuity of treatment
because of Lleyton's constant travel schedule.

"He's feeling around the mark," he said. "He wasn't too bad in Brazil but it
keeps flaring up so he's got to get on top of it.

"If you're making a commitment to play Davis Cup, you don't get a break,
especially if you keep winning.

"You've got to just try and sit down somewhere and get on top of it because
you just keep putting Band-Aids on the problem."

The Monte Carlo tournament is one of nine Tennis Masters Series tournaments
in which points are awarded for entry to the elite field for the super-rich
Tennis Masters Cup in Sydney in November.

Hewitt is already well-placed after reaching the semi-finals of the first two
series events this year in Indian Wells and Miami.

And he plans to return to the fray on May 7, when the series moves to Rome.

END--http://www.foxsports.com.au/

Breathing trouble keeps Hewitt out of Masters tournament
By Valkerie Mangnall (SportsToday; 04/16/2001)

Australian Davis Cup hero Lleyton Hewitt has again been troubled by breathing
difficulties, withdrawing from a major tournament this week.

He has pulled out of the third Tennis Masters Series event of the year in
Monte Carlo and is undergoing tests in Belgium.

Hewitt's father, Glynn Hewitt, said it was believed the condition could be
allergy-related but it remained a mystery exactly what triggered the young
South Australian's breathing difficulties.

Hewitt Senior said it was hoped the tests could help shed more light on the
cause of a problem which first surfaced last year.

``He's still having some breathing problems and he's decided to have a bit of
a break,'' he said.

``We're just trying to put a handle on it ... he just wants to have some
tests done.

``It appears his throat flares up and he gets a breathing disorder and he
struggles to get air in.''

Glynn Hewitt said the 20-year-old's breathing had been troubled in
Australia's first-round Davis Cup tie with Ecuador in Perth in early February
and the condition flared again a short time later in the United States.

Hewitt went on to pull Australia to an upset 3-1 Cup quarter-final victory
over Brazil away earlier this month, winning both his singles, including the
decisive victory over world No. 2 Gustavo Kuerten, and the doubles with Pat
Rafter.

Hewitt Senior said one problem had been getting continuity of treatment
because of Lleyton's constant travel schedule.

``He's feeling around the mark,'' he said. ``He wasn't too bad in Brazil but
it keeps flaring up so he's got to get on top of it.

``If you're making a commitment to play Davis Cup, you don't get a break,
especially if you keep winning.

``You've got to just try and sit down somewhere and get on top of it because
you just keep putting Band-Aids on the problem.''

The Monte Carlo tournament is one of nine Tennis Masters Series tournaments
in which points are awarded for entry to the elite field for the super-rich
Tennis Masters Cup in Sydney in November.

Hewitt is already well-placed after reaching the semi-finals of the first two
series events this year in Indian Wells and Miami.

And he plans to return to the fray on May 7, when the series moves to Rome.

END--AAP

`Lucky' Gambill advances to Ericsson final
By STEVEN WINE
.c The Associated Press

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) - Jan-Michael Gambill picked the right time to come
up with a lucky shot.

He was two points from losing the first set Friday in the semifinals at the
Ericsson Open when Lleyton Hewitt slammed an overhead just within his reach.
Gambill took a reflex swing, happened to catch the ball square and sent it
rocketing crosscourt for a winner.

He grinned as the crowd erupted and Hewitt hung his head.

``That shot was one in a million,'' the Australian groused.

``Absolutely 100 percent, it was a pretty lucky ball,'' Gambill said. ``But
he was sort of silly to hit it back to my forehand. I don't know why he did
that.''

Two points later, Gambill broke serve to even the set 5-all, and he went on
to beat the No. 7-seeded Hewitt 7-5, 6-4 Friday night.

The victory put Gambill in Sunday's final against the winner of another
American-Australian semifinal Saturday between No. 3 Andre Agassi and No. 8
Pat Rafter.

``I feel like I'm playing well enough to beat anybody in the world right
now,'' Gambill said. ``I'm just being more confident and having fun with it,
getting the crowd involved - all those things help me. It's been a great
ride.''

Gambill, 23, came into the tournament seeded 19th but is rapidly on the rise.
He has won 12 of his past 13 matches, including the final at Delray Beach
three weeks ago, and he'll crack the top 10 for the first time next week.

The Spokane, Wash., native has a distinctive flair. He hits two-handed off
both sides, wears black socks and turns his changeover chair so his back is
to his opponent.

He is usually discounted in discussions of candidates to become the next
American Grand Slam tournament champion. While 18-year-old Floridian Andy
Roddick made a big splash at Key Biscayne, Gambill reached the final with
little fanfare.

But he has worked hard to improve in the past year. His agility along the
baseline is better, and he comes to net more, even playing serve and volley
on occasion.

``I'm hitting volleys 500 percent better than in the past,'' Gambill said.
``I think I'm surprising some guys out there with the versatility in my
game.''

Perhaps most significant is that Gambill has developed a knack for winning
big points.

He has saved 11 match points this year, including five at Key Biscayne. He
faced four in his opening match against Andrew Ilie and another in the
quarterfinals against Gaston Gaudio.

``I have the confidence on those big points to play good tennis,'' he said.

Hewitt sees it differently.

``He's probably lucky to be where he has got,'' Hewitt said.

Agassi regrouped during an overnight rain delay and rallied Friday to beat
Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

Agassi trailed Ljubicic 3-1 when a thunderstorm halted play Thursday night.
The match resumed 18 hours later, and after Agassi's deficit reached 4-1, he
won the next five games to pull out the set.

``I was a little concerned with how I felt coming out last night, and not
knowing Ljubicic's game,'' Agassi said. ``I got it together today and
executed my shots well.''

In the second women's semifinal, No. 4-seeded Jennifer Capriati won the last
10 games to beat No. 7 Elena Dementieva 6-2, 6-0. Capriati was to play No. 3
Venus Williams in Saturday's final.

AP-NY-03-31-01 0219EST

Gambill Wins New Balls Battle
(The ATP Site)

Jan-Michael Gambill defeated his New Balls Please rival Lleyton Hewitt 7-5,
6-4 to storm into the Ericsson Open final.

Gambill, who like Hewitt is one of the stars of the ATP's dynamic New Balls
Please campaign, will be making his debut in a Tennis Masters Series final on
Sunday. His previous best Masters Series result was reaching the
quarterfinals here in Miami last year and the quarterfinals in Stuttgart in
1998.

"Just being out here and being in this tournament in the first place is
incredible," said Gambill. "Coming to this tournament when I was little I'd
watch these guys play and think 'one day I'd like to play on Stadium court'.
To be playing on Stadium court in the final is amazing. It's quite a feat and
I'm very excited."

Gambill, who had twice saved match points in earlier rounds, had to fight
hard for his win over the gutsy Australian. Hewitt took an early break of
serve in the first set and looked the more likely winner in the match's
opening stages.

However the match turned on a crucial point when Hewitt was serving for the
match at 5-4. At 30-15 down Gambill hit a remarkable one-handed forehand off
a Hewitt smash, which screamed across court for a winner. A deft Gambill
volley and a Hewitt double fault later and they were back on level terms.

Gambill won the next two games and took the set 7-5.

"It was a one in a million shot and after that point he definitely raised his
game," said Hewitt afterwards.

Gambill went a break down once more in the second set as Hewitt desperately
tried to extend the contest to three sets. Not to be denied, Gambill broke
back and went on to take his first match point when Hewitt, serving at 4-5
down, pushed a backhand volley long.

"You have to give him credit," said Hewitt. "It was one of those matches
where I didn't take my opportunities. Right at the moment I'm a bit
disappointed."

END--http://www.atptennis.com/en/newsandscores/news/

Gambill meets Hewitt in semi
BY SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN (sdegnan@herald.com)
(The Miami Herald; 03/30/01)

Lleyton Hewitt emotes. Jan-Michael Gambill feeds off the emotion.

Today, the fist-pumping Australian will play the energy-drawing American in
the 7 p.m. semifinal at the Ericsson Open.

The other semifinal will follow the 12:30 p.m. women's singles final on
Saturday. It will feature Australian Patrick Rafter against the winner of the
rain-postponed quarterfinal between American Andre Agassi and Croatian Ivan
Ljubicic.

The Agassi-Ljubicic match, postponed with Ljubicic ahead 3-1 in the first
set, will resume at 1 p.m. today.

``I really enjoy playing Andre,'' said the eighth-seeded Rafter, who took 56
minutes to defeat No. 24 Roger Federer of Switzerland 6-3, 6-1 in Thursday's
first men's quarterfinal. ``We tend to match up pretty well, and these courts
are great for [Agassi] right now. But I'd probably prefer to play Ivan
Ljubicic to get through to the next round.''

Seventh seed Hewitt advanced by defeating Boca Raton teenager Andy Roddick
6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday. Gambill, seeded 19th, advanced by beating Gaston
Gaudio of Argentina in another Wednesday quarterfinal 3-6, 7-5, 6-4.

``I love the fact that he pumps his fists and gets into the match,'' Gambill
said of Hewitt. ``That by no means would ever bother me. He scrambles and
gets into it. I think he's good for the game of tennis.''

Gambill has been pretty impressive himself, saving five match points in four
matches.

The two are among the new breed of hot shots, but with different
temperaments. Hewitt is the fiery 20-year-old with long, blond locks and
steady baseline game. He listens to Eye of the Tiger before his matches and
was listed in the ``Awesome Aussies'' section of the ``Sexiest Man Alive''
issue of People in November.

Gambill is the gentlemanly 23-year-old with the short, streaked curls and
two-handed forehand. He spends off-court time at Cat Tales Zoological Park
near his home in Colbert, Wash., helping with the upkeep of endangered lions,
tigers and jaguars. He was selected as one of People's ``50 Most Beautiful
People in the World'' in May.

They have played three times, with Gambill winning twice. He last defeated
Hewitt in the opening round of the 2000 Wimbledon 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. Hewitt won
their second match in last year's Ericsson quarterfinals 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
Gambill defeated Hewitt in a three-setter two years ago to win his first ATP
title at Scottsdale, Ariz.

``The last time I played him was on grass, and I think the grass would sway
it in my favor,'' said Gambill, who has recently played in pain because of a
``stretched nerve'' in his upper right arm. ``I don't care what he's ranked,
I'd be the favorite on grass. I have the bigger serve. Out here, Lleyton is
playing as good tennis as I am. I'm going to take my opportunities when I can
get them and take it to him. It's a great match either way.''

Gambill said there's nothing he can do to treat his arm except to ``put the
hot fire-cream on it.

``The best thing for it is rest,'' he said. ``Maybe Thursday's day off will
help a little.''

END--http://www.miami.com/herald/content/sports/tennis/