Hewitt into third round by Trevor Marshallsea (SportCentral)

NEW YORK, Aug 30 AAP - Australia's Lleyton Hewitt moved into the third round
at the US Open tennis tournament today with a hard-fought win over
tempestuous Frenchman Julien Boutter.

Despite the gap in the players' world rankings - Hewitt's nine to Boutter's
101 - and the straight sets result, the 7-6 6-4 6-4 win required more fight
from Hewitt than it might have seemed.

"I couldn't get any rhythm out there, just with the way he played and sort of
acted out there on the court," Hewitt said.

"He was just a strange kind of guy, I think."

Hewitt will go into the third round against Czech Jiri Novak, ranked 39th,
who beat Zimbabwe's Byron Black in four sets today.

Boutter was not only able to produce some fine tennis in serving 18 aces to
Hewitt's nine, but also brought to centre court the added distractions of
temper tantrums and injury breaks.

One such break came at a crucial time. Hewitt was about to serve for the set
at 5-4 when Boutter called a three-minute time-out for treatment.

The Frenchman then came out and broke the Adelaide teenager to tie it up at
5-5, but Hewitt, while clearly annoyed, showed great composure to take the
set in a narrow tiebreak 8-6.

In the second set, Hewitt broke Boutter for 4-2 but Boutter broke back for
4-3, held for 4-4, and then had a break point against Hewitt, which the
Australian crucially saved with a service winner.

Once again the trainer came out, but afterwards Hewitt broke again to take
the set, after which Boutter incurred a code violation over a line dispute.

Hewitt began the third set badly, dropping his serve from deuce. He showed
his growing frustration by smashing his ball sideways off the court, in a
rush of blood Boutter told the umpire "could hurt someone".

But Hewitt immediately produced a strong returning game to break Boutter back
to 15, with the Frenchman double faulting on break point, and broke again for
3-1.

Hewitt served poorly for the match at 5-3, being broken to 15, but again he
rebounded to break back for the match.

Hewitt scratches through at Open 28 August 2000 by Trevor Marshallsea SportCentral

NEW YORK, Aug 28 AAP - Lleyton Hewitt's scratchy first round win at the US
Open here today left many unconvinced by his claims of being entirely
comfortable as a big fish in the grand slams of tennis.

But what was more believable, at least, after his four set win over
43rd-ranked Swede Andreas Vinciguerra, was his assurance that he was getting
better at handling pressure on the big stage.

Hewitt was under plenty of it on the Louis Armstrong court at Flushing
Meadows here, starting atrociously and finding himself down a set and a
break, with Vinciguerra serving at 5-4 in the second.

But he dug in to break back twice and level the match, setting himself to
complete a 2-6 7-5 6-3 6-3 win which sealed another first-time meeting in the
second round, this time with 101st-ranked Frenchman Julien Boutter.

Hewitt's coach Darren Cahill had said coming into the tournament that his
charge was battling to adapt to suddenly going from being "the hunter to
hunted" in major tournaments.

That was how it seemed at Wimbledon, when as seventh seed he lost in the
first round to American Jan-Michael Gambill, and again here as he committed
40 unforced errors to Vinciguerra's 17 over the first two sets.

But unlike Wimbledon, where he buckled to lose in straight sets, Hewitt was
able to steady himself.

As would be expected, Hewitt said he "didn't feel any added pressure at all"
being a scalp to be coveted by lower ranked players.

"I was prepared for a bit of a dog fight out there," he said of his first
meeting with his fellow 19-year-old Vinciguerra, a first round loser in his
three US hardcourt tournaments coming into this event.

"Obviously it's a pretty big step in such a short period (but) I feel the
more I'm getting seeded in these tournaments, the better I'm going to be for
sure."

Part of that showed in the way Hewitt averted what would have been the
biggest upset on day one here.

"I didn't push the panic button at all," he said.

"I probably pushed the panic button a little bit against Jan-Michael Gambill
at Wimbledon, but I've learned from that and I think I'll be a better player
because of it.

"When you are down a set and a break, and really struggling out there, you've
got to remember this is a best of five sets match.

"I haven't played a hell of a lot of five-set matches ... and I think the
more tighter and the longer matches I'm going to play, I'm going to be a
better player because of it."

Hewitt admitted he knew little of Boutter and that some homework would have
to be done, but that he was expecting bigger serves and more errors than he
got from his first round foe.

Looking unfamiliar wearing sponsor-supplied red for the first time, Hewitt
also looked nervous from the start against Vinciguerra, troubled by double
faults and the tension of his strings, which prompted an early racquet
change.

He dropped his first game on serve through a netted backhand on break point,
and after losing his next service game slumped to a 0-4 deficit which ensured
Vinciguerra the set.

Vinciguerra continued strongly in the second by breaking Hewitt for a fourth
time in five tries, but Hewitt broke him again to level at 1-1, giving a hint
of the fightback to come.

First, though, he dropped his serve again to leave Vinciguerra serving for a
two-sets-to-love lead at 5-4.

But he then clawed back in a tense 10th game, which he took on his fourth
break point, fought off three break points in the next to lead 6-5, and then
broke his faltering opponent again to level at a set apiece.

Hewitt secured the next break to take a 3-1 lead which was enough to give him
the third set, and by then the momentum was all his.                                                       


Hewitt finds going tougher  28 August 2000 by Trevor Marshallsea New York SportsToday

Like anyone in a new role, Lleyton Hewitt is taking a while to adapt.

Where once he was the young colt with nothing to lose, he's become the scalp
coveted by opponents, and it's his ability to cope with that which coach
Darren Cahill believes will largely dictate his chances at the US Open.

Cahill, like most others, believes the ninth seed has the game to succeed on
the Open hardcourts. His return to form by reaching the semi-finals at his
last start in Indianapolis two weeks ago was also timely.

But Cahill, and his teenaged charge, have been working hard on the mind game,
trying to ensure Hewitt's fierce determination is not undermined by any of
the mental discomfort felt in early exits at Wimbledon, and earlier this
month at Toronto and Cincinnati.

Asked if falling at the first round at Wimbledon, to Jan-Michael Gambill had
fired Hewitt for this Grand Slam, Cahill said: ''Lleyton is pretty determined
at all the tournaments, small or large.

''But maybe he's feeling a little more pressure considering he's now a seeded
player at these Grand Slam tournaments, and instead of being the hunter he's
the hunted every week.

''At 19 that's a different feeling for him. It may have contributed to a
couple of early round losses in this American summer season, but that's
something he'll have to become accustomed to, because if he plans on being in
the top 10 for five or 10 years, it's going to be like that for a long long
time.

''He's pretty much been up there now for the last year or so, and he's been
in the top 10 the past six months.

''It's a different proposition. Some weeks he does it well, and some weeks
not so well. We're just hoping these two weeks he does it well.''

Hewitt, who meets Sweden's Andreas Vinciguerra in thre first round, is
keeping his media interviews to the bare minimum, so it was left to Cahill to
discuss his form.

It was scratchy earlier in the American summer, after some time off, but
signs of change came with creditable wins over Albert Costa and Thomas
Enqvist at Indianapolis, before a no-disgrace semi loss to US Open second
seed Gustavo Kuerten.

The lead-up was vastly different, however, to the wave of form he rode into
Wimbledon -- beating Pete Sampras in the final of Queens -- before he quickly
rode off again.

''His lead-up to the Open hasn't been as good as his lead-up to Wimbledon,''
Cahill said.

''So, it's been a different sort of build-up -- hopefully with a different
result.

''The draw's pretty open here this year - no one's really dominating the game
at the moment apart from Gustavo Kuerten - so there's a good chance for half
a dozen to a dozen players to win this title. Lleyton's one of them.''

There's also been another change which may reflect the maturing of the
pony-tailed South Australian - he's apparently stopped watching Rocky videos
to psyche himself up.

''He did it as a junior,'' Cahill said with a laugh, ''but not any more.''

END                                                             

Hewitt's fighting spirit makes him a contender for U.S. Open 17 Aug 2000 by Dale Brauner
SportsTicker

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- With zinc smeared over his nose and fists often
pumped, it is not hard to understand how Lleyton Hewitt gains inspiration
from watching "Rocky" movies. 
"I just really enjoy the movies and I've probably watched them 100 times, all
of them," the Australian star explained. "They're just very motivational." 
The ATP Tour is banking on Hewitt's combative nature and never-say-die spirit
to lift the circuit when Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and fellow Aussie Patrick
Rafter slow down. 
A new advertising campaign was recently launched featuring eight of the
tour's top young players.  Hewitt, with his trademark Nike cap turned around
and blond hair in a ponytail, is front and center. 
"I like being part of it," he said. "We've got (Gustavo) Kuerten sort of the
head guy of it, because he's won two Grand Slams, and he's sort of leading
the (ATP Champions) race at the moment and all that.  It's great for myself
to be in that kind of company as well. 
"I think it's good in America, where I think a lot of people just know the
Samprases, Agassis, the Rafters, the Kafelnikovs, and this is sort of the new
breed of tennis players coming through, and I think it's good for the game." 
Unlike some of the teenage pinups in the women's game, Hewitt has backed up
his hype with results.  The 19-year-old from Adelaide leads the tour with a
46-11 match record and four titles.  Over his short career, he has won six
tournament crowns. 
Hewitt might be marketed as the new breed of men's player but his style of
play really is a throwback to an older era.  His scrambling, attacking game
and arrogant on-court attitude are reminiscent of Jimmy Connors. 
And he definitely shows his lineage from the great Australian players of the
past for his dedication to Davis Cup and the OlympicsHewitt guided Australia 
to the Davis Cup title last season and will team with Rafter against Spain in this
year's final in December. 
"I hold those above everything else," said Hewitt, who will try to claim the
gold for the home team in Sydney next month.  "If I'm not 100 percent for the
smaller events and we're still going in the Davis Cup and the Olympics, then
so be it." 
Right now, getting prepared for the upcoming U.S. Open is what is important
to Hewitt, who brought a 13-match winning streak into the fourth round of the
Australian Open but was cut down by Magnus Norman in straight sets.  He beat
Pete Sampras to capture the Stella Artois Championships the day before
Wimbledon started but was upended by Jan-Michael Gambill in the first round
at the All-England Club. 
While Hewitt has advanced to the quarterfinals here at the RCA Championships,
he is hoping to avoid peaking too soon for the year's final grand slam. 
"I'm taking a week off next week, just going to try and work pretty hard," he
said. "Just really going back to basics and start hitting a lot of balls. 
This week is fantastic, to get the most matches I can, the better I'm going
to be." 
This week represents a return to form for Hewitt after losing two of three
matches to start his North American hardcourt campaign.  He had a breathing
problem caused by a virus in Toronto and has been playing with a left ankle
injury. 
"I feel like I've been overplayed a little bit the last couple of months (but
now) I'm going out there and I'm attacking," said Hewitt, who gets his
athletic prowess from his Australian Rules football playing father, Glynn. 
"I'm playing my `A' game and I'm trying to really get on top of my opponents
early," he added.  "I want to be hitting the ball well and sort of moving
well going into the U.S. Open." 
Hewitt's favorite "Rocky" movie is "Rocky IV."  In that one, Apollo Creed
dies and Rocky travels into enemy territory to take on the evil Russian
fighter and triumph against all odds. 
In just 11 days, Hewitt will try to do the same at the U.S. Open.                                                        

Time to embrace Lleyton Hewitt  18 July 2000 by Chip Le Grand                           
 LLEYTON HEWITT, the notoriously angry young man of Australian tennis, has returned to his field 
of potatoes angry no more.In fact, given the way he has handled both victory and defeat in     
recent times - his straight-sets mauling of two hapless Brazilians in Brisbane and first-round 
loss at Wimbledon - Hewitt appears well on the way to ditching his mantle as one of the sports 
people Australians most love to hate.  
This goes to show two things.                                                                          
Firstly, that beneath the fist-pumping and occasional foot-in-mouth silliness that detracts 
now and then from his extraordinary talents, Hewitt is making a good fist of adapting to what 
Pat Cash calls the unreal world of professional tennis.                                                                        
Secondly, that almost unfailingly, Australia tends to heap unrealistic expectations of 
performance - both on and off the court -on its teenage stars                                                                      
When Hewitt was voted by readers of Inside Sport magazine as the least admired sportsperson of 
1999, he was only 18. If you think back to the sort of person you were at age 18 ... well, 
enough said.                                                                           
Lleyton has now matured to the grand old age of 19. He's still not much more than a kid and it's 
a safe bet that over the next couple of years, he'll produce a couple more cringe-worthy comments
to add to his suggestion at the start of the year that Australian crowds are stupid. But as 
Hewitt's game grows with breathtaking pace, it is becoming clear that he's heading in the right
direction in more ways than one. 
Of course, some of this might have to do with context. With Mark Philippoussis back to jerking 
around his Davis Cup team-mates and Jelena Dokic still mouthing the words of Damir the terrible,
there is tough competition for anyone vying for the national title of least favourite tennis 
player. But after watching Hewitt gracefully lump his straight-sets exit from Wimbledon, 
carefully steer a path through the row developing between Philippoussis and Australia's Davis Cup
camp and then show due respect for his two outclassed opponents in Brisbane, it is clear that 
Hewitt has made a genuine improvement to his game. 
It is only a year ago in Brisbane that Hewitt smugly reached for his wallet after trouncing 
Yevgeny Kafelnikov to clinch Australia a place in the Davis Cup final. (The Russian had promised
to give Hewitt a tennis lesson on a court he had earlier described as a potato field.)
This time round, it was a positively understated Hewitt who breezed through his singles 
encounters. "I didn't feel I needed to go over the top," he  said after beating Fernando Meligeni
on the opening day. "When I wanted to feel pumped, I did a little fist to myself."                                                                 
Remember, this is the same Hewitt who earned the wrath of his hometown crowd for aggressively 
celebrating every point he won against a hopelessly outmatched opponent. 
If Hewitt can keep his fists to himself, it's only fair that we ease up as well. Even if it feels
a little odd at first, we'll be doing ourselves a favour.                                        
Rafter won't be there for that much longer, only Philippoussis knows how long he'll be around 
and the way Hewitt is playing, it's hard to imagine tennis over the next 10 years without him.
Ten years is a long time to hate.
Hewitt remains once bitten twice shy in his dealings with the Australian media and thus few 
people really know much about him other than what he shows us on court and says in stilted press 
conferences.                                             
But like Hewitt's angry teenage years, this self-imposed exile shouldn't last for much longer. 
Australia, including its media, is starting to warm to Lleyton Hewitt and it's only a matter of 
time until that fact slips under his cap.    
                                                                                                
Rampant Lleyton banishes nightmare 15 July 2000 by Paul Malone The Courier Mail

LLEYTON Hewitt yesterday banished nightmarish visions of his Wimbledon conqueror and gained a 
lifelong memory of one of the Davis Cup's more oddball moments with his confidence-boosting 
return to ANZ Stadium. Hewitt, who thought longer and harder about his first- round Wimbledon 
exit than any mishap in his skyrocket career, tamed a Brazilian opponent willing to do anything,
including standing on his head, to deliver Australia a 2-0 lead after day one of Brisbane's 
Davis Cup semi-final. Hewitt had too many guns and insights on grass for emotional Brazilian 
Fernando Meligeni and his 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 verdict will settle the nerves for the American hardcourt
circuit which will further test his potential to rise higher into the top 10. 
Meligeni gave Hewitt and ,the Brisbane crowd something for their memory banks by standing on his 
head in an improvised protest at a decision by Spanish umpire gavier Moreno to over-rule against
a Meligent serve as the third set completed the one-way traffic of the day. " Hewitt, 19, with 
four tour titles to his credit in 2000 recalled he had been counselled by friends over the impli-
cations of his Wimbledon first-round loss to Jan-Michael Gambill when seeded for the first time 
in a Grand Slam tournament.
"I tried to block it out, but when you go to sleep at night, I'm seeing Jan-Michael Gambill push
(Pete) Sampras in four sets and I'm thinking it might have been my chance in the quarter-finals 
at Wimbledon against possibly the greatest player ever," Hewitt said after his 96-minute win 
which gives doubles team Mark Woodforde and Sandon Stolle the chance to seal victory in two days. 
Scott Draper, the Brisbane professional, found reassuring words for his young friend and urged 
him to take solace from the strides he has made in the past six months to be ranked eighth in the 
world and sixth on the ATP Tour's points race. 
"He tried to lay it out for me that I will have more opportunities and be more hungry when I go to 
Wimbledon next year," he said. "It's just sport that one of my worst days happened at such a 
big event. I felt in control of the match (against Meligeni) without playing brilliantly." 
Meligeni and beaten team mate Gustavo Kuerten bent the ears of Moreno and Hungarian umpiring col
- league Andreas Egli often throughout the two singles matches. When Moreno called against a 
Meligeni serve, the Brazilian left-hander lurched forward to stand on his head. "It was my way to
show him I was really disappointed with his call. It was 150 percent in. I cannot clap him and 
continue (to) play," said Meligeni, who added that the officiating had not influenced the result.
Kuerten said following his 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 defeat by Rafter that it was "normal" for umpires to 
favour home teams on close calls. A line-call dispute in the game where Rafter served the first 
set out had Brazilian captain Ricardo Acioly remonstrating with tie referee Norbert Peick, 
of Germany. Like Kuerten, Meligeni fired in a double fault at break point of his first service 
game of the match and after breaking Hewitt In the following game could only extend the contest 
rather than enter it. 
Australian captain John Newcombe said Stolle, a late replacement for Mark Philippoussis, 
could force his way in for the looming Davis Cup final when he tries to win his first doubles 
rubber in three attempts with Woodforde. Newcombe said Rafter, who had been under consideration 
as a doubles player in the event of a 2-0 lead to the Australians, was "as flat as a tack". 
Rafter, team player that he is, would have insisted to Newcombe that Stolle be given the chance
if there was a divergence of opinion. "I'd really love to see Sandon have a game and win 
because he hasn't won in Davis Cup yet," Rafter said. Hewitt said: "He (Rafter) brings so much 
confidence. You feel every time he steps on the court that he is going to get the job done. He 
always gives 100 percent for his country."