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Race row the making of Hewitt - Newk
Sunday, 9 September, 2001

NEW YORK, Sept 8 AAP - Australian tennis legend John Newcombe believes Lleyton Hewitt's race row ordeal at the US Open may ironically have been the making of him.

Hewitt has earned high praise for winning through to tomorrow's final after the controversy over comments he made about a black linesman who foot faulted him twice in his second round win over African-American James Blake. Hewitt faced a roasting from the media afterward, and though officials cleared him of accusing the linesman of racial bias toward Blake, his punishment from the American press has continued.

Many have marvelled at the way the 20-year-old Australian had managed to shut out the controversy to win his next four matches. "It's a great effort," said final opponent Pete Sampras. "He's had to deal with some off-court stuff and has come through. He's a very, very tough young man. Mentally, he's about as strong as you're going to find in the game, and he really fights hard."

Newcombe takes a different approach to most, saying Hewitt has not merely shut out the drama, but has turned it into a lesson in keeping cool and focusing solely on tennis. Newcombe said it may have taught Hewitt not to run the risk of controversy by getting into arguments in the first place, and not to take a chance of giving detractors reasons to jump on him, such as by his trademark yelling and fist-pumping.

"Maybe the incident in the Blake match was an awakening," Newcombe told AAP. "Since then he's put his head down and concentrated on only one thing -- playing tennis, the best tennis he can play -- and it's worked for him. I think the press conference after that Blake match was a nightmare for him. Maybe in the end it's turned out good because it's really sharpened his focus on getting the job done. I just get the feeling that he's come to the realisation that he plays his best tennis when he focuses and doesn't worry about all the things that are happening around him."

Hewitt's behaviour in his four matches since Blake back up Newcombe's theory. There has been barely a peep from the South Australian, despite the heady atmosphere of his five-set win over local hero Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals, when Hewitt was foot faulted twice more, and when the crowd was definitely against him. "His last four matches, there's only been a little bit of a fist pump now and again, though the occasions have been there to invite that sort of behaviour," Newcombe said. "He was under pressure against Tommy Haas, when a set down, in the fourth round and he kept his cool, kept his focus. And you're not going to get much more pressure than the other night against Roddick, with the crowd chanting 'U-S-A' and going berserk."

Newcombe said taking the next step up to become a grand slam final winner would be a big achievement for Hewitt, but on the strength of his performances under pressure in the Davis Cup, Newcombe backed him to "do himself justice" against Sampras. "His Davis Cup experiences have toughened him up for anything that's come along," Newcombe said. Hewitt's former Davis Cup team-mate Mark Woodforde said Hewitt had learned a lot since losing his first grand slam semi-final here to Sampras last year, which he had shown in the past week.

"It's been an awesome effort to play at this level against Haas, Roddick and Yevgeny Kafelnikov," Woodforde said. "Haas and Roddick are two guys who have games to beat Lleyton, and he's stopped both of them. He's a quick learner from last year. He's got that feeling for what it's like to be alive late in the second week of a slam."

Fast Lane to Final

by John Walters

Saturday, September 8, 2001

Yevgeny Kafelnikov had the serve and a 40-0 lead in the first game of today's US Open semifinal against Lleyton Hewitt. It was all downhill from there.

No. 4 seed Hewitt, the 20-year-old from Adelaide, Australia, won the next five points and then proceeded to give Kafelnikov, seeded seventh, the most one-sided whupping in US Open semifinal history. Hewitt lost only four games in a match that was one minute shorter than Venus Williams's two-set semi win yesterday, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1.

"Believe me," said the 27 year-old Russian, "I tried very hard."

Hewitt's lopsided victory was the most decisive in a Grand Slam semifinal in 23 years. In 1978 at the French Open Bjorn Borg defeated Italy's Corrado Barazzutti 6-0, 6-1, 6-0. Not since 1924 had such a one-sided match taken place at the Open, when fellow Australian Frank Sedgman defeated American Art "Tappy" Larsen 6-1, 6-2, 6-0.

Hewitt's easy afternoon – 83 minutes – counterbalanced his heretofore rigorous and memorable road to the semis. The Aussie, who lost to Pete Sampras in five sets in the semis here a year ago, had already played a pair of five-setters in the past two weeks, two of the three most memorable matches at the Open. Eight days earlier Hewitt defeated James Blake in five sets, the now infamous "Look at him!" match. Two nights ago he outlasted hotshot 19 year-old Andy Roddick in five sets.

"I said coming in that it's been a good year without being a great year," said Roddick, who leads the ATP Tour in 2001 with 63 wins against just 15 losses. "Now it's getting better."

After breaking Kafelnikov's serve in the first game of the match, Hewitt steamrolled to a 6-1 set win in just 24 minutes. The key, as it has been throughout the tournament for the 5'11", 150-pound Aussie, has been a combination of his superior conditioining and his paucity of errors. Both players served five aces and Hewitt actually committed one more double-fault than Kafelnikov. Hewitt, however, had more than twice as many winners as Kafelnikov (25 to 11) while committing less than half as many unforced errors (15 to 37).

Part of the undoing for Kafelnikov, a classic baseline player, was his decision to play a serve-and-volley game against the speedy Hewitt.

"I had a game plan that wasn't working midway through the first set," said Kafelnikov, who had 22 net approaches to Hewitt's three. "I tried to change it, but it was no help."

With each passing round Hewitt serves notice that his No. 4 seeding here was entirely warranted. He lack's Roddick's blinding serve and Sampras's overpowering serve-and-volley game. If he reminds you of anyone, it is Andre Agassi, with his uncanny talent for returning serves and his electron-like capacity for being all places at once. Indeed, Hewitt defeated Agassi in his very first pro tournament, played in his hometown.

"You know, he's definitely a tough competitor," said Kafelnikov, whose easy win against top-seed Gustavo Kuerten in the quarterfinals augured a more competitive match than what unfolded Saturday. "What makes him so good is that he gets so many balls back to the court, it's just amazing, you know. Every time I was asking him a question, he had an answer, you know? Just too good."

Hewitt has too much

Frustrated Roddick can't hold on in fifth

Posted: Friday September 07, 2001 1:05 AM

NEW YORK (AP) -- The backward-cap kids took their turn in prime time at the U.S. Open, and for more than 3 1/2 hours Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt matched wits, aces and effort, applauding each other's best shots.

Then Roddick lost his cool -- and the match.

The budding rivalry got a big boost Thursday night, when Hewitt edged Roddick 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals.

There were only four service breaks, including one in the final game after Roddick became irate at an overrule by chair umpire Jorge Dias.

On the first point of the game, Roddick hit a crosscourt forehand that a linesman called good but Dias overruled, even though the ball landed on the sideline farthest from his chair. TV replays were inconclusive, meaning perhaps it was too close to overrule.

"It was straight on the line!" Roddick screamed at Dias. "How can you overrule the far side of the court? What is wrong with you? You can't overrule it at 4-5 in the fifth set. What are you? Are you an absolute moron?"

Five points later, Hewitt hit a backhand passing shot for a winner on the first match point and collapsed in jubilation. Roddick shook hands with Hewitt and Dias before heading to the postmatch interview room.

"I think that was an absolutely pathetic call," he said. "No umpire in their right mind will ever make that call. I'm not going to take anything back. I said it. I meant it at the time."

The 19-year-old American, who had a reputation for his temper as a junior, said the outburst was his worst ever in a match.

"I'm definitely disappointed in myself for letting it do that to me," he said. "At the same time, I had pretty good darn reason for it."

Match Statistics

Hewitt Roddick

56% First-serve pct. 51%

15 Aces 21

10 Double faults 10

36 Unforced errors 52

55 Winners 53

3-of-10 Break point conv. 1-of-6

25-of-32 Net approaches 32-of-43

165 Total points won 159

Match duration: 3 hours 40 minutes

The marathon was quite an encore to Pete Sampras' epic victory over Andre Agassi 24 hours earlier. At the outset the crowd was large but largely subdued, and many left before the finish, but those who remained were rewarded with a wild finish at 12:41 a.m. EDT.

Hewitt, 20, ended Roddick's bid to become the youngest men's Open champion. The fourth-seeded Australian advanced to the semifinals for the second consecutive year, and on Saturday he'll play No. 7 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who advanced by routing a curiously listless Gustavo Kuerten, the No. 1 seed, 6-4, 6-0, 6-3.

"Hopefully I've got enough energy in the tank," Hewitt said. "This is a great opportunity for me to go out and really see what I'm made of."

Kafelnikov's victory gave Russia two semifinalists in a Grand Slam event for the first time. Defending champion Marat Safin advanced Wednesday and will play Sampras in a rematch of last year's final.

The women's much-anticipated semifinals are Friday. No. 1 Martina Hingis plays No. 10 Serena Williams in a matchup of former champions, and defending champion Venus Williams, seeded fourth, plays No. 2 Jennifer Capriati in the second match.

As with Sampras-Agassi, Roddick-Hewitt offered contrasting styles. The big-swinging Roddick tried to belt winners, and the undersized Hewitt tried to run them down, his squeaking sneakers audible in the upper deck.

The match was also similar to Sampras-Agassi because of the dominant serving. Roddick smacked 21 aces and was broken three times. Hewitt slammed 15 aces, was broken only once and improved to 3-0 against Roddick, with all the matches since March.

"I'm sure Lleyton and I will have many more matches," Roddick said.

There were only scattered jeers for Hewitt when he walked on court, a sign he has moved beyond last week's ill-advised, perhaps racially tinged comments during a tirade in a match. Instead it was Roddick who stirred things up at the finish.

The young American had a reputation for his temper as a junior but has won praise for his demeanor this year. He said the outburst was his worst ever in a match.

"I'm definitely disappointed in myself for letting it do that to me," he said. "At the same time, I had pretty good darn reason for it."

Hewitt said he thought the ball was out on the disputed point but wasn't sure. He said he understood Roddick's unhappiness but said there's nothing wrong with an umpire overruling a call at a critical point in a match.

"You can't say someone can't overrule because of what stage of the match it is," Hewitt said. "He obviously saw the ball was out."

The first set was reminiscent of Wednesday's thriller, with no break points as the players progressed to a tiebreaker. Hewitt then made three consecutive forehand errors, two on potential putaways, and Roddick closed out the set with a 136-mph ace.

He froze in his follow-through, relishing the moment as the crowd roared.

The first break point came early in the second set, and Roddick double-faulted into the net, then angrily slammed his racket to the court. The gift gave Hewitt a 2-0 lead, and he easily held serve the rest of the set.

Hewitt broke again in the third set for a 4-3 lead. In the next game Roddick chased an angled volley off the court, lunged and fell, landing on his right side and skidding into the cyclops machine that judges serves. He rose slowly, then bent over in pain but continued. Hewitt closed out the set with an ace.

Roddick earned his first break of the match and a 2-0 lead in the fourth set when Hewitt double-faulted. Hewitt was unable to convert to break points in the final game of the set, and Roddick closed it out with a service winner to even the match at two sets apiece.

Both players easily held serve as the fifth set progressed and the number of winners, errors and wild exchanges mounted.

"I'm missing every other shot and I'm still in five sets," Roddick shouted after dumping a backhand into the net. A few games later, he lost the composure that has helped him soar into the top 20 this year.

Post Midnight Madness Again

by John Walters

Friday, September 7, 2001

Another night in Arthur Ashe Stadium, another unforgettable men's match that stretched into the midnight hour. And we haven't even made it to the semifinals yet.

No. 4 Lleyton Hewitt outlasted Andy Roddick and a decidedly partisan crowd to advance to his second semifinal in as many years at Flushing Meadows 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in a three hour, 40-minute marathon which ended at 12:43 a.m. Hewitt , who leads the ATP Tour in victories in 2001, recorded his 62nd of the year but not without a struggle -- and a mite of controversy in which, unlike six days ago, he was only a peripheral agent.

Last Friday Hewitt became the story of the tournament when his remarks, made to the chair umpire in the midst of his five-set win against American James Blake, insinuated that a sideline judge might be racially biased. Hewitt was upset for being called for two foot-faults, something that also occurred this evening.

Thursday night's controversy also centered around an official's judgment call, but this time it was not about foot faults and it was not Hewitt who approached the chair umpire. Serving at 4-5 of the fifth set, Roddick hit a crossing shot that edged toward Hewitt's backhand sideline. Chair umpire Jorge Diaz, sitting across the court, overruled the backline judge, called, "Out!"

The fiery 19 year-old slammed his racket down. He then approached the umpire's chair and launched into a minute-long splenetic outburst.

"Are you an absolute moron?" he asked. When it was over Roddick, who was vying to become the first person to win the U.S Open junior singles title one year and the men's singles title the following year, came unglued. He committed two unforced errors before Hewitt's winner along the sideline won the match.

"Do I feel that call had a lot with me getting getting broken in the last set?" asked Roddick, who acknowledged that he picked an inopportune moment to lose his cool.

"For sure. But that was a pathetic call. No umpire in their right mind would make that call...If he can say that (he saw the ball clearly), he's a liar."

It's too bad that call garnered so much attention, because for the second consecutive night the marquee match at the Open lived up to the hype. Wednesday night the thirtysomethings, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, had played their 32nd and most memorable match on this court. Thursday Hewitt and Roddick, two players whose Q ratings have surged higher than any others during this fortnight, dueled in a five-setter that was the most memorable of their nascent careers.

Hewitt, 20, entered the evening accompanied by the infamy of his aforementioned comments. Roddick, whose 140-plus m.p.h. serve has gained him renown as America's men's tennis prodigy, was playing his fourth match of the tourney in Arthur Ashe Stadium, quite unusual for an 18 seed. Both youngsters wore white baseball caps backwards, looking as if they'd fit in quite well at the MTV Video Awards, which were taking place simultaneously 10 miles west in Manhattan in the Metropolitan Opera House. But on their own stage, both rising stars acquitted themselves well.

The lean 5-11 Aussie made amazing lunges to return Roddick's booming serve throughout the evening, drawing grudging respect from the fans.

"He handles my serves better than anybody in the world," said Roddick. The first set provided a harbinger to the type of evening it would be, as the set went to a tiebreaker. Roddick grabbed a 5-1 lead, but Hewitt stormed back to trail 5-6. But then the serve went to Roddick and he finished matters with a 136 m.p.h. ace.

Hewitt came right back, however, breaking Roddick's serve in the second game of the following set. Down 30-40, A-Rod double-faulted, then slammed his racket in disgust. Hewitt won that set and then the following one. Roddick, who had to default due to injury the last time he played Hewitt, in the French Open, won the fourth set in cursory fashion, setting up the climactic final act.

"It's been a great run," says Roddick, who captivated the men's draw for two weeks with his lightning serve and brashness. "I mean, I've had so much fun out here this weekend. A part of me is dying inside, but a part of me is, 'Okay, I can relax now'."

Losing a hero, gaining a brat
Chalk and cheese: Pat Rafter enjoys a good rapport with crowds all over the world, whereas Lleyton Hewitt can alienate even Australian fans.
Our Pat, the patron saint of good blokes, is easy to love, but now it looks like it's all over. Richard Hinds asks if we can fall for Lleyton on the rebound.

As Pat Rafter trudged from the court after losing to Pete Sampras at the USOpen, you could not help but think of that old wedding day line: Congratulations, Australia. You haven't lost a hero, you've gained a brat.

And not just any old brat. With his newfound international infamy, we can confidently proclaim that we have on our hands, for the first time, a bona fide superbrat.

No introductions are needed. Lleyton Hewitt has been part of the furniture for a few years now, although, until this week, more in the role of attention-seeking little brother than family stalwart.

The International Tennis Federation is unable to send players to their rooms. Otherwise Hewitt would have spent a lot of time lying on his bed after pumping his fists and uttering obscenities at opponents, calling his hometown crowd "stupid" and referring to officials at the French Open as "spastic". (We'll give him the benefit of the doubt about his latest, allegedly racist outburst in New York.)

Hewitt has also done the family proud. He won tournaments at an age when most kids are trying to find a dog to eat their homework. He did things at Davis Cup ties that made his hero, Rocky, look like a shirker. He left the Road Runner eating his dust from here to Boca Raton.

But because of Hewitt's antics, and because we had Saint Pat - patron saint of blokes - Hewitt at his best, and at his worst, had been merely a sideshow. Now, in Australian tennis, he is very much the main event.

With Rafter drifting off to a place where a man can grow stubble and wear ridiculous shorts without making women faint, a nation must turn its lonely eyes to Lleyton.

If you are one of those who finds that prospect slightly disturbing, the ATP rankings provide little consolation. Mark Philippoussis (ranked 37) will begin his rehabilitation from a knee injury soon with rumours rife he will never be the same player again. Beneath him are veteran Wayne Arthurs (58), court jester Andrew Illie (85) and a yawning chasm to another old-timer, Jason Stoltenberg (146).

So now, and for some time to come, the 20-year-old Hewitt is likely to be Australia's sole representative in the final stages at the slams, the mainstay of its Davis Cup team and the poster boy for the game in this country - even if it is a wanted poster.

It is impossible to imagine Hewitt's newfound status will change his approach to the game, the media and anyone he and his minders believe stands in his way. It is impossible to imagine a set of thumbscrews doing that.

Shane Warne has enemies in the media and amongst the cricket cognoscenti, but is adored in the outer. Greg Norman can be prickly up close, but is beloved despite some unfortunate accidents. For a nation used to feting untouchables such as Rafter, Cathy Freeman, John Eales and Steve Waugh, Hewitt is a unique figure.

In some ways, the reaction to the way he plays the game - and what he does between points - says as much about the fans as it does about him. Moses could not divide salt water like Hewitt divides opinions. There are already two distinct camps.

In one corner, you will find the patriots and the apologists. Hewitt could decapitate the ball boys, but so long as he carried an Australian passport he would have their support. In the opposite corner are those who cringe at his antics and tutt-tutt at his misdemeanours. Having attracted their disapproval, Hewitt must endure their constant censure.

His detractors will be ever vigilant. In this attitude, there is a trace of hypocrisy. Like those who watched John McEnroe in order to abhor him, there are plenty who derive naughty pleasure by observing Hewitt. However, in the past few months, you suspect the ranks of the unbelievers have swelled.

And, standing defiantly in the middle, is Hewitt and his entourage, who clearly don't care what the world thinks. In their minds success does not merely justify the means, it places Hewitt beyond reproach.

That attitude might have washed in the past, but with Rafter gone, public expectations will grow. It will not be as easy to blame the media, or, as his management has done in the past, ignore the local press and hawk Hewitt abroad, where his contracts are worth more. Especially now his international reputation has been tarnished.

Hewitt assumes Rafter's mantle as a player of rare talent and heart, but he is a controversial and somewhat isolated figure. An international star admired by some in his own country but disliked by others. Rafter had a love affair with the Australian public. Hewitt's reign will start as a marriage of convenience.

Hewitt Handles Haas

Lleyton Hewitt fought back from being a set down to storm into the quarter-finals of the US Open tennis championships in New York today with an impressive win over Tommy Haas.

Hewitt was in trouble early on against Haas when the match started yesterday, having lost the first set before rain forced the match to be postponed at 2-2 in the second.

But when play resumed this morning on centre court, it was all Hewitt, the South Australian fourth seed running out victorious 3-6 7-6 6-4 6-2.

Hewitt, dogged by well documented allegations of racism during the tournament, performed admirably to lift his form today, producing three sets of steady, high percentage tennis, and keeping a cool head.

By contrast Haas, the 16th seed who beat Pete Sampras in the final of the Long Island tournament last week, was a shadow of the player who performed yesterday.

A warning for a smashed racquet -- after a double fault that handed Hewitt a 5-2 lead in the third set -- was testimony to his deteriorating form and temperament.

A semi-finalist here last year, Hewitt will now play 19-year-old American 18th seed Andy Roddick in a quarter-final match-up of two of the most exciting young players in tennis.

Hewitt, 20, leads Roddick 2-0 in career meetings, winning a quarter-final in the prestigious Miami tournament last March, and coming out on top in a French Open third round match two months later when Roddick retired injured at one set all.

Hewitt had been jeered by the crowd in his controversial second round match last week against James Blake, which contained the incident which sparked the race row which has marred the Australian's tournament.

Tennis officials later cleared Hewitt of claims that he had alleged racial favouritism from a black linesman towards African-American Blake.

Hewitt has been noticeably subdued in his subsequent two matches, including this one against Haas, presumably out of a wariness of inciting the crowd against him.

Tennis dad in Aborigine blast

By PAUL MALONE, news.com.au
04sep01

NEW YORK: THE father of African-American tennis players Venus and Serena Williams has blamed Lleyton Hewitt's upbringing in Australia - where he says Aborigines are "treated like dogs" - for his comments which landed him in a US race row.

Richard Williams poured scorn on Hewitt's explanations about his request that an African-American linesman be moved from his duties at his US Open match on Saturday.

Williams rejects Hewitt's explanation to Open referee Brian Earley that when he used the word "similarity" to an umpire he was referring to two foot-faults called by linesman Marion Johnson and not the linesman's shared race with opponent James Blake.

Williams, who has frequently railed against what he sees as racism in tennis, said he had gone to Outback Australia in 1972 and found Aborigines were treated "disgracefully".

"I don't think it would be hard to believe, it would be hard to believe if (Hewitt) didn't say it. Where he's from, Aboriginals are treated worse," Williams said.

"When you're accustomed to treating people like dogs, what makes you think they're going to change?

"Their quality of life (on his 1972 trip) was so bad . . . the way they're treated is disgraceful."

Even though he is their coach, Richard Williams has not been to Australia in the four years one or both of his daughters have played the Australian summer circuit.

They have said he did not like long plane flights or to be away from home.

The controversial father caused a furore in 1999 when he called Romanian player Irina Spirlea "a big, white turkey" after she and Venus bumped into each other at the US Open.

Last March, he accused fans in California of making racist remarks at him at a tournament, describing them as "the worst act of prejudice I've seen since they killed Martin Luther King."

Tom Blake, father of James, also suggested Hewitt's origins were a cause of his comments.

"You look at the source and question the person ... question the motives," he said last Saturday.

Williams yesterday repeated an assertion he has made over three years that the administrators of the men's and women's tours needed to do more to prevent racism in tennis.

His daughters refused to comment about the Hewitt controversy when asked on the previous two days.

Booed by a handful of spectators as he walked out for his third round match on Monday morning, Hewitt was the subject of a minor demonstration by placard-holding spectators.

But after his simple three-set win over Spain's Albert Portas, he was applauded politely off Louis Armstrong Stadium.

NEW YORK (AP) -- There were no foot faults, no glares at the linesmen, no questionable remarks. Two days after he shook up the U.S. Open, Lleyton Hewitt spent a serene Sunday at America's Grand Slam.

Hewitt advanced to the fourth round with a routine 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Albert Portas, then faced more questions about his behavior two days earlier in his match against wild-card entry James Blake.

``I've spoken to James,'' Hewitt said. ``James and I have both moved past it. I think it's time everyone did.''

In the midst of his grueling five-set victory over Blake on Friday, Hewitt demanded linesman Marion Johnson be moved after the Australian was called for two foot faults.

``Look at him, mate,'' Hewitt said to the chair umpire. ``Look at him and tell me what the similarity is.''

Hewitt insisted the remark was not racially motivated and, after an investigation, officials of the International Tennis Federation and U.S. Tennis Association agreed.

``It was determined that there was no violation of the Grand Slam code of conduct committed by Lleyton Hewitt,'' said Brian Earley, chief referee of the Open. ``The evidence was inconclusive as to the intent of Mr. Hewitt's remarks to the chair umpire.''

Although he was not fined or suspended, Hewitt did face other fallout. He was scheduled for the first match of the day Sunday, when the stands are half-filled, and he was not introduced before his match with Portas, as players usually are.

``Didn't even think of it,'' he said. ``Wouldn't have known. When I'm out there, I'm going through my warmup. I'm not worrying about getting introduced or not.''

Earley said he was unaware the players had not been introduced and that might have been a decision by the chair umpire. ``You have one of the best umpires in the world (Mike Morrissey of England),'' he said. ``I'll go with his decision.''

Earley also said the scheduling was coincidental, a function of fitting it around other men's matches.

``We felt the (Andy) Roddick match (against Alex Corretja) had stadium written all over it,'' he said. ``If we wanted fan control, it's easier in the stadium where we have season's ticket holder and suite holders. In Armstrong (where Hewitt played), well, if you want to talk about a tough room ... .''

There were scattered boos from the fans but Hewitt didn't seem to notice. He concentrated on Portas, a clay court specialist. ``You know,'' he said, ``nice to get through today.''

Hewitt's said his use of the word ``similarity'' referred to both faults being called by Johnson and that there had been no reference to Blake in the exchange.

That got him out of trouble with the ITF and USTA. He remained adamant, however, that his complaints about the foot-fault calls were justified.

``I have the exact same action when I prepare day-in and day-out on the practice court,'' Hewitt said. ``I've done it in so many matches. To get foot-faulted at one end twice and not up at the other end in that particular match, not to get foot-faulted out there today, as well.''

``The ITF couldn't work out anything chargeable in it,'' he said. ``You know, that's pretty much it. I apologized if it came out the wrong way. I said that right from the start.''

The outburst was the second in the last three Grand Slams for the 20-year-old Australian. At the French Open, he called chair umpire Andreas Egli ``a spastic,'' a remark for which he also apologized.

Egli was in the chair for the Blake-Hewitt match and was the official the Australian complained to about Johnson.

``You have to learn from your mistakes,'' Hewitt said. ``I've made mistakes on and off the tennis court. You know, if I'm going to be a better player on and off the court, I've got to learn from that. Hopefully that will happen in the not-too distant future.''

Hewitt was cleared of wrongdoing by Open officials yesterday for apparently racial comments about linesman and Blake, who are both black.

Lleyton Hewitt got off scot-free yesterday when an investigation by U.S. Open officials could not determine whether the hot-headed Australian's remarks to a chair umpire were racist. Open officials bought Hewitt's explanation that he was not referring to the similarities of the skin color of linesman Marion Johnson and his opponent, James Blake, during Hewitt's five-set victory over the Yonkers native Friday. Blake and Johnson, who hails from Los Angeles, are both African-American. A statement released by officials stated: "There was no violation of the Grand Slam code of conduct. Tournament referee Brian Earley said during a press conference: "There was no gesture in the direction of Mr. Black when he made the comments of similarities. He didn't use Mr. Blake's name. The chair umpire Andreas Egli] issued no code violation at the time and didn't feel there was one to be issued. He didn't feel it was a racist remark. If I was going from the report and videotape, there would be a lot of inference. I would assume I knew what Mr. Hewitt was thinking when he made the remarks." After being called for a second foot fault by Johnson, Hewitt, known for his on-court temper, approached the chair in a rage, screaming to Egli, "Change him. Change him. I have only been foot-faulted at one end. Look at him. Look at him. Look at him, mate. Look at him and you tell me what the similarity is. Just get him off the court." Earley interviewed Hewitt yesterday afternoon for 10 minutes in his office during which the 20-year-old denied he was referring to skin color. "He couldn't understand the chair umpire didn't realize it was the same umpire making the two foot-fault calls," Earley said. "Foot fault is an unusual call. Mr. Hewitt's contention was it was just one person making the call and can't the umpire understand it was the same person making the call." Earley also interviewed Blake yesterday during which the former Harvard All-American noted there was no heated exchange between the two players the entire match. The fourth-seeded Hewitt, who plays today vs. Albert Portas, said in a statement: "I have spoken with James Blake and we discussed the situation. I apologized for unintentionally causing an incident [Friday], which detracted from a hard-fought match and James' outstanding performance." Tennis legend John Newcombe, the Australian Davis Cup coach, was outraged when he heard of the remark. When approached by The Post, Newcombe would only say, "I spoke to him privately and I'm not commenting about it publicly." Kim Clijsters, Hewitt's girlfriend, said after he match: "He's not a racist at all and I'm not at all. We've got friends that are - that have - a different color as well."

No fine for Hewitt for tirade

By STEVEN WINE
AP Sports Writer
September 1, 2001

NEW YORK (AP) -- U.S. Open officials decided Saturday not to fine Lleyton Hewitt for his tirade during a five-set victory a day earlier, saying it was unclear whether his comments were racially motivated.

Because evidence was inconclusive, Hewitt didn't violate the Grand Slam code of conduct, tournament referee Brian Earley said.

Playing on Friday against James Blake, one of few blacks in the event, Hewitt complained after being called for two foot faults by a black linesman and requested that the official be moved.

Hewitt's remarks Friday were captured by television microphones. A tournament transcript quoted him as saying: ``Look at him. Look at him and you tell me what the similarity is. Just get him off the court.''

Some observers, including Blake, thought Hewitt was noting that the linesman and Blake were both black. But the umpire, Andreas Egli, inferred no racial overtones, Earley said.

Hewitt told officials what he meant by the comment was that the same linesman made both foot-fault calls.

``There was no gesture in the direction of Mr. Blake when he made the comments about `the similarities,''' Earley said. ``He did not use Mr. Blake's name. He didn't say `my opponent.' He made no reference to Mr. Blake. ...

``Whether it's misconstrued or not, I can't tell you. I only can say that I would have to draw conclusions from what I see and what I hear that he was definitely making a racist remark. And I can't do that.''

Hewitt, who won in five sets, said his remarks were ``nothing racial.'' In a statement Saturday, he said he spoke with Blake.

``I apologized for unintentionally causing an incident yesterday, which detracted from a hard-fought match and James' outstanding performance,'' Hewitt said.

Following the match, Blake sought to play down the incident, saying he preferred to give Hewitt the benefit of the doubt because his remarks were made in the heat of battle.

Two-time Open champion Andre Agassi said there was something positive to take away from the episode.

``We can focus on the negative if you want,'' Agassi said. ``But I think Mr. Blake literally set an example, and certainly taught me a lot about dignity and class and tolerance. I think it's something that everybody can learn from.''

Hewitt Weathers Blake and the Elements
by John Walters from usopen.org
Friday, August 31, 2001

It was another steamy, oppressive afternoon inside Louis Armstrong Stadium and once again the elements exacted their toll. Three days earlier on this same court, Chanda Rubin suffered heat-induced nausea – i.e., she vomited-before taking care of her first-round opponent.

Friday, in the midst of the match of his life, James Blake also fell prey to the heat. And, ultimately, it may have cost him the match against fourth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt. Blake, a native New Yorker who was raised in Yonkers until moving to Connecticut when he was 10, was up two sets to one and down a game in the fourth set when he walked over to the sideline and promptly threw up into a blue bucket.

Three separate times Blake vomited and when the chair umpire called "Time!", alerting both players that they must return to play, it was clear that the inexperienced pro, competing in his first five-set match, had yet to recover. Down 2-3 in the fourth set, Blake, the hometown favorite, would drop nine of the next 10 games in losing the match 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0.

If the heat was on Blake during the match, which was played before a sweating-room only crowd, it squarely was on Hewitt afterward. Some background: Blake, 21, is a paragon of U.S. tennis and, more germanely, of the example set forth by the spiritual bellwether of the Open, Arthur
Ashe. Blake is an African-American who began playing tennis at age 5 at the Harlem Junior Tennis Program and still returns there to give lessons.

He attended Harvard University (as did his older brother, Thomas) for two years. Although his career record is largely undistinguished, he is a top 100 player who has taken both Andre Agassi and Patrick Rafter to tiebreakers in the past month.

So, as Blake was winning both the crowd and the match, Hewitt took issue with a pair of foot-fault calls. Both of them were called by an African-American sidejudge. After the second, which occurred during the third set, Hewitt approached the chair umpire and reportedly said, "Look at him (gesturing to the sidejudge). Look at him (to Blake). What's the similarity?"

Though almost no one in the stands heard Hewitt's remark, it was picked up by television monitors and Blake heard it as well.

"Well, I did hear it on the changeover," said Blake afterward, as he prepared for a mixed
doubles match with Ashley Harkleroad as his partner. "I looked up. I then looked over to the umpire-not to the chair umpire, but to the umpire he was referring to."

What, Blake was asked, was the comment you heard him make?

"He said," responded Blake, "that there was a similarity between the line judge and myself."

Hewitt did not dispute that he uttered what he did, but refuted that his comments were racist.

"Had nothing to do racial mate," Hewitt said, or some similar comment, at least four different times. In the press conference, though, the young Aussie looked less comfortable than he had
on court all afternoon. It is difficult to construe his comments in a way that is not racial, but Blake, to his credit, gave Hewitt a let.

"I give people the benefit of the doubt," said Blake. "Maybe too much. But I definitely am going to give him the benefit of the doubt this time because it's in competition. If it's something he was taking the time to think about and said something in a press conference interview, then I maybe would have given it some credence. Is that the right word?"

Yes, Blake was told.

"Good," he replied. "Been out of school for awhile."

Hewitt booed, but wins
From our wire services
01sep01

LLEYTON Hewitt was involved in more high controversy in a dramatic
five-set defeat of gallant young American James Blake in the second
round of the US Open championships.

Fourth seed Hewitt eventually overcame the ailing Blake 6-3 3-6 2-6
6-3 6-0 to book a third round meeting with Spanish 25th seed Albert
Portas.

During the three-hour encounter Hewitt was again involved in a
heated clash with Swiss umpire Andreas Egli - the official he
infamously called a "spastic" at this year's French Open - while
demanding the removal of a linesman, whom Hewitt had also called an
unsavoury name.

Aside from the name calling, Hewitt also pointed out to Egli that the
linesman in question - who had twice called him for a foot fault - was
African American and that so was Blake, suggesting some sort of a
link.

Interviewed on court later, Blake said of Hewitt: "He said something
about 'What's the similarity about him and James?', and the linesman
was an African American. I didn't appreciate that."

The 21-year-old Blake won the crowd's sympathy after seeing his
chances cruelled when he fell ill early in the fourth set, vomiting into
a bucket at the side of the court. He was never at his peak after
that, and no match for Hewitt.

While Blake gained all the sympathy, another tempestuous display
from Hewitt led to him being roundly booed by spectators, some of
whom started a chant of "Hewitt sucks, Hewitt sucks" in response to
him winning the fourth set.

All seemed to be going according to plan for Hewitt, as the fourth
seed took out the first set against the 95th-ranked Blake, who grew
up in New York's impoverished Harlem district. At 40-15 in the fourth
game of the second, he was one point away from a psychologically
important 3-1 lead.

But that was when things started to go wrong for the 20-year-old. A
double fault, already his fifth, helped Blake pull him back to deuce,
and the American went on to break Hewitt's serve to make it 2-2.

Hewitt's serve - and his temperament - deteriorated further. When
serving at 3-4 and 15-0, he double faulted, then was called for a foot
fault, which led to another double fault, which made it 15-40.

Blake smacked a sizzling forehand pass on that first break point for
5-3, then held serve to love to level it at a set apiece. Hewitt took
his frustrations by complaining over line calls to umpire Egli.

Hewitt squandered three break points in the second game of the third
set, then when he was broken again to give Blake a 2-1 lead - after
being called for a second foot fault by the same linesman - the
fireworks really started.

Hewitt became involved in a finger pointing match with Egli,
demanding the linesman in question be changed.

Egli acquiesced by moving the linesman to the other end of the court.

Almost comically, that linesman was the target of Hewitt's ire again
over a line call in the very next game, when Blake held for 3-1, then
the Australian served poorly to be broken again and effectively
concede the set.

Still more drama was to come in the fourth set. As the high quality
tennis continued, Blake needed treatment between games at 2-3.
What at first appeared to be cramp took on another dimension when
the American vomited into a bucket at the side of the court.

By this time he had all the sympathy of the crowd inside Louis
Armstrong Stadium - but with his movement restricted, he was broken
in the next game to give Hewitt a 4-2 lead.

Hewitt staggered in his next service game, with double faults Nos.9
and 10, and was broken to love, but broke back again for 5-3, after
the clearly weakened Blake held game point three times but
squandered each one.

Hewitt's trademark cry of "C'mooon" after sealing the break was met
by loud boos from the crowd, and after he took the set with another
patchy service game, a section of fans started a chant of "Hewitt
sucks, Hewitt sucks".

Blake could barely move in the final set, as Hewitt was able to easily
complete the victory.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lleyton Hewitt, caught in a five-set battle Friday at the U.S. Open against wild-card James Blake, complained about an official during the match but denied it was racially motivated.

Hewitt, seeded No. 4 in the season's final Grand Slam, complained after being called for two foot faults by a black linesman and requested that the official be moved.

``Look at him,'' he said, gesturing at the linesman. ``And look at him,'' pointing at Blake, one of the few black players in the field.

After Hewitt, a semifinalist at the Open last year, won the match 6-4, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, he was asked about what he said.

``I don't think I said anything racial out there,'' the Australian said. ``It was a conversation between me and the umpire. I come from a multicultural country. I'm not racial in any way at all. People can have their own opinions. That was between me and the umpire. There was nothing racial said out there at all.''

``He said there was a similarity between the line judge and myself,'' Blake said. ``My reaction was to try to win the match. I didn't want anything to cloud my judgment, cloud my thought process.

``I'm generally a positive thinker, I give people the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes maybe too much. But I'm definitely going to give him the benefit of the doubt this time because it's in competition,'' he said.

``Maybe whatever he meant by it, maybe he does feel bad about it now. You know you move on from that.''

``I didn't say it in that (racial) way,'' he said. ``I went out there and got two foot faults at one end. I asked if the guy could be moved. The umpire said, `Yeah, we can move him.'

``They moved him, put him in a different position. I didn't care that the guy was staying on the court, not going off the court at all. Normally in the past I would ask for a guy to get moved totally off the court.

``I've hit thousands and thousands of serves in my career. I went the umpire with my argument. He said, `We'll change him.' ''

U.S. Open tournament referee Brian Early said the USTA and the International Tennis Federation ``will review the videotape, speak with all parties involved and issue a statement at the appropriate time.''

``You can all think what you want,'' he said. ``At the end of the day, I wasn't making a racial comment when I went out there and asked if the guy could be moved. I could have still got bad calls from the same person or other people who came on.

``If people took it the wrong way, then I apologize because it wasn't meant to be in that way.''

Blake, who learned his tennis in Harlem and attended Harvard University, had Hewitt in trouble, leading 2 sets to 1 with the crowd cheering for the underdog. But the conditions began to drain his strength and Hewitt lost just three games in the final two sets.