Attracted by the clash of opposites

By RICHARD HINDS
LONDON
Thursday 28 June 2001

Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt are, so we're told, the best of mates. They share an obsession with Davis Cup, an indifference to their on-court appearance and, possibly, a semi-final appointment at Wimbledon.
And yet, in almost every other regard, the two Australians are not merely contrasting personalities, they could be different species.
Rafter strikes you as a pretty good guy to have a beer with. Hewitt strikes you as a pretty good guy to invade Poland with.
Rafter can dissolve into a puddle of perspiration standing under a 50-watt bulb. Hewitt makes the Energiser bunny look like a quitter.
Rafter belongs at Wimbledon like Vegemite belongs on toast. Hewitt is, quite literally, allergic to grass.
If Rafter is pumping his fist, he has probably just won the US Open. If Hewitt is pumping his fist, he has probably just tied his shoelace.
It is these stark differences in style and personality, as much as shared patriotic preference, that make the still distant prospect of a semi-final showdown so appetising. Perhaps not for Rafter and Hewitt, who are no more eager to bump heads than the Williams sisters. But, for everyone else, it could represent generational change from Rafter's gracious reign as Australia's best player to a more tempestuous Hewitt era.
The possibility drew one match closer after both had impressive straight-sets first-round victories, Hewitt over Magnus Gustafsson and Rafter over Daniel Vacek.
When we say Rafter looked good, we are, of course, talking exclusively about his game. An unsightly new red and black headband provided further evidence for those who suspect Rafter has made a bet that, somehow, he can make himself unattractive - "Awww, geez girls, you couldn't possibly be turned on by a guy wearing this goofy headband, could you?"
Rafter says the headband was given to him by Australian Paul Kilderry and acknowledges its unsightliness. "He gave it to me in Halle and I decided that I'd wear it. Walked on the court, I looked like an idiot. Then I thought, 'Oh, stuff it, I'll do it'. Everyone knows I looked like an idiot. Don't care any more."
Alas, it seems this latest Rafter repellent will prove no more potent than his previous attempts to ugly-up. Not even a tuft of grey hair that looks like the work of a passing pigeon could discourage the customary squeals as Wimbledon's heart throb trampled Vacek.
Not to be outdone - by anyone, ever, if he can do anything about it - Hewitt has also shaved his head. However, with his cap still backwards and clothes a size or two too big, he remains Bart Simpson-esque.
Perversely, given he has just won successive grasscourt tournaments, it is Hewitt's credentials on the surface rather than his dress sense that is the cause of most concern. Victory over Gustafsson was hardly trial-by-Becker. Indeed, it inspired only one bounced racquet and a single shout of "C'mon!" from the human Vesuvius.
Of course, that sort of assessment is just typical of the Australian media, which are out to get Hewitt. Or so he seems to think. However, he can have no quibbles about his treatment by the local press, which has portrayed him as a boy genius who is misunderstood and misrepresented by Australian reporters.
The man most likely to poop on the Rafter-Hewitt party is second seed Andre Agassi, potential quarter-final opponent of Hewitt. Rafter has clearly been doing some early scouting. "Hair looked great, bit of growth coming back," said Rafter, when asked how he thought Agassi looked.
Agassi was more serious about Rafter. "He is not only a great athlete and a great tennis player, he is one of the greatest competitors the game has ever seen."
Not to mention one of the worst dressers. But then, when you have a draw stacked with Agassi, Rafter and Hewitt, the tennis is likely to look good enough.

Rise and rise of Hewitt fails to mask diminishing returns of Australian men

By Linda Pearce in London, smh.com.au

Has the spectacular emergence of Lleyton Hewitt camouflaged the shallow talent pool in Australian men's tennis? The imminent departures of Patrick Rafter, Jason Stoltenberg and Todd Woodbridge will soon usher forth the members of the next generation, but who will they be? How healthy is the state of the game?

"Trouble," is Woodbridge's summation. "There's only a few young guys that have the potential, and they're going to have to fill big shoes. I think they can but it would be better if there were six or seven of them.

"At the moment it's a little bit light. You look at me, who's on the other end of my career, and I'm ranked 200, and between me and 400 there's only Scott Draper, and that's not good."

Neither is the fact that only Hewitt and Rafter lasted past Wimbledon's third day. With Mark Philippoussis still recovering from knee surgery, the balance of Australia's challenge comprised qualifiers Woodbridge and Draper, first-round losers Wayne Arthurs and Andrew Ilie, and Jason Stoltenberg, whose admirable loss to eighth seed Juan Carlos Ferrero was probably his last tournament match.

Neither Woodbridge nor Stoltenberg have been world-beaters in singles but both peaked inside the top 20 and contested Wimbledon semis in the past five years. Woodbridge, after playing "like crap, to be honest" in Wednesday's second-round loss to Raemon Sluiter, is likely to concentrate on doubles, in which he has won six titles at SW19 and is teaming up with new partner Jonas Bjorkman.

Woodbridge believes only Ryan Henry, Todd Reid and Raphael Durek, the three members of last year's winning World Youth Cup team, are likely to appear in the longer-term support cast.

But trouble? Stoltenberg thinks not. He said: "I'm sure someone will come along. Lleyton's the new blood and he's the man that's going to be around for a long time, however, I expect someone to come along probably in the next five years who may be a rival to Lleyton.

"We do need some new younger players. We've got some great role models and the success of the guys today must inspire some of the young kids to play, and hopefully they will."

Stoltenberg, 31, will return to Florida to his wife Andrea, son Matthew and new baby daughter Amy, and contemplate whether to play on. If not, as seems likely, his grand slam record will stand at exactly 50-50, his number of career titles at four, and his lifetime tour match tally at 303-267.

On Wednesday, Stoltenberg did not leave teary-eyed after the gallant loss to Ferrero in 3hr 22min but had been battling his emotions about half an hour earlier. "I was struggling a little bit," he admitted. "At 5-4 in the fourth, he was going to serve for the match and I had to suck it up a little bit. I was figuring, 'I'm not ready to go out', and something happened and I just got a boost from somewhere and I was able to produce some pretty good stuff."

He was also able to walk away tired but happy, proud and relieved. Stoltenberg had never played on Wimbledon's new court No1, and so fulfilled that ambition before leaving SW19 as a competitor for the last time.

His new life is likely to include some type of tennis involvement from a planned new base in Melbourne; his old life ended - almost - as he had wanted.

"I've been looking forward to Wimbledon since January," Stoltenberg said of his favourite tournament. "It didn't let me down. I had a great time."

And the likelihood that the match was his last? "Pretty good. I'll think about it, but it's tough to beat what happened today. I came here to play the No4 in the world on Court No1 and went within an inch of winning."

Hewitt Fights Fire with Fire
Ian Valentine

In a high-velocity contest fifth seed Lleyton Hewitt, the 20-year-old Australian, delighted the Centre Court crowd this evening with a display off passion and skill against with qualifier Taylor Dent, and charged home a 1-6 7-5 6-3 6-7 winner.

It was Dent, though, that hit the court running as he set about Hewitt with some booming serves and groundstrokes, taking the first set 6-1 in just 27 minutes. Dent, a month younger than Hewitt, who won the Powder Byrne Trophy in Surbiton before qualifying for The Championships at Roehampton, had not dropped a set in his last five matches on grass. Indeed, such has been his recent dominance, no opponent has won more than four games in a set.

Hewitt was stunned. "He was on fire," he said, "I just had to weather the storm."

As the match seemed to be running away from Hewitt, it was the weather that saved his as rain stopped play. It gave the 5th seed a chance to re-group and come back firing on all cylinders.

Dent said afterwards, "The rain delay cost me the match. I relaxed and lost the urgency to win every point. He played a lot better afterwards."

Both men threw themselves about the court, with the backing of the crowd. It was Hewitt, though, who emerged as the one with all the shots as he broke through the Dent service game three times to win the next two sets.

With the match at boiling point, a controversial 'foot-fault' call against Dent at 5-5 disrupted his focus. "Its a ticky-tack rule," said a surprised Dent. "I had never heard of it."

Hewitt needed no second invitation and broke for a fourth time. But if Dent's nerves had cracked at 5-5, it was Hewitt's turn as he served for the match. Two double faults, to the anguish of himself and the many Aussies supporters, took the set into a tie-break.

Hewitt later explained that he had gambled on all-or-nothing second serves. " I live or die by my second serve. It's won me a hell of a lot of games before."

Before he could realise his error, Dent had hammered home some huge blows, including a serve of 144mph, to claim the tie-break 7-2.

"I got a bit tight," explained Hewitt, "but the way I bounced back was as well as I've done."

By now both men were as pumped up as the crowd, as the best match of The Championships so far hit fever pitch.

It was the Australian, though, who drew on his big match experience to thrive on the atmosphere. He broke Dent's first service game to take a two game lead and leapt three feet to punch the air.

"It's good to get the crowd involved. That's when I play my best tennis. I caught fire in that game."

Dent could only agree. "He must have hit two or three returns that game," he said, "He played that game too good. He's a great counter-puncher. He gets everything back."

This time Hewitt made no mistake and held serve until he clinched the final set 6-3. As the crowd rose to salute them both, Hewitt was visibly moved and fell to his knees.

Dent thinks Hewitt has a great chance to go all the way, and it would be an unwise man to bet against it.

Hewitt remained philosophical: "I've only equalled my best effort here." He did let on his ambition, though, saying, "there's still a week and a half to go."

For Dent, as for Barry Cowan yesterday, it is a question of re-grouping and bringing his ranking down to match his ability.

Dent has extra pressure, of course, being the son of the famous Australian Phil Dent. But Dent Jr is confident he can emulate Dad.

"I'm there. There's not much I can't do on a tennis court," he said. "I'll be busting my butt to be that good."

Hewitt overcomes Dent in thriller

L Hewitt (Aus) bt T Dent (US)
1-6 7-5 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3
Lleyton Hewitt was made to fight all the way in a five-set thriller before eventually defeating American Taylor Dent.

The biggest shock of the men's competition awaited the Centre Court crowd as the unfancied Dent raced into a 5-0 lead in the first set and eventually claimed the opener 6-1.

Things only got worse for Hewitt when he was broken in his first service game of the second set, but he broke back immediately before a rain delay.

Hewitt, who had never before won on Wimbledon's Centre Court, then found his form and took the second and third sets 7-5 6-3.

He had two match points when he served for the match at 6-5 in the fourth set, but Dent broke back and went on to take the set on a tie-break.

But Hewitt demonstrated his steely nerve as he broke Dent early in the decider and claimed a superb win in front of a packed Centre Court.

Hewitt Outguns Dent
Barry Newcombe

Fifth seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia recovered from a 6-1 first set reverse to overcome Taylor Dent, the 20 year old American qualifier, and reach the third round on the Centre Court at Wimbledon. Hewitt won 1-6 7-5 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3.

Hewitt was outhit by Dent's powerful serving and ground strokes in the first set but fought back strongly in a match of high ambition on both sides of the net.

Hewitt had the edge through the second and third sets and in the fourth served for the match at 6-5, missing two match points and then double faulting to set up a tie break.

Dent seized his chance in the tie break to put down serves of up to 144 mph and took the game by seven points to two to take the match to a fifth set against the Australian who won back to back grass court tournaments before Wimbledon.

In the final set Hewitt broke serve to lead 3-1 and missed two points for 5-1. Hewitt held serve for 5-2. Dent went match point down when he missed a forehand off an angled return by Hewitt but saved it with a smash. Dent held for 5-3 with another smash.

Hewitt, serving, at three hours and three minutes, went 0-15 (Dent volley), 15-15 (service winner), 30-15 (Dent backhand out), 40-15 (ace), service winner for match

Rafter, Hewitt shrug off hype
By LEO SCHLINK in Adelaide
28jun01

PAT Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt, Australia's highly touted Wimbledon contenders, yesterday moved to douse rising expectation by sounding warnings their title quests could crumble at any moment ¨C as early as tonight's second round.



Third seed Rafter predicted Czech Slava Dosedel could easily crush his push for a third major, while rampaging fifth seed Hewitt forecast a searching challenge from American Taylor Dent. 

"Slava sees the ball as well as anyone," Rafter said after dispatching Dosedel's compatriot Daniel Vacek 6-2 7-6 (9-7) 6-3. 

"He's pretty talented and I consider him to be a very dangerous sort of player. 

"Depends on what mood he's in. I've seen him put in some pretty ordinary efforts and some really great efforts. 

"He's a very dangerous guy, a guy that I've got to be very committed, very concentrated against, play some really tough tennis. 

"If I'm a bit loose, if I'm not really there, he'll have a good day, I'm pretty sure of that." 

Rafter lost to Dosedel in Adelaide two years ago, when the stakes were considerably lower. 

Hewitt was similarly defensive over clashing with Dent, the 20-year-old American son of former Australian Davis Cup star Phil Dent, after mauling Swede Magnus Gustafsson 6-1 6-2 6-4. 

"The only time I played him was in the US Open juniors in second round, beat him in straight sets, but a tight match there," Hewitt said. 

"He's a lot better player since then, that's for sure. But so am I. He's a big hitter. He's come through qualies. He's obviously seeing the ball well at the moment. His confidence is high. He's got nothing to lose. 

"I'm going to go out there and I'm not going to take the match lightly. You know, he's dangerous. I've got to step up there and be ready to go right from the first point." 

Both Rafter and Hewitt were elated at surviving what is traditionally the most daunting hurdle at the All-England Club: hungry first-round opponents, burning with ambition, on often slippery grass. 

For both men, and for different reasons, spectres from the past hovered over their return to Wimbledon. 

Wearing a navy and red headband given to him by close friend and fellow player Paul Kilderry, Rafter described his form as solid. 

It was better than that as he again moved to close the book on last year's disappointment when he led Pete Sampras by a set and 4-1 in the second-set tiebreak. 

"I had my opportunity and I slipped," he said. "Doesn't keep me up at nights. Still won't." 

Using anti-inflammatories to control tendinitis in his right elbow, Rafter served and volleyed with typical brilliance to match Hewitt's extraordinary form. 

Hewitt was similarly fatalistic over last year's first-round loss to Jan-Michael Gambill after posting his 11th successive tournament grasscourt victory. 

Asked how it felt to be on such a roll, Hewitt revealed his tournament attitude. 

"It's not really a run," he said. "This is a grand slam. It's not an ATP event. 

"It all started for me yesterday. I'm on a streak of one win. 

"I was very happy with the way I played, especially my forehand and my return of serve. I've just got a bit of work to do on my serve. 

"I give myself an outside chance. I believe I can play on grass. But there's a lot of other guys who have been to the latter stages of Wimbledon and know it a lot better than I."