Cincinnati Masters Series
Aug 13-19 2007
interviews
rd 1
rd 2
rd 3
quarterfinal
semifinal
Karl Corbett's photos
semifinal defeated by Roger Federer
6-3 6-7 7-6
Lleyton Hewitt said he would go into the US Open later this month
full of confidence after pushing world number one Roger Federer to the limit at
the Cincinnati Masters.
The Australian was beaten 6-3 6-7 7-6 in the semifinals by the Swiss top
seed but looked close to his best. "I couldn't have asked for better preparation
for the US Open than these two weeks," said Hewitt, who lost to Federer in the
quarter-finals at Montreal last week.
"It's taken the best guy in the world to knock me off.
"There were really only a couple of points in it. It could have gone
either way. If I keep giving myself opportunities against Roger or Rafa (Nadal)
or whoever at the end of tournaments, then sooner or later that's going to fall
my way.
"I played a great game to break serve early in the third set. I had my
chances, 3-2 in the third set... (and) those half chances you have got to take
against a guy like Roger."
Hewitt's run to the semifinals should lift him to around 16 in the
rankings when the new list is released on Tuesday (NZ time). A place in the top
16 would allow him to avoid the big names until at least the fourth round at the
US Open.
"As I keep saying, the guys that have beaten me in the last few months
have been the best players in the world, in the top two or three," Hewitt said.
"I'm obviously doing something right. It's just trying to get that
breakthrough against the big names."
Federer said he expects Hewitt to be among the challengers for his title
when the US Open begins on August 27.
"I think he's playing very well," he said. "It's been a good two weeks for
him. Just unfortunate that he ran into me.
"I think he can still win the big tournaments. He knows that. It's just
about being consistent all year, which is what he has been able to do."
quarterfinal
defeated Carlos Moya 6-2 6-4
Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt set up another chapter in their
high-profile rivalry when they locked in a semi-final showdown at the Cincinnati
Masters. Top seed Federer held off tenacious Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-3 3-6
6-2, going through in less than 90 minutes on an ace, the world number one
polishing his form prior to the US Open starting a week from Monday.
Quickfire Hewitt broke in the first game on his way to a 6-2 6-4 thrashing
of Carlos Moya in their quarter-final.
Federer beat Hewitt just a week ago in the Montreal quarters on the way to
a final which he lost to Serb Novak Djokovic.
The Swiss stands 12-7 in the series against Hewitt, notably winning the
last 10 meetings. Hewitt last tasted success in Davis Cup play in Melbourne
nearly four years ago. Federer was steady, breaking four times and firing nine
aces in the win over the 32nd-ranked Almagro. He produced 23 winners on the way
to victory, his 43rd of the season against six losses.
Hewitt, Australia's ex-world number one who is renewing his game under the
guidance of Federer's former coach Tony Roche, advanced to his fourth semi-final
of the season and also hammered home his potential as a contender at the
upcoming Open. The 2001 US Open winner, who lifted the Wimbledon title the next
year, reached his seventh straight quarter-final in the New York grand slam last
year and looks on track for another strong showing in 2007.
"I felt great physically, I really took it to him," said Hewitt. "I'm
happy with how I'm hitting the ball. I just tried to dictate play and I did that
really well."
Roche, in Sydney awaiting the birth of a grandchild, has been working with
his new charge over the telephone with great success. The 26-year-old Hewitt won
the Las Vegas title in early March and also reached semi-finals in Hamburg and
Austria. The win reversed the result of the Cincinnati final of five years ago,
when Moya beat Hewitt for the title.
Hewitt swept the opening set in 32 minutes with two breaks of serve
against the 30-year-old Moya, like Hewitt a one-time number one. The charged-up
Aussie began the second with a break and waited while Moya took treatment on
what appeared to be serious toe blistering as he trailed 0-3. The former Roland
Garros champion got a break back but was unable to close the gap as Hewitt moved
through in 77 minutes. "It was tough after the timeout," said Hewitt. "You think
that he'd be hobbling a bit, but then he could still find a forehand winner.
"I tried to open up his forehand a bit, when it's on it's
one of the best in the game. "I've felt good with my game since the Hamburg
Masters (last May). "The guys I've lost to have been the top ones. I feel that
I'm getting better with each match."
Rd
3 defeated Jurgen Melzer 6-3
6-3 no
photos available
LLEYTON Hewitt continued his 2007 turnaround, reaching the
quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters in sweltering conditions on Thursday.
With the US Open less than two weeks away, Hewitt reached his third
elite-level quarter-final of the season, outplaying Austria's Jurgen Melzer to
win 6-3 6-3. He next plays Spain's Carlos Moya.
With on-court temperatures touching 40C and a humidity factor of around 40
per cent, conditions produced a steambath. Hewitt said he was ready for more
success.
"I played pretty good. After going down an early break I played pretty
solid," he said.
"I served well. I put pressure on his serve and made him go for a few
bail-out shots when he didn't want to rally, which was good with the
circumstances in the weather conditions out there today.
"Physically, it's a tough match out there for everybody. You've got to
hang mentally tough out there and not let the weather and the heat effect you at
all.
"(You need to) stay sharp and take your time when you can and stay
well-hydrated. I felt pretty fresh."
Hewitt has won six of seven matches on hard court since Wimbledon as he
builds for the August 27 start of the Open, which he claimed in 2001. The
quarter-final showdown is a re-run of the 2002 final, which Moya won, but Hewitt
goes into the contest holding a 6-5 lead in the series, the pair last meeting in
2004.
"We've played some big matches in the past in big tournaments," said
Hewitt. "He's been playing some of his best tennis this year, a title and he's
made finals. It's going to be a tough challenge.
"He had some niggling injuries there for a while as well. It's hard when
you can't get on that roll. He's a classy player and he's a big-match player as
well."
Rd
2 defeated Richard Gasquet 6-1 3-2 ret no
photos available
Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt eased into the third
round of the Cincinnati Masters overnight when eighth seed Richard Gasquet
withdrew during their second round clash.
Gasquet was forced to retire midway through the second set because of
blisters on his playing hand. The Australian was leading 6-1, 3-2 when Gasquet
withdrew. Hewitt will next face Austrian Juergen Melzer.
"Two days ago I couldn't touch my racket, but yesterday it was better,"
Gasquet told reporters. "Today it was a little bit better. I tried at the warm
up and it was not so bad, but when I played in the match I couldn't play."I'm
disappointed because I can't play, but that's life and I have to recover for the
US Open."
Hewitt said he was delighted to have a quick match after playing for
almost three hours in the first round against Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland
on Tuesday (local time). "(A quick match) was good for me. I felt like I was
getting on top. I was serving pretty well today as well," he said. "I played a
lot better today. At the start he was hitting the ball like he always does. He's
very fluent from the back of the court and he's got all the shots and hits a lot
angles as well off both sides."
Rd
1 defeated Stanislas Wawrinka 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(5)
Two-time Cincinnati finalist Lleyton Hewitt made
36 unforced errors - including eight double faults - but still toughed out a
7-5, 3-6, 7-6(5) win over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka
Tuesday.
Hewitt, who last week lost to Roger Federer in Montreal, narrowly avoided
falling to a Swiss for the second consecutive week after an uncharacteristic
error-prone performance. Both players dug in at the baseline and Wawrinka
clipped a number of his 44 winners from his stylish single-handed backhand. But
Hewitt's match toughness was enough to get him over the line. The Australian
improved to 19-6 in Cincinnati, a mark that includes runner-up finishes in 2002
(l. Moya) and 2004 (l. Agassi).
In a match beset by a number of momentum swings, Wawrinka broke Hewitt in
the second game only to see the Australian win five of the next six games. But
Hewitt needed two chances to serve out the set. In the third set Hewitt raced to
a 3-0 lead but then lost the next three games before the set continued on serve
until the tie-break.
CINCINNATI, OHIO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You said that in Canada it seemed like he played the big points really
well, and it seemed like today you and him both played the big points really
well. Would you say that's true?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I certainly played some of bigger points, especially on my
serve to get out of trouble a few times. In the second-set tiebreak I played the
big points well and in the third-set tiebreak he played the big points well.
All in all he served well when he got to 30-Alls and deuces in big service
games, and that's why he's one of greatest players ever. Because he can pull the
trigger on the big points and nine times out of ten it comes off.
Q. What is your feeling like after a match like that? You obviously played
pretty well and still ended up on the losing side.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, there's a lot of things I can take out of it. A lot closer
today than I was last week. Yeah, I had chances 3-2 up a break, 15-Love. I had a
volley at the net. Hit the tape. He hit a good pass, so I would have done
exactly the same play coming in on his backhand.
I had an opportunity to put a forehand volley away but he hit it a little heavy
for me and, you know, then he hit a big forehand up the line and dictated that
game was and able to break.
Those half chances you got to take against a guy like Rog. I played a great game
to break serve early in the third set when he was serving well. You know, in the
end then I you know battled away to get into a tiebreak and just played a couple
of lose points in the tiebreak.
Q. How do you feel you handled the adversity? The foot faults in the second
set tiebreak, I think one was on his match point and one was on your set point.
You won both the those points. You were able to sort of block that out.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I handled it pretty well considering. Sort of kept
happening on all the big points. It was a bit frustrating, but, you know, it
happened last week a couple times and I handled it as well as I could have.
Q. Did you think they're misreading?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, most of the time. There may be one time in actually, I
don't know, that I actually touch the line. But I know for a matter of fact,
I've watched it so many times in the past it's just my action where it looks
like my foot twists over the line but my shoe is actually not touching the line.
Spoke to the referee again, but there's not a lot I can do with about it when
I'm out there.
Q. What was missing today? Was it more mentally competence or was it tactics?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Couple of points, that's it. It was only a couple of points in
the match. Could have gone either way. As I said, I was up 3-2 a break, and if I
converted there I'm up 4-2 and I could have a go at all his service games. There
really wasn't that much in it.
Q. 18 aces.
LLEYTON HEWITT: That's how well he serves on big points.
Q. From an outsiders' point of view, looks like you were playing the best
you've played in along time, and the most consistent.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm playing pretty good at the moment. I like playing on
the American hard courts. Suits my game. Sort of battled through my first round
here. Didn't play the best tennis, but I got through that match and then I got
better from better with every match from then on.
If I keep giving myself opportunities against Roger or Rafa or whoever at the
end of tournaments, then sooner or later that's going to fall my way. The last
tow weeks have been good. It's been real good preparation for me for the US
Open. Couldn't have asked for two better weeks, and it's taken the best guy in
the world to knock me off.
Q. 11-0 against Federer. Does that make you even more eager to beat him?
LLEYTON HEWITT: You got to count the first seven that I won, so it's not that
bad.
Q. In your estimation, or mentally for you, how much of a difference is there
in coming this close to beating him and actually beating him, you know, going
forward confidence-wise?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's another step in the right direction. Whether or not
next time I beat him or not we've got wait and see. I'm going take -- I took a
lot of positives even out of a two-set loss last week to him. Felt like the ball
striking was good.
There were certain areas of my game that I could still work on. I got a good
look at his game, and that helped me for this match today. Got off to a bit of a
slow start in the first set. You got to try and hang with him early, because
he's one of the best front runners in the world.
So that made at that hard for me. I had to dig real deep to get out of second
set.
Q. Looked like you've added a couple shots to your game recently. You chip up
the line more than I've seen before.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a couple of times. I guess when you're confident and
playing well you start going for more shots and shots that you do on the
practice court more than the match court.
Yeah, and I felt like I was hitting and seeing the ball well enough out there.
But against a guy like Rog it's not that easy to do the shots you do in practice
because he doesn't allow you to do it too often.
Q. When was the last time you felt this good going into a Grand Slam?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, in Hamburg and Austria I felt pretty good going into the
French Open ball striking-wise. This has really just been a continue on from
that. Going into Wimbledon I was hitting the ball well in practice.
Yeah, the guys, as I keep saying, the guys that have beaten me in the last few
months have been the best players in the world, in the top two or three. I'm
obviously doing something right against a lot ranked players. It's just trying
to get that breakthrough against the big names.
Q. Can you contrast what's it's like when you and Roger play like five years
ago or even in the juniors?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's obviously got a lot more weapons than he had back
then. He doesn't make the easy mistakes that he used to make. He was a little
bit more erratic when he first came on the tour. That's the biggest difference.
He's so confident out there as well. That's helps an awful lot when you win
whatever, 11, 12 Grand Slams that he's won. It's sort of second nature when he
steps out on the court.
Q. What is your schedule next week?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Just practice and try and keep the rhythm going basically. Have
some good hits with some good tough players and try and rest up. Hopefully it
always goes all right.
End of FastScripts
CINCINNATI, OHIO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You seemed like you had a lot of energy, especially that first set. Did
you feel pretty fresh out there?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I felt good. Especially after of the condition yesterday.
It was very zapping for everyone I think. It was a battle to get through
yesterday and my body felt good out there today. Yeah, I just tried to dictate
play as much early on, and I really did that really well.
Q. As well as you've been playing in the tournament, how important is it not
just to get this win today but to keep going in this tournament?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's good. All these big tournaments, it's hard enough
winning the first match let alone getting to the semis and finals. To back up
last week. Lost to Federer in the quarters.
Felt like I hit the ball pretty well that week, and it's good it back up it this
week into the semis and get another shot.
Q. Carlos said you're a top 10 player, or on your way to being a top 10
player. Do you permit yourself to think of yourself in that sort of category
again?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think at my best I'm easily in the top 10. There's a lot guys
I felt comfortable about beating when I'm playing at my best. The last couple of
years I've had niggling injuries, so, yeah, that's been the hardest thing:
Getting on court and getting match time.
Q. Do you think people forget about you at big tournaments like this because
you're not physically in the top 10?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I don't think the players do.
Q. But I guess that's all that matters to you.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I've just got to -- doesn't worry me. Like Gasquet second
round I had here. Pretty tough draw on paper. I feel quite confident now and the
draw has opened up nicely and I find myself in the last four now.
Q. But when you're not seeded that makes it tougher, too, doesn't it?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Sometimes. I've been seeded between 13 and 16 at the majors. The
last couple majors I ran into Nadal and Djokovic in the Round of 16. So
sometimes if you're not seeded you can knock out a lower seed early on and get a
better draw. At the end of the day you got beat who's put in front of you.
Q. I guess you have a little bit of a unique perspective in that you're not
currently a top 10 player, but it seems like you play with a confidence of a guy
who's in the top 10.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I feel like I'm capable of beating nearly anyone on a given day.
I've done it before in big tournaments and being there. A lot these guys that
are even sitting in the Top 15, you know, haven't played big tournaments and
Grand Slam semis and finals before.
Q. Because you were No. 1 for so long, does that allow you to have that
swagger even if you're No. 20 in the world right now? Hey, I was once No. 1, I
can still beat these guys.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I know myself what I'm capable of doing. Yeah, as
I said, I feel like on any given day I'm capable of beating any of these guys.
It makes at it a lot easier the last few months the body's been feeling good.
So that makes it easier to go out there and be confident and try and play the
way that you want to play.
Q. Why is the body feeling good the last few months?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I had a couple injuries in Indian Wells/Miami. I couldn't really
play and had to pull out of Miami. Spent a couple months, about a month and a
half getting the body right.
I was trying to do a lot of strength work and working on areas where it's been
playing up a little bit in the past. Since Rome and Hamburg it's been good.
Q. It was a back problem?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It was back, yeah, hips. Different areas I was having a few
issues with.
Q. If on any given day you can beat anyone, and certainly you've proven that
here in the past, where does Federer come into this conversation?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, yeah, he's the best player going around at the moment, and
he's had the wood on me last nine, ten times that we've played. So for three or
four years now.
So, yeah, that's the benchmark, though. That's what you're competing against and
trying to put your best foot forward and give yourself a chance to play against
the best guys such as Rog late in the tournament. Hopefully I get another shot
in tomorrow.
Q. Is there any way to figure out a way to get an advantage against him?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, no one has really been able to figure it out so far. Yeah,
he's pretty good. He's obviously a great all-court player. He's got all the
shots and he's got a great head on his shoulders as well. He's one of the best
players we've seen in the modern era.
He doesn't have too much off days either where he gives you opportunities, so if
you do get those opportunities you really have to take them against him.
Q. What was the match like in Canada?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think it was good. Both of us were striking the ball pretty
well. It was probably only his serving that got him out of trouble on big points
when I had breakpoints late in the first set. I probably didn't serve as well as
I could have, and that was probably the biggest difference.
Q. Next year the schedule around this time is pretty brutal with the Olympics
and not much time off between Wimbledon and the Masters Series events. Do you
have to plan in advance how you're going to work that schedule, assuming you're
going to the Olympics?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I will have to plan. I haven't looked at it as of yet,
though. Sure, I'll have to plan. Obviously Wimbledon is a major, and hopefully
I'll be competing the last few days of Wimbledon.
It's going to be tough. Four years ago I didn't play -- three years ago I didn't
play the Olympics in Athens to concentrate on the US Open and it paid dividends
that year.
But, yeah, at this stage I think I'm planning on playing the Olympics, so we'll
see what happens.
Q. If it comes down having to chose between Cincinnati and Toronto is there
any discernible difference as to why somebody would choose one over the other?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think so. Biggest thing for me is I've always played a
lot better in Cincinnati than I have in Canada. So it'll be an easier choice for
me. But, yeah, I don't think players, if they did have to chose, if they felt
that was the best thing for their body or the US Open or the Olympics, or
whatever, yeah, it's a toss of the coin. Everyone probably has their
preferences.
End of FastScripts
CINCINNATI, OHIO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Looked like you were playing pretty well today and moving him around. How
did you feel out there today?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not too bad. I think physically it's a tough match out there for
everybody. You just got to hang mentally tough out there and not let the weather
and the heat effect you at all.
Still stay sharp and take your time when you can and stay well hydrated I guess
as well. I felt pretty fresh.
Q. How can the weather affect you in heat like this?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It makes you go for wrong shot selections more times I think
because you're trying to finish the point off, you know, because it is so hard
to keep playing long rallies in these kind of situations. You really have to
pick and choose the right ones to go for then.
Q. You'll be glad to know that Carlos Moya had a tough three-setter today.
You play him tomorrow. Can you just talk about playing him again?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. We have played some big matches in the past in big
tournaments. He's been playing some of his best tennis this year. He's had a
very solid year: One title and he's made finals. Yeah, it's going to be a tough
challenge.
The guys he's beaten so far this week are pretty good players, so it's going to
be a tough match.
Q. What do you make of his career? He had a couple down years in '05 and '06,
but certainly looks as good as he has in a while.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he has been. He did have some injuries there for a while
as well. Niggling injuries. I know how that's been the last couple of years.
It's hard when you can't get on that roll. You're used to playing so many
matches and come out and play a couple tournaments here and there and have some
small injuries, it's not easy. He's a classy player and he's a big match player
as well.
Q. It's been a while, but what do you remember from the final here in 2002?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not a lot. I made a final after that here as well. It was a
pretty tight match, though. Break in one set and then a tiebreak I think to
finish. So it was a little bit unlucky not to win it, but I think sometimes they
go your way and sometimes they don't.
Q. How have things changed for you tennis-wise since you got married and had
a daughter from when you were single maybe and at the top of your game?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Tennis-wise it hasn't changed much at all. I still get on the
practice court and do all the things that need to do prepare as well as
possible.
Travel-wise and, you know, stuff like that maybe changed a little bit more. But
in terms of hitting the ball and going to the gym and doing all the preparation
I need to do it's all the same.
Q. Do you look at things differently now that you have a daughter?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not so much tennis-wise, I don't think.
Q. How about off the court?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably of the court, yeah, a lot of things change. She's
obviously, with my wife, they're my priorities. They always come first. When
you're single and by yourself, you know, a teenager, there are a lot of other
things you worry about.
Q. Is your game as good now as it was a few years ago, or are you still going
up or have you leveled off?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Some days it's pretty good. Every day is different. But, yeah, I
feel like since Hamburg I've been hitting the ball pretty well. Guys I've lost
to have been in the top couple of players in the world, so they've probably been
the three stand-out players.
So in terms of that I feel like I'm taking care of what need to do. Just need to
get back on that roll and play a lot matches and getting back to the business
end of the big tournaments again.
Q. How have you felt so far in this tournament? Do you feel like you were
playing the tennis that you wanted to today or were you just doing whatever you
had to do to get through the heat and win the match?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I played pretty good. After going down an early break I played
pretty solid for the rest of the match. I served well. I put pressure on his
serve. You know, made him go for a few bail out shots when he didn't want to
rally, which was good with the circumstances in the weather conditions out there
today.
End of FastScripts
CINCINNATI, OHIO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Obviously he was struggling a bit toward the end, but you seemed to be
playing better today.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I played a lot better. Came out the blocks well. At the
start he was hitting the ball like he always does. He's very fluent from the
back of the court and he's got all the shots and hits a lot angles as well off
both sides.
I got out of the second game of the match and then the next game I played a
really good game. I put pressure on him and hit a good return to break serve.
And just try and consolidate. I was down Love-30 and got out of that game and
that was big, and that opened the doors a little bit.
Q. You had such a long day yesterday. You've obviously recovered from the
long match yesterday.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Pretty well. As well as I can.
Q. Were you sore this morning?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I was a little bit tired. But warming up, that was probably a
little bit harder today than yesterday. But once the adrenaline gets going,
yeah, I feel like I've done all the hard work. I know that once I get on court
I'm going to run around like a greyhound and get a lot of balls back.
Q. You probably didn't want to win this way, but was it also nice to get a
break given the you played almost three hours yesterday?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was good for me. I felt like I was getting on top. I
was serving pretty well today as well. Even throughout the second set there my
service games were pretty comfortable.
Obviously I was getting in his game in that last game before he stopped. For me
hopefully it was only going to be a couple more games before I got off anyway.
Q. You looked to be coming into the net a lot today. Was that part of the
strategy against him, or something you're trying to do more?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I just felt like after yesterday I probably had a lot of missed
opportunities where I could've come in and put pressure on him, and I tried to
work on that today. Just adding another dimension to my game.
It's not easy though. Both guys that I've played the last few days their
strength is probably their backhand, and they both have great backhand passes. I
came in on one ball early today in the match against Gasquet and he hit a great
backhand pass on me.
So you really do have to pick and choose the right ones. Then again, you don't
want to get too down on yourself if you do it and they come up with a shot like
that. You need to keep telling yourself if they're good enough to do that
they're too good.
Q. Do you have any thoughts on the ongoing investigation involving Davydenko
and that match where a lot of money was placed against him Poland? I was
wondering what was your thoughts on gambling and tennis in general.
LLEYTON HEWITT: We went through it all last week, but until the investigation is
done it's out of players' hands and I don't have anything to do with it
basically. It's obviously awkward for Nikolay at the moment with that sort of
sitting over his head and trying to play and compete and beat tournaments as
well.
Obviously something strange has happened, and I thought the ATP were pretty
quick to get onto it and sort of done everything in their power so far to try
and find out and get to the bottom of it.
Q. Were you surprised that happened?
LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, I guess a lot of people out there gamble on a lot of
things. On everything basically. That's why you know, there's so many gambling
agencies out there that you can do it through.
In terms of tennis, I think all the players have been warned and told enough
times to know that they shouldn't be doing anything if they are. If he's found
guilty then there's going to be a bit of trouble for him.
Q. Some of French guys last week were saying that they had calls -- some of
the doubles players -- that they had calls from people offering them money to
throw matches. Have you heard of anything like that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No. I haven't heard of anything.
Q. That's amazing. In their hotels.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. If that happens it's amazing.
Q. It's never happened to you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No. I've never heard of it. I guess in tennis maybe it's easier
in a little way because it's a two-horse race. But, yeah, I'd like to think that
every player out there is playing for the right reasons.
Q. Is part of the reason you're coming forward more from working with Tony?
Is he suggesting that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. That's one of the things he wants me to try and do a
little bit more. But, yeah, still something that's going take time. Doesn't
happen overnight. It's obviously something, that and my serve, are two of the
main points.
Q. So many players seem to hit better passing shots on the run than they do
straight out.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Sometimes. The last couple days the I was surprised with a
couple of the shots Wawrinka hit on the full run yesterday, especially off his
backhand. He was extremely strong on the stretch. Gasquet is known for that.
That's one of his strengths.
For me it's more of a mix up, a change up a little bit. And as I said, just to
have it my back pocket if I need it use it.
Q. What about your prospective opponents? You've played Melzer.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I played Ancic I think once two years ago here in the
third round. He's coming back obviously from a long lay off and he's a quality
player. Yeah, if he's feeling strong and feeling good then he's always going to
be tough to beat. The way that he plays it's aggressive from the back of the
court and got a big serve.
Melzer is a dangerous opponent. You're never really sure what he's going to
throw at you. He's got an all-court game as well. He's capable of coming in and
does volley very well.
Q. What role does your family play in your tennis at this point in your
career?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Big role. You know, obviously for me having my wife and child
travel with me means a lot. It's a lot easier for me to just worry about going
out and playing tennis and not missing them so much. That's the biggest thing
for me. I feel comfortable with it.
End of FastScripts
CINCINNATI, OHIO
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Pretty easy, huh?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was a tough one. Another long match in the heat. But
that's what you need heading into a Grand Slam. You know, three-set matches
where you finish in the tiebreak is never easy.
It's a little bit of a toss of the coin in the end. You got to be able to play
some big points well in the tiebreak, and I felt like I was able to do that
today.
Q. The double faults I'm sure you wish you could take some of those back.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, just didn't quite hit the spots on a couple of them. I hit
a bad double fault when I was up 3-1 in the tiebreak. Apart from that I played
pretty good tiebreak breaker.
That was my only real unforced error in the breaker. I would have liked to have
had that back at the time, but I focused and got on with it and got out of it.
Q. Where are you with your game now? Are you satisfied? How satisfied are you
with where you are right now?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I have some good days where I feel like I'm hitting the ball
well. I guess Federer last week I felt like the ball striking in that match was
pretty good by both of us. There was only a few points here and there.
I had a lot of breakpoint opportunities and he came out and served extremely
well. If I could have taken a few of those chances it could be been different.
Yeah, since Hamburg I've been playing pretty well, making the semis there. The
guys that I lost to in other tournaments since then have had to play extremely
well to beat me.
Q. Were you just relieved when you hit that volley winner and the match was
over?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Absolutely. 6-5 in the tiebreak, I think so.
Q. What were you thinking as you saw that opportunity for that winner on
match point?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Don't miss it. I played a good point. I structured the point
well. I had him moving, but he's a dangerous guy. I came in a couple times on
his backhand pass earlier in the match and he had a couple of big winners up the
line when I came in on pretty good approaches, so I was a little bit weary of
that.
I just hit enough on the backhand cross-court approach shot that he couldn't
quite get a good hit on it. So you just have to basically get it back in court
and I took the initiative and put the volley away.
Q. Did you notice your shirt was similar to the linesmen's?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. It was last year as well.
Q. When you hit the ball out of the stadium, understandably excited, how
excited were you? This is an early round match when you look back on things.
LLEYTON HEWITT: It was probably a bit more relief to get out of it and get to
the next round. Obviously had to save a lot breakpoints at the end of third set
there and came up with some big serves and got out of a few tough situations. I
was relieved it get out of it against a dangerous opponent.
Q. How much does is that help you for the later rounds, surviving a third-set
tiebreaker?
LLEYTON HEWITT: As long as it doesn't hurt you physically. I have to play
another guy tomorrow, Gasquet, who gets a bye. That can either help or hinder
you. So it really depends on how I guess my body pulls up.
I feel physically fine at the moment and hopefully it won't be a problem. I got
a match under my belt, so hopefully it'll help me.
End of FastScripts
