July 26, 2002

ATP Media Teleconference

LLEYTON HEWITT

GREG SHARKO: Good afternoon to everyone and thank you for joining us for today's conference call with Lleyton Hewitt. Next week Lleyton returns to action in the Tennis Masters Toronto where he'll take his 14-match winning streak into the tournament. This will be Lleyton's first appearance since capturing his second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon on July 7th. Following Toronto, Lleyton will play the Western and Southern Financial Group Masters in Cincinnati, followed by the RCA Championships in Indianapolis. For the season, Lleyton Hewitt has a 39-7 match record with four titles, the Siebel Open in San Jose, Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, Queen's Club in London and, of course, the Wimbledon championships, becoming the first Aussie to win there since Pat Cash in 1987. So thank you again for joining in on the call and at this time I will open it up for questions.

Q. I wondered if you could tell us how you're feeling since you withdrew from Los Angeles because of a viral problem. Can you tell us how you feel?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I feel a little bit better now. Yeah, I didn't pick up a racquet until a couple of days ago. You know, sort of got it pretty much straight after Wimbledon. Pretty much a letdown feeling. I probably waited a week or so to see a doctor, and then, you know, I'd been speaking to doctors back in Australia. Then when I was in Belgium, I went and saw the doctor and they prescribed some antibiotics for me that I had to take at the time. I couldn't do any exercise at all. So it was obviously disappointing. You know, I feel like I'm better now. I feel fresh at the moment. Hopefully come Monday or Tuesday when I have to play, I'll be a hundred percent and, you know, be able to put everything on the line again.

Q. Did you lose any weight? What kind of effect has it left you with?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't think so. You know, I wasn't able to eat an awful lot. Ate pretty much fruit, sort of milk and water was basically my diet for a few days there. I couldn't have any sort of heavy foods or anything, and that was tough. But, you know, now I'm sort of back on track again. You know, I feel like, you know, I'm fighting fit at the moment and hopefully I'm able to continue that, you know, through this whole American summer now.

Q. Do you feel having missed LA, that will put your training back? Obviously, you would have loved to play LA to get that match toughness on the hard courts again. What will it be like playing your first hard court tournament after Wimbledon?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's always going to be tough. Last couple of years I don't think I've peaked really until the US Open. You know, the Canadian and Cincinnati and Indianapolis, I haven't played my best tennis I haven't felt the last couple of years, and it's taken me a little while to adjust from the grass to the hard court season. You know, come US Open the last couple years, I've peaked pretty much. I couldn't play much better, you know, making a semi and then going on and winning it last year. You know, sure, that was my plan, to play LA and get more matches. You know, I've got to reschedule now. Now I want to get as many matches as I can before the US Open. It's a good place to start. It's going to be still three extremely tough tournaments. I'll need to go out there and, you know, get all the matches and the match toughness before going into The Open again.

Q. Why has Canada not been a good place for you to put up some victories?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. You know, I like playing there. But, you know, the court surface, I felt last year, was just lightning quick in Montreal, the court surface. It was hard coming off the grass and, you know, trying to get some rhythm back on hard court with the courts being so quick. I didn't find two years ago when I played in Toronto that being the case. You know, I'm looking forward to getting back there. You know, it should suit my game. It's really hard to say. You know, as I said before, it's taken me a little bit of time to, you know, get my footwork, get everything clicking again on the hard courts. You know, I've started in Toronto the last couple years, and maybe that's the reason why. You know, I can't do much about it this year. I was hoping to play LA and get some matches coming into two Masters Series events. Too late now. It's a minor setback. But I still feel like I'm fresh enough to do well.

Q. How long were you off the court with your virus? Was it the week after Wimbledon you stopped practicing pretty much?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't practiced -- I didn't practice until about, you know, two days ago. Didn't pick up a racquet. What's that, two, two and a half weeks I guess after Wimbledon. Two and a half weeks, about that.

Q. A general question about men's tennis. I know Venus was quoted a few weeks ago saying she doesn't think it's very exciting. What do you think about it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think it's pretty good. Obviously, I'm sitting on the top of it at the moment. But there's a lot of young guys coming up. It's sort of that transition period, I guess, where, you know, people are going to have to start getting used to a lot of younger names that maybe people haven't heard of yet coming up and winning big tournaments. You know, it's not just this year that it's happened. You see Kuerten coming out and winning three French Opens the last three or four years, you've got Costa winning, that's a new name, on the clay you've got Ferrero pushing every time, Safin and myself winning Slams on hard courts and now myself on grass at Wimbledon, Roger Federer winning big tournaments on clay. There's a lot of young guys coming up. Roddick is another one, you know, an American. Sort of the ATP has been trying to get this whole next generation, changing the guard sort of thing going, I think at least a year and a half or so now. You know, it's slowly starting to happen. I think the public and the media have got to come to expect that. Obviously Sampras and Agassi, who you've seen so much at the top of the game for so many years now, you know, age is a factor. There's nothing much you can do about that. I still think they've got good matches left in them, no doubt about that, a lot of good tournaments left in them. But whether they're going to be around in five years' time, that's another question.

Q. Following up on that last question, the state of men's tennis, the parity, depth and balance, what do you think has gone into this? You're No. 1. Is it as hard to dominate now as ever? Anyone can kind of beat anyone?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, for sure. You know, you've got to be on your game. I think we all have seen that probably more so in the Australian Open earlier in the year and also, you know, at Wimbledon this year where anyone can beat anyone on any given day on any surface these days. You know, it's seven tough matches. You know, we don't get the 40-minute matches going through to the quarterfinal. It's as simple as that. Going into -- at the French Open, I was playing matches, you know, four hours long against qualifiers in the second and third round. You know, the type of depth that's in men's tennis at the moment. You know, that's why there's a lot of new names that I think the public, you know, haven't really seen a lot of coming out and, you know, making Round of 16s and quarterfinals in big tournaments these days.

Q. I think around the world after the last 12 months you've gotten a lot of respect for everything that you've done, appreciation, all that. How are things back home? I know the media in Australia are still somewhat slow to warm to you. You're always probably going to be compared to Patrick Rafter. How has the reception been back home lately?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, you know, I haven't been back since February basically, since the start of the year. So, you know, I'm not sure at the moment. But, you know, every time I go back home, it's an incredible reception. You know, the public is all over me back home. You know, it's a great feeling to have. Whenever I have to play a Davis Cup tie there or the whole Australian summer during January, it's an incredible feeling. It's my favorite time of the year, to go back and play in front of, you know, friends and family back there and get the reception that I've got, you know, every time I step on the tennis court. You know, even with some of the awards that I won, how well I did last year, you know, that means a lot, you know, to win a lot of people's choice awards and stuff like this. That really means a lot to me because that's coming, you know, not from any judges, you know, that's coming from the public. I think that means more than anything.

Q. Now that you are No. 1, is there any more pressure or expectation that you are sort of the main ambassador for tennis in dealings with the public, media, things like that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, I don't know. I'm sure there's a lot more things that I have to do. That comes with the territory. There's not a lot you can do about it. You've got to, you know, deal with it as well as possible. But, you know, also I don't want to lose the reason why I, you know, got to No. 1. I've won two Slams already at the age of 21. That's because I go out there and I don't want to lose sight of working hard, giving a hundred percent, not only in all my matches but on the practice court, as well. That's one of the main reasons why I think I've been able to get here and have so many big wins at such a young age.

Q. You have the No. 1 ranking, you won two of the last four Slams. Do you think you're definitely the No. 1 player in the world right now? You talked about how wide open it is. Do you think you are No. 1?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think at the moment, you know, I'm 2000 points ahead on the entry system. That's the rankings that I go by. At the moment, you know, it's hard to argue I think. I've come out, had an incredible run basically since the US Open last year, then came home, obviously got the chicken pox at the start of the year, which was tough, especially in the Australian Open, one of the tournaments I'd love to do well in. Then I came over and felt like, you know, I played some of my best tennis. You know, I won most of my matches here in San Jose, Indian Wells, Miami, first two tournaments making the semis. Clay court season I played pretty well, not bad. Then since then I've won 14 matches on grass. It's sort of hard to argue with my performance basically since the US Open last year.

Q. When you look at these tournaments like Toronto and Cincinnati, Indianapolis, are you more focused on results or are you trying to prepare for the US Open? What's your focus going into those?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's no doubt that it's mainly the US Open. You know, when you win a Grand Slam, your priorities change. You know, you win a Slam and you get to No. 1, the thing that drives you more and more is more Grand Slams. So when I set my schedule at the start of the year, I write in there with black pen the Davis Cup ties and the four Grand Slams, and I work backwards from all the Slams to what the best preparation is going to be for me. You know, I go out there, though, every time I step on the court and give everything I've got. But at the end of the day, I'm not going to get discouraged by if I do have an early loss, you know, in one or a couple of these next tournaments, as long as I'm peaking in four weeks' time basically.

Q. You seem to be pretty pleased with how you're perceived, your accomplishments. I'm wondering if you feel that you've gained the notoriety you should have for winning Wimbledon and being No. 1, especially because tennis doesn't seem to be as big a sport as it was maybe 15 years ago?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, I don't know. I haven't even -- you know, everywhere I've gone, it's been fine. I really haven't, you know, looked at too many things around the world since Wimbledon. I sort of stuck to myself. I've enjoyed it with family and friends. You know, from what I've heard, I can't argue with the sort of support and the congratulations that I've got from around the world. You know, to me it's been great.

Q. Do you think tennis should do anything to become more popular or are there just so many sports going on at the same time now that everyone seeks its level and that's it? Can tennis become more popular than it is?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm sure it can. You know, I don't have reasons off the top of my head how they can really do it. You know, I'm sure you can get more and more popular, try and get more people to come to matches and make it more public friendly, I guess. But, you know, I think, you know, there's been a few changes over the last few years that have tried to help in that way. I think, you know, the more we try and get the names of the younger guys who are going to be, you know, holding the stature of tennis up, you know, the next five to 10 years, the more you can get those names out in the spotlight and out in the public, you know, names that you haven't heard of, Robredo, Federer, Ferrero, these kind of names out there, the better off I think the game is going to be.

Q. Have you reached No. 1 and won the Grand Slam events that you've won quicker than you expected? When you're 15, 16 years old, everyone has a dream, but sometimes that's just a dream.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No doubt. You know, when I was 15, I was still playing junior tournaments in Australia, satellites. If you told me that five, six years ago that I was going to be in this situation now, you know, No. 1 in the world, won two Grand Slams, US Open and Wimbledon, then going to try and finish the year No. 1 for two years in a row, I would have told you you're joking. I've come on I think a lot quicker than a lot of people probably expected. You know, a lot's got to do with the hard work and I think self-belief, as well. I've taken it a step at a time and I think I've done everything, even winning my first ATP title at Adelaide, I've done everything a little bit quicker than a lot of people have expected. So it's a little bit surprising to me. But also I don't get wrapped up in winning my first title at 16 and then sort of be done with it. I've always wanted to keep improving and try and take that next step and try and, you know, find bigger goals to go for.

Q. Was there one tournament or one match that you played that you realized you could accomplish this, not just hope you would accomplish this?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know if there's one match. Not till you're actually playing that one match for it, you know, the US Open final against Sampras last year, until you're actually in that position where you're one match away, a few sets away from winning a Grand Slam, I don't think deep down you can actually realize that, "I'm going to be a Grand Slam champion." Until I actually got that match against Rafter, I had to play in Sydney playing for the -- to finish No. 1 last year, I'd never even really thought about getting to No. 1. Even after I won the Grand Slam, I was happy with the Grand Slam, and I didn't even go around chasing points at the end of the year too much to try and finish the year No. 1. I just went out there in every match and, you know, gave a hundred percent. If it fell my way, it fell my way.

Q. You talked about how winning a Grand Slam changes your life. Has life changed for you after the Wimbledon win? Getting offers, people wanting more of you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. I tried after Wimbledon just, you know, putting the racquets away, basically putting the phone away as well for a few weeks, chilling out with my friends and family basically, not doing a hell of a lot. You know, I just wanted to put my feet up and sort of recognize the achievements that I've had, not only over Wimbledon but also over the last, you know, year or so because I really had very little time to reflect on all those big matches that I played. Since then, I'm not sure. Obviously, you get a lot more demands to do interviews and media stuff, to be places. You know, that comes with winning another Grand Slam, winning such a big Grand Slam, as well. You know, in Australia, Wimbledon I think is perceived as the biggest one in the world.

Q. Is focus going to be a bit of a problem?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, I don't think so. I'm a very driven person, I guess. I'm very competitive. I don't enjoy losing. So I'm going to go out there still and be as hungry as ever when I get out on the court. You know, I'm still going to take that same motivation into every match that I step on the court.

Q. Your win at Wimbledon proved that quickness still reigns despite the power in the game. Talk about your quickness and what do you do to work on it? Do you think this is a model for other people who don't have the big power? Can you rely on quickness?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, you know, I think for sure. Look at me and take me as a role model just as I've looked at Andre Agassi and Michael Chang over the years, as well. You know, it's great to sort of counter-punch those big servers now and then. There's obviously a lot more of the bigger guys, Safin, Philippoussis, Sampras guys around. I've took advantage from looking at a guy like Agassi do well, you know, 10 years ago at Wimbledon, winning from the back of the court there. I decided not to change my game. Really, I go out there and I play my game, I return extremely well on grass, it puts a lot of pressure on the other guy's serve. I've been able to work on my serve a little bit, get a few more cheaper points, it helps on grass. You know, working on my speed, I really haven't done a hell of a lot to work on it. I've always been pretty quick. I do some wind sprints, stuff in the gym now and then. But, you know, you don't get that much time off to try and do it consistently week-in and week-out.

Q. Last time I saw you you had the hat backwards as a superstition. You've taken it off. Can you tell me the reason why? Will we continue to see you have this at the tournaments?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Have to wait and see how hot it is. I might have to wear it forwards. I've never really been superstitious. I just preferred to wear it backwards at the time. I took it off, I was getting a bit sick of wearing a hat. I don't know even why I did it. I cut my hair a bit shorter as well, which helped.

Q. It seems like everyone makes a comparison when they try to describe you and your game, groundstrokes like Borg, intensity of Connors, style of Chang. Do you hear a lot of that? Do you mind that? Do you have someone in particular you modeled your game after?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, I hear it, but it doesn't really worry me either way. You know, if I win as many Slams as Borg, I'll be extremely happy. You know, I never really modeled my game after everyone. I enjoyed Mats Wilander, though. I play a little bit similar game to Mats on the court. You know, mainly from the back of the court, not the strongest guy, very quick, very consistent, good returns, good passing shots. He's probably one player that I probably liked watching as much as anyone, I think.

Q. If you modeled your game after him, he was still more the calm and cool guy, you kind of thrive on your emotions. Is that the key difference to Wilander?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, I just -- I play with a lot of emotion. You know, that's when I play my best tennis. I get fired up when I feel like I have to get fired up, and after a big point. If you watched, even Tim Henman was getting pretty fired up at Wimbledon this year. I think a lot more people are getting fired up on the court these days.

GREG SHARKO: Thanks, everyone, for joining us. Lleyton, thank you for your time. Have a good trip over to Toronto. Good luck this summer.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Thanks, mate.

End of FastScripts….

Interview With Lleyton Hewitt February 2002
After battling chicken box, last year's World No. 1 player returns to action at the Siebel Open San Jose, beginning February 25.


Last season at 20 years, 10 months, Lleyton finished as the youngest player to finish No. 1 in the ATP rankings. This will be Lleyton's first tournament in the US since winning his first Grand Slam title at the US Open last September. This will also be his first tournament in more than five weeks since the Australian Open on January 15th.

Q. How are you feeling? Are you over the effects of the chickenpox?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Pretty much. Sort of a slow, gradual process really that you had to go through. Just unlucky that it happened at that time. It was unfortunate, but also I probably needed the break. Hopefully I'll come back bigger and stronger because of it. It was obviously a little bit of a setback playing in such a big tournament as the Australian Open with it. Afterwards, at least I've been able to stay home for a couple weeks. Due to the Davis Cup commitments, doing so well over the last three or four years, I really haven't had that time to have the break in the past.

Q: Are you definite for San Jose?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, pretty much. You know, I'm feeling good. I sort of have just been training the last week or so at the moment, back on the court. I've been in the gym a little bit longer than that. I feel like I'm getting better and better each day. It's going to be a tough week, though, in San Jose for me, coming back after you haven't played for a while. It's always going to be tough, but hopefully I can get those first couple of matches under my belt.

Q: Wondering how tough it was sitting through the Davis Cup.

LLEYTON HEWITT: The last tie that I wasn't at was back in Washington when Australia played America. I was only 16 or 17 at the time. Since then I've sort of been a part of every one. It was a weird feeling getting up here in Australia at 3:30 in the morning to watch the boys compete over there. It was tough to see the guys go down 5-Love over there. I knew how hard it was going to be to go over there and play in that tough environment, in South America, not our best surface, like we went down in Brazil last year. For me it was a good opportunity to recover and get over the chickenpox. I'm hopefully going to be ready for the September qualifying match anyway.

Q. Is it going to be strange at San Jose facing up against Agassi, who has Darren in his stable as well? Is that going to be weird for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I'll go out there, it's between me and Andre basically. Last time I played Andre was in the Masters Cup. I played one of my best matches ever. In the past, we've had extremely tough matches. It's sort of gone either way. I've got great memories of playing Andre. He was obviously my biggest win in that first tournament when I beat him in the semifinals here in Adelaide. I've got good memories of that. If we were to meet, it would be an extremely tough match, that's for sure.

Q. You guys parted on good terms, you and Darren?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, fine. No problems at all.

Q. Can you talk a bit more about the coaching change, why it was done, just your thoughts on him now coaching Andre.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's sort of between Darren and I, and that's the way it's going to stay pretty much the whole time as well. We just sort of came to the end. Darren let me know that he was resigning. You know, I didn't have a problem with that. I felt like we've had a great partnership over the last three or four years that we've been together. I feel like I've got other coaches who have helped me out along the way, as well, such as Peter Smith, who came on that trip with me last year. Because I knew Jason so well from Davis Cup ties and that, it was really a pretty easy transition from Darren to Jason. Jason and I have got along great since we've sort of been working together. He works extremely hard. A little bit different strategies about fitness stuff and stuff like that. I think it's obviously strange with Andre and Brad breaking up, as well. I don't know the whole details of that. Andre obviously has known Darren for a lot of years, probably knows him pretty well. They probably played against each other a few times.

Q. The reaction to you in Australia, was it different after you won the US Open, and then after you beat Patrick Rafter in November, was there more attention paid to you at that time or whether it changed much?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's pretty hard when your face is on every front page of the paper every day that whole week of the Masters Cup. It was a great reception when I got back here, no doubt. I didn't have a lot of time to enjoy the US Open success. Straight after when I got home, I had to go straight to Sydney and play the Davis Cup semi there against Sweden. After that, I went to the AFL Grand Final and joined in the motor parade before the Grand Final. I've never been to a Grand Final before. That was my number one sport growing up. The fans, they've been great the whole way through my career so far. Even through the Australian Open when things weren't going well for me, you know, they were with me the whole time. They probably went through some of the pain that I went through going out there and trying to compete when you're not a hundred percent right.

Q. You mentioned it was hard being on the front page of the paper every day. Is that going to be a problem that magnifies as you go on in your career?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Who knows. It's not a problem for me, though. I got no quarrel with it. I sort of have come into the spotlight at a very young age, 16, and even before that when I was 15 and qualified for the Australian Open that year. It's something I've had to deal with. I've had great people to look up to in the likes of Patrick Rafter, working with guys like Newcombe and Roche in the Davis Cup, as well, who have been to No. 1 in the world, as well. Hopefully I can follow in their footsteps.

Q. Could you talk a little bit about your feelings on being in New York so close to the September 11th tragedies, what that was like for you.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It was a weird feeling. I haven't been back to America since. A lot of things have changed, on the court for me, you know, off the court, around the world. It was shocking news what happened. I was actually leaving LA. I was on the LA-Sydney flight at the time when it happened. I actually didn't know for probably that evening your time, I think, when we landed in Sydney. You know, cameras and stuff are in your face after you walk off the airplane. The pilot had just informed us five minutes beforehand of what had really happened. Until I actually got in front of a TV and saw the whole broadcast of what had happened and that, it sort of didn't really hit home at the start. It's changed the whole world, I think, as well. Yeah, that was the big shock for me. It was weird coming home and being on such a high after winning your first Grand Slam, US Open, something you wanted to do, your goal and your dream, to sort of be put like that when you get off the flight.

Q. Your game is based so much on tremendous fitness on the court. How long do you think it will take you to get back to a hundred percent after your illness?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I feel like the last week or so it's been a big bonus for me. I put the racquets down probably three or four weeks after the Australian Open, didn't pick up a racquet after I lost there. I started going in the gym about a week and a half ago. I can already feel some of the strength coming back. I lost a little bit of weight over that time, which is expected. So at the moment it's sort of a recovery process, trying to build up again to get to that point where I was before. Jason and I have been working on it slowly. I think gradually and gradually it's getting there. Obviously the toughest thing is that I'm not going to have that match practice going into San Jose. Can't do much about that. Hopefully I can get a lot of matches in San Jose, and then I can really be getting better and better with my match fitness in Indian Wells, Miami, sort of going into the French Open hopefully a hundred percent.

Q. Could you talk about what Jason brings to the table as the coach, how he may differ from Darren's style?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably made the biggest difference off court, just different stuff in the gym, sort of building up different areas of my body I feel like I can use better. In the past, I haven't done a lot of gym work, a lot of off-court work. That's a lot due to, you know, not so much Darren, but also how many matches I played in the past as well. When you have the weeks off, you needed that rest in the past. The last few weeks have been totally different, and that's where we're spending more time, in the gym, doing some more weights, more work on my fitness, to try and get back up to where I was. Also I think we're going to try and keep that going over the next six to eight months as well to try and get even better than I was and stronger than I was. I'm not the biggest guy out there. I feel like I've really got small areas of my game that, if I am going to improve, which I think I'm capable of, easier to get more cheap points working on an all-court game, getting that added strength is going to help me in that way.

Q. Another guy who lives around here is Rod Laver. What kind of impact has he had on you, if any?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Rod's been great. Actually I was fortunate enough to hit with him at the 2001 Australian Open the day before it started, in the charity day. We went out and hit a few balls. For me, that was one of the highlights of my whole career and being a part of tennis, to hit with one of the greatest players. I'm so lucky that we've got so many great players coming from our country, as well. It means a lot because I've seen all the Davis Cup videos and I've seen some of the highlights of his Davis Cup matches. He played so well for Australia, not only himself. For me to actually now be playing Davis Cup and to see what those guys are doing, trying to follow in their footsteps, it's a great feeling to be sort of mixing with them, having dinner with them, just chatting with them at tournaments. He's so down-to-earth, as well.

Q. As successful as your career has been on the court, I'm wondering why you would want to change anything pertaining to it, including your fitness regimen. We always say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Why are you effecting these changes?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I actually don't think that I was as fit as I should be and probably could be the last couple years. A lot of that has had to do with playing a lot of matches and also doing -- I've had a lot of issues with my health over the last 18 months to probably the last couple of years. When I feel like I start to get over that, that's when I wanted to sort of, you know, do more and more fitness. Even if I didn't finish the year No. 1, that was going to happen this year anyway. I feel like even though I got to No. 1, I'm not as good a player as I can be. It's great that I've had the success that I have, but there's still areas of my game - I'm only 20 years old - there's areas of my game that I still know and think that I can work on and become a better player. To produce the results like the US Open on all different surfaces, for me, I've got to change a few things. I think I've definitely got to get a little bit stronger and I've got to work on a couple of areas that I spoke about before, obviously a high percentage of first serves, getting more cheap points off my first serve, getting those easier points, and also becoming more of an all-court player. That's going to help playing on clay and grass as well for the future.

Q. So much has happened to you over the past year. How have you managed to stay grounded? Is there something about the Australian mentality, or having Patrick around to kind of talk to?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Staying on the ground, you mean?

Q. Yes, kind of staying grounded, not getting fat-headed.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't know. It happened in a hurry for me. As you've seen, I've sort of gone up in the rankings every year. It actually helps to have guys like Pat and that around. Sort of the last few years, I wasn't the focus point of Australian tennis, with Patrick Rafter and Mark Philippoussis, so I was sort of the No. 2 or No. 3 player on the team. That wasn't a problem for me at all. I feel like some of that pressure may have even been taken off. You just go out there and play. Because I'd been so close to Pat, I was there when he won his two US Open titles, I was actually there the day after the Boston Davis Cup tie, we actually got the world No. 1 ranking that week. Just to see how he handled it all, how he basically handled it in stride, it was a great learning experience for me just being there and seeing, just in case it did happen to me one day.

Q. You have two semifinal finishes last year at the Ericsson, NASDAQ now. I'm wondering what it is you enjoy about this event. Is it one of the ones you look forward to every year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I really look forward to it. The court suits me, the atmosphere, I think the crowd suits me, suits my personality playing there in Miami. The last couple years I probably haven't played my best tennis the first couple matches, but I was able to scrape through. I've had a couple of tight matches in the first couple of rounds, I felt. I was sort of able to go on from that and get better and better as the tournament went on. Last year was a little bit disappointing, losing to Jan-Michael Gambill in the semifinals. I felt like I had my chances. Had a couple of set points actually in the first set, didn't take them. From there on, the whole match sort of turned around. I felt like that was a little bit of a missed opportunity to make the final of such a big tournament.

Q. You're bigger and stronger than Michael Chang, but you guys are both known for your speed. I was wondering if there's anything you identify with with Michael or anything you've been able to learn by watching him play?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Obviously when I was younger, I looked up to Michael because I wasn't the biggest guy around and that. I sort of looked at how I was just going to be able to, you know, dominate the big servers and big hitters. You look at guys like Michael and Andre Agassi, see how that sort of counter-puncher player, especially Michael, further in the back of the court, can dominate guys with the passing shots and obviously I think the biggest weapon is sort of the return of serve. I've drawn strength. Michael winning obviously the French Open, but probably more so Andre winning with his style of game on all four surfaces at the four Grand Slams. For me, that's a big thing, knowing that a guy like that can do that, beat such big servers, especially on a court like grass at Wimbledon. So I think one of my main areas of strength as well is my return of serve. I think in my mind, I'm capable of -- I've got the confidence that I'm capable of doing well in the French Open and also at Wimbledon in the years to come.

Q. You talked about other illnesses. I know had you a sinus problem or something going on. Did you ever rectify what that was?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No big deal. Actually, it was -- that was about a year or so ago. I actually had a breathing problem at the time. They weren't sure, couldn't put their finger on it, but weren't sure if it had something to do with blocked sinuses. Since then I've had CAT scans done. It hasn't shown up in the sinuses too bad. No big deal.

Q. When you look at this year, obviously there's a lot of expectations around you because you got to No. 1 and you won the US Open. How do you defuse some of that so you can just go ahead and play your tennis, let it all happen?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I sort of just take it in my stride actually. Doesn't really worry me. I don't think about it too much. When I go out there to play, I go out there, I love competing, I love getting on the court and working hard. That's not going to change. When I go out there, I'm going to go out there and give a hundred percent every time I step on the court. If I played with that same confidence that I played with at the end of last year, then I think I'm going to end up having a pretty good year as well this year. Hopefully I feel like I'm getting better and better on clay and grass the last few years. I'm just hoping it's sort of a matter of time before I start having some big results at also like the French and Wimbledon.

Q. Another guy you're likely to run into on Sunday in San Jose if it's not Andre would be Andy Roddick. I believe you beat him in the quarterfinals of the US Open. Is he a guy you see maybe establishing a big rivalry with down the road?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He's a great player. He's a totally different kind of player to me. He's got a big game, huge serve, huge forehand, pretty much an all-court game. He's going to get better and better. He had an extraordinary first your on the tour last year. I think he's going to be around for a lot of years to come. It's just basically how he handles probably that pressure and that expectation of being the next big thing out of America following sort of Agassi and Sampras retiring or whatever, when he's got to step up and really take charge. He may be the only one - I'm not sure. If he sticks with it and plays the kind of tennis that we all know he probably can, he's going to be around for a long time.

Q. With guys like Roche, Newcombe and Rafter officially out of the scene, are you still in contact with them, and do you know what's future holds, especially for guys like Rafter?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I've got no idea what Pat's going to do. I do speak to him on a regular basis, pretty much every week I speak to all three of those guys. Pat and Scotty Draper were my two closest mates on the tour. I'm always talking to Pat, seeing what he's up to, trying to get what his plans are. He doesn't really know what he wants to do, I don't think. Newcombe and Roche, they're just there to show their support, help out whenever I need to speak to someone. It's nice to know that you've got those guys to fall back on, as well, that are willing to talk to you whenever you need about whatever issues are on your mind.

Q. Going to be strange without Rafter around this year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's going to be strange. He was always a guy that I looked up to so much, such a great player for so many years. Really changed the whole outlook on tennis in Australia. For me to try to continue that, it's going to be a tough (hour?). If he does come back, it would be a great thing. If he doesn't, then he's had a wonderful career. The only probably real downside is the Davis Cup final we couldn't get the last couple years.

Q. How much do you think Andre and Pete have left?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think they've got plenty left. They're great players. You can never take them lightly. You can never write them off, that's for sure.