Lleyton Hewitt March 15, 2003 defeats V Spadea 7-6, 6-1
An interview with: LLEYTON HEWITT
MODERATOR: Tomorrow Lleyton attempts to become the first
back-to-back winner here since Michael Chang in 1996/'97. He also
will attempt to win his second career Tennis Masters Series title.
Questions for Lleyton.
Q. A lot of matches, a lot of wins for you in the last
two weeks. How do you feel mentally and physically?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, pretty good. I think I was a
little bit not quite as sharp as I could have been at the start of
today's match, but I got better as the match went on. The second
set I played a lot better.
But it was tough conditions out there today. You know, the
other days we haven't had that much breeze. Today it was swirling
around. Every second game I felt like it was changing direction
out there.
Vince, he was playing very competitive out there. He wasn't
making any mistakes. He was making me come up with good shots if I
was going to win the points. In the end I felt like I got my
rhythm and timing a lot better.
Q. Do you feel like you broke his spirit a bit?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I felt like once -- when he was
4-1 up, I won that long game to get back to 4-3, then I held from the
tougher end to hold on to 4-All, I felt in much more control of the
match from that point on.
I had chances to break at 5-All. He actually got like a half
volley net cord that I scraped back, he hit a winner on. I felt
like I was getting in more and more control.
The big key was winning the breaker. After I won that, I
felt like, you know, I was adapting to the conditions as well as his
game a lot better. I hadn't seen him play for a couple of years.
So, you know, he played well.
Q. Talk about that breaker.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think we both, you know, didn't want
to give too much away. I think early he hit a double-fault to give
me a mini-break, then I went up. We had a great point I think at
5-2 maybe. You know, I was a bit unlucky not to win that one.
Then it went to 6-3, had another long point. I lost that one.
Hit a double-fault. Then he hit a double-fault. It was an
interesting way to win it.
But the way for me the double-fault, just felt like halfway
through the breaker the actual -- when I felt like I started up
the worse end, the tougher end to play, then I was going up the better
end, it felt like the wind changed. When I went up the better end,
it felt like I was against the breeze. You get those short balls,
you suddenly feel like they're on you a lot quicker than you think.
It was tough conditions. I think both of us didn't want to
pull the trigger too early and waste the mini-break.
Q. Volleying, and you hit a dropshot on match point.
Do the doubles help?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. It does help. There's no
doubt about it. The more -- you know, I don't play a natural
volleying game. So the more, you know, volleys you hit, the
reflexes that you got to play in tough doubles matches like I had last
week, it does help, there's no doubt about it.
But, you know, I feel like I'm coming into the net on most of the
right balls. I still think there's chances I could do it a little
bit more. But it comes with confidence, being able to transfer it
from the practice court to the match court as well.
Q. What does this week tell you about your game?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think I've been getting better and better
with every match. Started off, you know, tough draw early on
against El Aynaoui. You know, I survived that match. You
know, I've had some pretty tough matches. The Coria match was very
tough as well.
I feel like I've been getting my rhythm a lot better during the
week. The last couple of days actually, as I said, have been a lot
windier out there. It's actually tougher to play with your rhythm.
I felt like I'm a little bit slow starting, but in the end I've played
better tennis.
Q. The way you recited how that tiebreaker went, it
almost seems like you have total recall. You gave us a
play-by-play practically of every point. Do you have that good a
memory about all things? Do you remember a match you played a
couple weeks ago?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Pretty well, yeah. You can test me on
a few matches if you want (smiling).
Q. Last year when you won, you won in a sandstorm when
the board blew over in the middle of a match. Do you think
weekends at Indian Wells are always going to be like this?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's not quite as bad today as when I played
Pete in the semis last year on Saturday. The sandstorm I think was
the day I played Pavel in the second round last year. It was
pretty incredible playing in those conditions.
I don't know. For me, you know, I don't know if the boys are
back on the court now, but I'm glad that I'm sitting through to the
final now and they've still got -- I guess if it rains, it makes
it tougher, as well.
Q. At the end of the first set, the crowd is chanting,
"Vince, Vince," then he double-faults.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I was hoping he'd do that (laughter).
That was a good way to shut them up. I didn't have to do anything
(smiling).
Q. Can you talk about the last time you played Guga.
Some people say it was one of the most spectacular matches some people
have ever seen.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think it was the best I've ever played.
In those conditions, in that atmosphere, on my worst surface and his
best surface. Yeah, in such a big match, a clutch match, you know,
a lot of people have told me I was hitting bad bounces in the middle of
the racquet that day. You know, I'm not sure why, but I went out
there, you know, just played one of my best matches. I'm not
really sure why. Everything I sort of touched that day turned to
gold.
Q. Is he one of those types of players that you can get
really pumped up to play?
LLEYTON HEWITT: This is a final. I'll be pumped up no
matter who I play. But he's a great player, there's no doubt about
that, the caliber. It's great to see him back, you know, in the
semis and finals of these big tournaments again.
You know, it wasn't long ago, I think this time last year, he was
sitting out of all these tournaments. He's had to struggle and
work through it. He's come through a very tough draw this week as
well and got through pretty convincingly.
Q. Do you get on pretty well with him?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, yeah, pretty well.
Q. Having been through the experience of that kind of
amazing match, does that create almost a bond with a player?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think he was too happy about it
afterwards. But, you know, I don't think it's got anything to do
with that match. I think he's just a very laid-back, easygoing
kind of guy. I don't think there's too many guys who would have a
problem with Guga at all.
Q. Should you play Schuettler, just talk about him, too.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's taken a huge step forward the
last probably six months or so. Yeah, he proved during the
Australian Open how good a player he can be. He's done it again
this week. The way that he beat Andy yesterday was very
convincing.
You know, I think he's a great mover on the court. He serves
well to make advantage of his game I think more than anything.
He's got a very nice package game, and it's come together very well
obviously since the start of this year.
Q. Can you say one thing American tennis fans don't know
about Lleyton Hewitt?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. I don't know. I
don't know. What have you guys told them (smiling)?
Q. You don't like to give interviews.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, I give interviews to the right people.
Q. Tooheys or Fosters?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably Carlton Cold. You don't have
it over here.
Q. Budweiser or Sam Adams?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I don't have the American stuff.
Q. How about hot dogs or hamburgers?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Whichever. I like probably hot dogs a
little bit more.
Q. A friend of yours was saying she likes pasta with
broccoli. Does she ever push that on you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, sometimes. Not that often.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports...
Lleyton Hewitt March
14, 2003
L. HEWITT/R. Ginepri 6-4, 6-2
An interview with: LLEYTON HEWITT
MODERATOR: With the win today, Lleyton advances to his
third straight semifinal here in Indian Wells, and improves his career
record to 16-4 at this tournament.
Questions for Lleyton.
Q. And also reserves his world No. 1 ranking,
although yesterday you said you aren't that concerned about it. I
suspect it's quite nice, an addendum to the result?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's nice, but you're going to lose it some
week. Doesn't really bother me. You know, I didn't come to
Indian Wells to try and hold on to my No. 1 ranking; I came here to
win the tournament.
I'm still in with a good chance. I'm through to the semis now.
Four matches down, two to go. That's pretty much where my thinking's
at.
I played better today. I'm happy with the way that, you know,
I came out and won the match efficiently, got on and off the court pretty
convincingly.
Q. Most comfortable one this week?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. Yeah, I guess, you know, because I
didn't lose serve for the whole match, I kept my nose in front once I got
up a break. You know, I saw a little bit of Robby's match yesterday.
He played extremely well. He was full of confidence, had nothing to
lose out there today. He started better today than he did against me
in Cincinnati.
When I was able to get up that one early break in the first set, I
think his confidence got sort of a little bit of a dent in there and his
game sort of went away a little bit.
Q. Nine in a row for you. Could this be the roll we
talked about in Scottsdale?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know how long it's going to keep
going. But was it nine in 11 days I've won now. That's a lot
of tennis. You know, you throw in the doubles that I played as well
as making the final there. I played a lot of tennis. I've got
that match toughness going now, match hardened. I'd like to keep it
going.
You know, you've got to take it one step at a time, though.
Don't want to get carried away because you're on a winning streak, you're
going to keep going. Go out there with an open mind and play as well
as you can.
Q. But the confidence and mental toughness are there?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. It's hard to lose it, I guess,
when you go out there to play and you've won nine matches in 11 days.
You realize that. I realize that I've come through a couple of
pretty tough matches, especially this week against El Aynaoui and Coria.
You know, I know I've got a couple tough ones under my belt and I
survived those.
Q. Are you feeling now like you're unbeatable?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not really. Not unbeatable. I
don't think anyone's unbeatable. I feel like my confidence is high
at the moment. I feel like I can beat anyone on any given day, yes.
But unbeatable, you know, I think you can leave that to Tiger.
Q. Just commenting on the point of nine in 11 days, et
cetera. As a streak like that continues, is there the risk of
somehow that putting pressure on you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really, no. Not for me. I see
every match as a challenge, as a new challenge. You know, I'm not
putting any more pressure on myself. I'd much rather be, you know,
nine in a row going into this semifinal tomorrow than, you know, making
the quarters or the semis and losing in Scottsdale.
So for me to have that winning feeling going, I've had it a few
times going, you know, winning Adelaide and Sydney back to back, doing
well in those tournaments. I've had it in the Queen's, Rosmalen,
Wimbledon time frame. I know how that sort of winning streak goes.
I like the feeling of it, having that confidence on your side.
Q. How about your match with Spadea coming up?
LLEYTON HEWITT: You've got to take your hat off to Vince.
Hell of an effort for what he's done. The way that he's come back
after losing so many first rounds there for a while, he obviously broke
the drought against Rusedski at Wimbledon. We really didn't see him
for a while after that. He was playing the challengers and the
futures. The way he's bounced back and gone about his business very
quietly, sort of got his ranking back up there, it's pretty amazing.
Q. Have you played him before?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yes.
Q. Where was the last time?
LLEYTON HEWITT: At least twice, maybe more.
MODERATOR: Two times.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's a tough competitor. He's not
going to give anything away. He moves very well, has a good baseline
game. He passes well, counterattacks very well. I'm not going
to worry about his game too much. I'm going to go out there and play
my game and hopefully I'm not going to have to change too many things.
If I do, then I do.
Q. If you didn't think about No. 1 all week, did you
think about it today beforehand?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No.
Q. Was it afterwards you thought about it?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think about it at all. I
couldn't care less. As I said before, I didn't come here for No. 1.
I'm going to lose it some week, doesn't bother me when.
Q. Do you hear it when they announce you as world No.
1?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I hear some of the things they say. It's
pretty hard not to (smiling).
Q. You do know about being world No. 1?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I know that I'm world No. 1, yes
(laughter).
Q. That's got to be a good feeling.
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's not bad. When they say former world
No. 1, that's not a bad feeling I don't think either. I'm sure
Pete, Rios, guys that have been No. 1, I don't think they mind being
called the former world No. 1.
Q. You mentioned Vince is sort of going about his business
nicely and smoothly. Do you feel the same yourself, the fact that
the pressure is off, you're not in Australia, not in the spotlight, and
here you can go about your business a little bit more not casually as
such, but without the burden or the pressure, pressure, pressure?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's definitely not as much pressure I guess
coming from the media and expectation from the media I think more than
anything. But, you know, that's natural. You know, that's up
to Andy and James and whoever else they want to put it on here in America.
Everyone has that, all the top guys. When they go back to
their home country, it's like Tim in June, me in January.
Q. Do you feel as perhaps relaxed in this part of the year
as you do anywhere? Your results would suggest you probably do.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I like the stretch. You know,
Scottsdale, even San Jose last year, Indian Wells, Miami, I've
always loved these tournaments. I think the courts suit me, the
weather, the conditions. Great hotels. You know, the climate,
everything out here, I think everything's pretty easygoing. For me I
can really enjoy, you know, those outside things I guess at these
tournaments.
Q. Couple games of golf this week?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I had nine holes on Monday afternoon. I
would have liked to have had more. I can't do much about it at the
moment.
Q. Kim was in here earlier talking about her superstitions.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, yeah?
Q. Sitting on the couch at the hotel, going to bed at the
same time, what she eats.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Fair enough. I didn't know about those.
Q. She says she's trying to some degree to convince you to
eat things like broccoli and stuff, instead of the hot dogs.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't mind the hot dogs. Yeah, I think
she watches what she eats a lot better than I do. I can't believe
she dobbed me in. I'm actually not that bad. I've improved a
hell of a lot since I was 14, 15, 16. Yeah, the vegetables, they're
not bad, but not the best thing.
Q. She said that you have improved.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'd say, you know, during tournaments
and that, I eat as well as any player out there. It's more so my
weeks off. I think that sometimes I let myself, you know, let go a
bit - ice cream, chocolate, those kind of things. I love to go
to the footy and have a hot dog and chips, mate. Tonight as well.
Q. Can you pick one American under 25 at this point that
you think could really rise to the top? Who do you think it would
be?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's impossible with injuries or whatever.
The two front-runners are obviously Roddick and Blake. They're the
two front-runners. You know, it depends. A lot depends on I
guess who gets a big breakthrough at a Slam first, and then can really
take off from there, as well. But, you know, both guys can handle
the big situations very well. You know, they've both proved --
I don't know what Blake's ranking is, but I'm sure he can get in the Top
10 pretty soon. And Andy's already 5 or 6 in the world. That's
not bad anyway. That's not a bad start.
Q. Do you have any superstitions?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really.
Q. Nothing?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No.
Q. Lie to us.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't have any. I can't think of any
anyway.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports...
An interview with: LLEYTON HEWITT
MODERATOR: Lleyton improves to 12-1 on the season and advances
to the quarterfinals here for the third straight year. Questions for
Lleyton.
Q. Are you just trying to tease us or do you enjoy these
wonderful long matches? Very high-quality one again.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was a tough match. I like my
opponents to play a lot worse. He played extremely well out there.
You know, he didn't give me any real chances. I had a couple of
chances at 4-All and 5-All in the first set. I feel like I was a lot
better players in the first set. He ended up playing too good a
tiebreak. Really wasn't much I could do about it. Then I went
down an early break, kept fighting. It was a little bit like the El
Aynaoui match, even though their serves are a lot different. Even
though I broke him once, I thought the doors would open to a few more
breaks. That's exactly what happened.
Q. You won more points than he did in the first set.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I felt like I was pretty much cruising on
my service games. I was always the one -- there weren't too many
games that I can't remember being at least 30-All on his service games.
Obviously at 4-All and 5-All, I had probably between those two games maybe
five breakpoints, I reckon. I wasn't able to take them.
You know, it was a bit disappointing to have lost that first set.
Q. Frustrating, as well?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was. Because I think I could have
opened the match up a lot easier if I got off. If I was able to break
a bit earlier and win that first set, it could have been a convincing
straight-sets win instead of a grind in three.
Q. Second set was strange with all the service breaks, yet
the quality of tennis got better probably.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think we both played maybe a little bit
more aggressive on each other's serves. We took a few chances and it
paid off for both of us.
Then in the third set, I served a lot better. I felt like I got
my rhythm back. I won a lot of my service games very comfortably, got
up early in my service games. I knew I just had to put pressure on him
in one game, try to make him crack a little bit, and it happened.
Q. When you shanked that overhead in the sun, then came back
tough, what message do you have for young players who are trying to get on
the tour when that happens? We see they don't come back after
something like that.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was a tough one. I couldn't do
much about it. You know, I still knew I was serving for the match.
I was up a break. Even though it was his ad, I knew I'm still in the
driver's seat here. He's got to come up with a hell of a point to beat
me. I put in a big first serve.
Yeah, you just got to try and forget about it as quickly as possible.
Sometimes it's very tough to do.
Q. Is he as quick as anyone else out there at the moment?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think so. He moves extremely well,
both across the court and also coming forward, as well. He's very
quick. There's a lot more balls today that he got back that a lot of
other guys wouldn't.
Q. You come into this event obviously knowing what the
ranking situation was, you survived the three match points, does it get
harder and harder knowing that so much is on the line?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I don't really care about it
too much. You know, whatever happens.
Q. Doesn't seem that way.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I play to win at the end of the day.
If I make the semis or whatever, you know, I'm still going to go out there
and give as much as I've got.
You know, I think everyone knows me well enough, every time I step out
there I give a hundred percent, no matter whether I'm playing to crack the
Top 100 or get to No. 1.
Q. You're listed at 150, he's listed at 145. Your
heights are pretty much similar. You seem to play similar games.
Do you ever get the feeling you're playing against yourself when you're
playing against him?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, we both -- yeah, I guess we both
play similar in a lot of ways. We obviously move very well around the
court. You know, I think probably the turning factor, I got a few more
cheaper points off my first serve than he did. Especially in the third
set, when it counted, on the big points in the third set, I was able to come
up with big first serves. That's probably a little bit the difference.
Sometimes he just rolled his first serve in to get the point started.
Q. What player that you've ever played most reminds you of
yourself?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, I'm not sure. You know, he's got the
kind of game that's very similar to mine. There's a lot of players out
there who are very quick and play well and return well, obviously pass very
well, as well.
Q. The No. 1 aspect, you just said it doesn't really
matter, but is it also an attitude of wins come, the titles come, that will
take care of itself then?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, but it just hasn't been my focus at all
this year. You know, after I defended at the end of last year, that's
pretty much where I sort of started forgetting about the No. 1.
You know, I really wanted to obviously work towards the Australian Open.
The four majors, for me this year Davis Cup is probably the No. 1
priority. You know, we survived one round, we've got three to go.
You know, I know to a lot of people it may not mean that much, but to me it
means an awful lot.
Q. Brian Vahaly has gone to the quarterfinals. Do you
have any thoughts about him? Are you aware of him as a player?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't seen him play that much.
Obviously, he's had a huge run, qualifying, then winning a few rounds.
You know, it's good for him. Obviously to get the points and that up,
to be through the quarterfinals of a Masters Series event.
Q. You had a good percentage going into the net today on key
points. Are you going in more than normal?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I don't think so. I
still I can come in a bit more. I probably just came in today on the
right points I think more than anything. I still think it's an area of
my game that I can work on.
Q. If you could change one thing in the sport of tennis, what
would that be?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know at the moment. I'll have to
sit down and think about it.
Q. Can I ask you next time then?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I still may have to think about it.
Q. Can you comment on what Mark Woodforde has meant for
Australian tennis?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Mark's been huge. He's put back a lot into
tennis in Australia. I know there's a small tournament, he's from
Adelaide where I grew up, still live, and there's a small local tournament
for all the sort of pennant players around Adelaide, South Australia.
He actually donates the money to the winner of that every year. I lost
in the final one year and also I won it the following year. Woody
actually presented me with the check. Two weeks later, I got a
wildcard in Adelaide and I beat him (smiling). It wasn't the way to
repay him, but he's been fantastic.
He's really helped me out, especially when I came into the Davis Cup
squad at such a young age. He was sort of the veteran of the team.
Q. Did he ask for his check back?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he wasn't too happy (smiling).
Q. Just with these matches that are so tight, having to
really fight to get out of them, is there any element of concern with so
many going so close?
LLEYTON HEWITT: For what? Concern for what?
Q. Well, that you really are having to dig deep.
LLEYTON HEWITT: That I'll get tired this week or next week?
Q. Yes.
LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, I take every day at a time. You
know, there's not a lot I can do about it. If my opponents are playing
that well, there's really not that much that separates me or whoever from a
lot of the other guys in the Top 50, top hundred in the world. You
know, I just got to get out there, dig deep, play my game, and hopefully
I'll pull up well. If I don't, then there's really not much I can do
about it. You know, I try and be in the best physical shape that I can
be in, you know, hopefully it's going to put me in good stead.
Q. You said we know you're going to give a hundred percent
any time you play. Do 10:00 starts present any different situations
for you? Are you an early riser anyway? Do you find it easy or
not?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't mind it. I really don't mind
it. You know, it's nice sometimes to get your match out of the way,
then you've got the whole rest of the day to recover, as well, chill out and
do nothing.
You know, I probably prefer to play a little bit later, I guess.
You get to sleep in a little bit longer. Sometimes it's tough with the
atmosphere, the first hour or so, it's not quite there in such a big stadium
when it's not quite full, not that many people in there. You know, you
really got to get yourself up and keep that intensity right from the start.
Q. What time did you practice this morning?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I practiced at 8:30.
FastScripts by ASAP Sports...
PACIFIC LIFE OPEN 2nd rd
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA
March 11, 2003
L. HEWITT/Y. El Aynaoui4-6, 7-5, 6-2
An interview with:LLEYTON HEWITT
MODERATOR: Lleyton will face Yevgeny Kafelnikov tomorrow. Saved two match points today.
LLEYTON HEWITT: More than that, I think.
Q. How did you dodge those bullets?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Backhand up the line, on the line, I guess. I'm not sure. You know, I went out there, I went for my shots on match point, and it paid off. Yeah, you sort of live and die on the edge, I guess. I practiced that shot, you know, it came off. A couple more inches wide or long, I could have been in a bit of trouble. You know, some days you have it, I guess, some days you don't. I felt like nothing was going right today at all until that time where it sort of all turned around.
Q. Where did it turn around?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably on that shot. Before that, you know, he was getting so many net cords, just nothing felt like it was going my way at all - overrules, line calls. I was able to block it all out during the match. Yeah, it just felt like he sort of just continued on his way, how he was playing so well in Australia against me in that match, and he continued exactly the same right from the word go today. I went out there on the court, and it felt just a much bigger stadium than what I was playing in Scottsdale. I felt smaller out there. I played a very average game first game, and he hit two cold winners in that game as well on his forehand. He sort of didn't look back from that point. I just felt like the good thing was he wasn't serving as many aces, as he was, today. During the Australian Open, obviously the conditions and the balls and the court were a lot slower here today. I felt like all I needed was to get one break under my belt and I was going to be all right.
Q. What did you think when you did that diving backhand volley, he had a wide open court?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I was more worried about whether I was going to get up or not than whether he was hitting the ball in.
Q. How is your leg?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not too bad. Just like I just jarred my hip a little bit. Just landed right on the bone. It's not the smartest thing to go diving on hard court.
Q. How much did Melbourne come into your mind during that match?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Into the mind?
Q. Yes.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I think it came into his mind a lot. He just kept sort of playing exactly the confident tennis that he was playing in Melbourne. Serving well, hitting big forehands. It was coming into my mind a little bit only because I was getting a little frustrated I couldn't break serve. I wasn't having that many chances. When I did get a small opportunity, he came out and served an unreturnable or an ace. I just kept telling myself to hang in there today, I wasn't playing great tennis, but if you get your chance, you just have to take it. In the end, I kept hanging in on match points, even when I was serving for it. I could sense he was getting a little tight in that game. I knew if I could get it back to 5-All, things could turn around. In the end, I did. Very easily it could have been the other way around.
Q. When a guy has had a big win like that, like he did at the Aussie Open, does it make you more anxious to beat him? Do you start the match thinking that way?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really, no. I think I'm probably more aware of the way that he can play, give him more respect as a player. He played pretty faultless tennis against me in Melbourne. There really wasn't much I could do about it. But, you know, there's not a reason why he hasn't won a Grand Slam if he can keep playing that kind of tennis, as well. There's going to be days when he's a little bit off. If you get those chances to take him on those days, you've got to take him.
Q. When you said it was a bigger stage, do you still feel nervous walking out into a big environment?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It wasn't nervous. It was just different conditions. I hadn't been out there. Last year when I came here and played, I had a week of preparation between winning San Jose and starting Indian Wells, so I practiced on the court, got a feeling for the court, the balls. It just felt totally different to me today. That's why I said halfway through, this isn't about playing your best tennis, this is about getting through this match, finding a way to win, coming out tomorrow, hopefully for the rest the tournament, build it up and get better and better. I got through it. Hopefully I can get better.
Q. What things do you think you need to do to improve?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I just got to feel the ball a little bit better. I think I served well in patches. I can still improve that. I just got to step up in the court and take my chances when I'm given them.
Q. What did he tell you at the net? He took time to tell you something.
LLEYTON HEWITT: At the end? We were both sort of laughing. I don't know. I'm not sure. I think I said, "Sorry, mate." I don't know what he said. "Good luck," I think. It was more I think we were, I don't know, laughing at the situation because it very easily could have been -- a half hour, 45 minutes before that we could have been shaking hands.
Q. The bit of fun at the end with the kid and the remote control cars, is it my imagination or did you let him win?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, he was too good (laughter).
Q. What can you hope a win like this does for you getting through the next round?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think it's sometimes nice to get through a tough match. I don't feel physically fatigued because of this. It's only three sets. I didn't feel like I had to do that much running today out there. So I feel fit enough to go through the next hopefully five matches in five days. It's a little bit of a wake-up call, I guess, as well. Yeah, it's nice to sort of have an escape like that and to go out there, you know, just take it one match at a time. Obviously, Kafelnikov tomorrow, it's not going to be an easy match either. The draw just gets tougher and tougher. It's a little bit of relief to go through the next round after saving match points.
Q. On the match point against you when you were serving at 3-5, he appeared to make a very strong service return, you had kind of a high ball back. Did you have any concern that ball might be out?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No. I knew that one was in. Yeah, I think he was actually -- he felt it may have been going out. The end he was playing was with the breeze. You know, I was sitting there, and I actually thought it was going in most of the time. I was still worried that he could turn around, and it was going to be an easier shot for him to whack a forehand winner off of. I think he played a backhand cross-court. I saw a huge opening up the line and went for it. It paid off.
Q. Would you have given him the point if the linesman miss-called? Would you give him the ball, a point?
LLEYTON HEWITT: A point?
Q. Would you play fair play?
LLEYTON HEWITT: On what?
Q. Let's say you missed that ball and you just saw that he didn't. Would you give him the point?
LLEYTON HEWITT: On that point?
Q. A particular situation.
LLEYTON HEWITT: There's not a hundred percent of the time where you're right. It works every way, I guess. There's a lot of calls out there which I felt like didn't go -- did not go with me at all, and there's other situations where they go with you. But the players aren't a hundred percent right all the time either. So it's a little bit -- that's why umpires and lines-people are out there. It's very tough actually to call lines. I know when I've played practice sets and that now, you're so used to having lines-people and umpires, when you're actually out there playing, you miss so many calls yourself because you're actually worried about hitting the ball. Close calls, there's millimeters in how close it is, whether a little bit of fur touches the line. Obviously, I think if there is some clear mistakes, it's obviously disappointing, and that's why you see some players reacting the way they do.
Q. What about Kafelnikov?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, tough player, especially on this kind of court. Apart from clay, maybe even these days it's his best kind of surface. Second round of a big tournament, it's a tough draw. I've got to go out there and play my game. I have to play better than I did today. You know, I played him in Paris Indoors, and I thought he actually played well that day. Tight two set match. Second set went to a breaker. Even though I've had the wood on him the last few times, we've had some pretty good matches the last few years.
Q. War seems likely in the middle east now. Do you have any concerns about safety, with all the traveling?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I've probably got the same concerns I guess as anyone. There's not really much we can do about it, though. We're professional athletes, we have to travel. But obviously I think after the whole September 11th thing, I think it sent a shock wave through everyone.
Q. Are you happy that Kafelnikov is still playing, although he declared he would retire?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It was a strange one, wasn't it? I guess he didn't win a match in the Davis Cup final, so I don't know, maybe that's his out. Yeah, I think Yevgeny has still got good years left in him. There's no doubt about it. Yeah, I don't know what he'd do if he did retire. He'd play golf. I don't know what else. I think he's good to still have around. He's definitely good enough to still be around and in the Top 20 or Top 10 maybe again.
End of FastScripts….
Lleyton Hewitt interview prior
to 1st rd match
March 10, 2003
An interview with:
LLEYTON HEWITT
MODERATOR: We have Lleyton Hewitt, our defending champion,
coming off a win in Scottsdale. He has improved his record to 9?1 on the
season. Lleyton didn't drop a set throughout the week in Scottsdale.
Questions.
Q. You must be feeling pretty well, pretty good after all that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was a good week. Obviously, I
didn't go in there with the highest of expectations. More than anything
I just wanted to get a few matches under my belt before coming here.
Yeah, it worked out perfect.
I didn't play my best tennis the first couple of matches. I got
better and better as the week went on. And I had to, as well, against
the guys who I was playing against come quarters, semis and finals. To
go through tournaments these days without dropping a set, I'm pretty happy
with that.
Q. Pretty big effort in the doubles, too, you and Mark to get
out there again.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it turned into a long day yesterday - very.
Q. How do you feel at the end of it all?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I feel fine. I've played enough
back-to-back tournaments when I've won one tournament and then come out.
You know, sometimes I like feeling like you're on a bit of a roll, as well.
For me, it's a lot better going out there and playing, being match
tough, getting that match hardness under your belt more than just going out
there and practicing.
Hopefully it's going to put me in good stead for this week. We'll
have to wait and see.
Q. You said at the end of last year you would play less
tournaments. Is it the reason why you didn't play since Davis Cup, just
to slow down?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I was never going to play. I never
play straight after Davis Cup ties. I feel like Davis Cup ties take so
much out of you, more mentally than physically.
So, yeah, it was never a plan to play straight after Davis Cup, and it
never will be.
Q. On the point of Davis Cup, apart from teaming up with Mark
in doubles, was that also good for Davis Cup?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It gives us another option. I think we came
through pretty good. We played some great matches. I think in the
end we just got a little bit tired in the final. But, you know,
throughout the week, we played really well, especially in the quarterfinals
against Johnson?Palmer, we played some of our best tennis.
If we had to play together in Davis Cup, it wouldn't be that big a
problem now. I feel comfortable enough playing with Mark, and I'm sure
he feels the same way.
Q. How many more tournaments do you think you'll play together?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. We may play Miami. See
what happens.
Q. What's the feeling of coming back here after the win last
year?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Winning last year?
Q. Yes.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's always a nice place to come back to,
you know, somewhere that you've played well in the past. You know, I
made the semis before winning it last year. You know, the court surface,
the conditions, everything, I think suits my game pretty well. Yeah,
it's one of my favorite tournaments of the year. It's a nice place to
come regardless, I think, even if you're a defending champion or not.
Q. After your win, do you feel you're match tough now?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I'm five more matches tough, I guess.
Yeah, I feel good about the way my game's been progressing over the last
four or five days. You know, but now you've got to step it up again.
There's a lot tougher matches here. You've got the best guys in the
world playing this week. If you're going to go through another six
matches in seven days, you've got to -- I start tomorrow, so six matches
in six days, I've got to really go out there with all guns firing right from
the start.
Q. First match against Younes. Any comment about this
match?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, there's no easy draws in this tournament.
You know, it's going to be a tough match, no doubt about that. You know,
I've got to go out there and play my game, you know, take my chances when I
get them I think more than anything.
Q. Can you reflect back on your match against him in Australia
and just talk about what you thought happened there.
LLEYTON HEWITT: He played too well. I really had very little
opportunities to break serve. It's one of the few matches I didn't break
serve in the whole match. Four tight sets of tennis, I only lost serve
once. But I felt like I had some chances, though, to even. I was
up 4?2 in the third set breaker. I think that was a huge turning point.
If I could have won that third set, gone two sets to one up after three
breakers, it would have been a huge psychological difference than being two
sets to one down.
Yeah, it's going to be interesting, I guess, not playing in a Grand
Slam, playing best?of?three sets, as well. Yeah, it's an extremely tough
first round.
Q. Does his style bother you at all or did he happen to zone on
you that match?
LLEYTON HEWITT: He's a tough player, no doubt. He's tough
for anyone, I think. But, you know, he played probably as well as he
could play I think that day.
Q. Surely you can't expect a big server like that to serve at
80% match after match.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, you hope not. You hope not (smiling).
Yeah, you know, he served huge, but then I still had a few opportunities
and I just wasn't able to take them. In this game today, you know,
tennis, you've got to really take your opportunities when you get them.
You may only get one or two chances. If you don't take them, you end up
losing the match.
I can't expect him to go out there and serve 40% or 50% first serves
either. Every time I've played him, he's been able to get a high
percentage of first serves in.
Q. Imagine you were in Pete Sampras' shoes, would you retire?
What do you think he's going to do?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I got no idea what Pete's going to do.
I got no idea, mate. I don't know what my goals would be after winning
14 Slams and basically winning everything you could win.
I really don't know. It's up to him. I don't know if there's
any more motivation to keep playing. I'm not sure what he could really
look forward to. If he did want to come back for one more Wimbledon, I'm
not sure.
It's a little bit of a fairytale ending if he was to retire after the US
Open, I think, beating his biggest rival in tennis, Andre Agassi, in the final
of his national Grand Slam. Yeah, it doesn't get much bigger than that.
Q. All the players have been saying that the courts here are
playing slowly and the balls are playing slowly. Does that suit you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, sometimes. You know, I think it
matches up against different players. You know, last week I felt was,
you know, through the air it was playing very quickly, but the court surface
and balls were playing very slowly last week in Scottsdale, as well. I
haven't hit here yet. I'll find out this afternoon what conditions are
like.
You know, I don't think it's going to be a huge change. I couldn't
see a huge change from last year anyway.
Q. From what you saw last year, was this a surface which is
basically fair to most players?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think so, what I can remember. I can't
remember it being too quick or too slow. I think the balls fluff up a
fair bit, but I think that's just The Masters Series balls. They just
get chopped up after two or three games.
But the court surface I can't remember being a huge problem for anyone.
Q. Safin was saying yesterday that he doesn't have any problems
getting motivated to play the big?name players. When he's playing guys
lower ranked, he has motivation problems. You don't seem to have that.
How do you manage to keep the intensity week in, week out, match in, match
out?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I love competing. I love going out
there and just getting on the court and having that one?on?one battle.
You know, it's obviously a lot easier to get motivated for Grand Slams and the
bigger tournaments and Davis Cup, et cetera.
You know, sure, I'm trying to peak for the big tournaments, but then
again, I don't want to go out there and not give a hundred percent in the
smaller tournaments, as well.
You know, obviously your goals and priorities have changed over the
years since I first came on the tour when I was 16. It was like every
tournament was a Grand Slam final. You know, now obviously after you win
a couple of Grand Slams and Davis Cup and those ties, your goals and
priorities change a lot.
Obviously, I love going out there and just, you know, trying to I guess
put it all on the line every time. But I definitely know in the back of
my mind what are the more important matches, as well.
Q. You've been so good the last year and a half. Do you
feel yourself gradually improving, say, half percent, one percent, week to
week, or is it too tough for you to tell that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, sometimes. I feel like there's days or
tournaments when I start getting on a bit of a roll, there's areas of my game
that I feel like are coming along. Then I think like anyone, you have
some off days as well you feel like you drop back a couple of pegs.
There's still areas of my game that I feel like I can get better at and
help me out, not only, you know, on hard court and grass, but maybe on clay,
as well, more so.
You know, I still feel like there's a percentage of my game that I can
improve on, become a more well?rounded player, I think.
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