paris02int

November 3, 2002

M. SAFIN/L. Hewitt
7-6, 6-0, 6-4

An interview with:
LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: First question for Lleyton, please.

Q. How difficult a loss is that one to swallow out there for you today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not that hard. You know, I felt like I've ‑‑ you know, I came into the tournament with not that high expectations. Coming in, I didn't really know what to expect, you know, not really competing for a few weeks.

So for me, it was, you know, a big thrill to get through to the final. I lost to the best player, you know, in the tournament. You know, Marat was too good today. He's been too good for everyone throughout the week.

So, yeah, I felt like I had chances out there, especially in the first set. I felt like I just hit a bit of a wall after that.

Q. Was it a general fatigue that you were feeling in that second set? You seemed to be blowing a little bit hard. Did you feel tired out there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It was just more, I think, you know, I'm just not match tough at the moment. Just haven't played a lot of matches. That's what I came here for this week, you know. If I wasn't playing for No. 1, chances were I probably wouldn't have come this week either. I would have had another week off and try to prepare for the Australian circuit next year.

But I've got other things on my mind at the moment. I had to try to come here and get some runs on the board. I was able to do that ‑ which gives me obviously a little more confidence going into Shanghai.

Q. Final set you did manage to start hurting him a little bit. Did you think the momentum might change there at one point?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Would have had to have been a big change. He's a tough player when he's very confident, sort of swinging out. You know, that's what happened.

You know, the first set I came back after being a break down, got back to 4‑all. Had breakpoint to serve for the first set. In the breaker, I had a couple of points, could have gone either way.

Then at the start of the second, I had 40‑15, on serve, dropped that. (Inaudible) next game to break back.

Had a lot of chances to get back into the match, just wasn't able to take them. When you give Marat a start, he's very tough to peg back.

Q. Obviously, you've got Shanghai coming up. What do you do now? Are you going to try to take a few days off from tennis or...

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. Have to talk to Jason. It's been a big step, I guess, this week, just getting some matches under my belt. You got to try and keep it going for another week and a half, I guess, two weeks.

So, you know, I'm not really sure what I'm gonna do just yet.

Q. You're No. 1 in the world. Will you say Marat is unbeatable ‑ the way he played today and the day before?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Is he beatable? I felt like I had some chances out there. There's no doubt that you don't get many chances playing a guy like Marat when he's playing well. When you get half a chance, you have to take it straightaway. He's a very good player when he's on. He's very tough to beat.

But as I said, you know, you feel like you get some chances and then...

You know, as I said before, when he gets in the lead, he likes dictating play and going out there, free‑flowing sort of kind of player. He's very tough when he gets in front.

Q. Like Marat said, you will probably finish the year No. 1. Is that the most important today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it is important. But we'll wait and see. There's no probablies at the moment. I guess mathematically, it's out of Andre and myself. So I've got to go out there, I've still got to try to get some wins, I guess, next week in Shanghai and see what happens.

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November 2, 2002 L. HEWITT/P. Srichaphan 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

An interview with:LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton.

Q. You had a couple of examples, just recently, of Paradorn's form. Is he the most improved player out there at the moment, do you think?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He's definitely up there, yeah. But I saw him at the start of the year. I played him in my first tournament back after I had a bit of a break after the Australian Open in San Jose, second round. I was down matchpoints in the third set there. He served for the match. I got out of it and won it and went on to win the tournament.

Two weeks later I played him in Miami. I think it was four and six, or five and six I beat him there, in the second round after having a bye.

I played him a few times this year and had extremely tough matches. For me, it's no surprise to see him playing like this. It's how he was playing, I guess, at the start of the year. I think it's probably only the confidence level that's going up, but his game is very dangerous.

I just think, you know, he sort of hit a little bit of a wall on the clay courts, really, and lost a bit of confidence in himself. I think his clay court season really struggled a little bit, then he came out and beat Agassi at Wimbledon.

Apart from that, he's had a pretty good year.

Q. What does your performance today and so far in the week tell you about where you are at the moment?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's fantastic I'm still sitting here and talking to you guys through Saturday night.

So, I still feel like I can hit the ball better though; I really do. I feel like there's areas of my game I'm fighting it out.

Today, I didn't feel like ‑‑ I probably hit the ball better yesterday, I felt, than today. But he's a tough player to play against as well, because he doesn't give you any rhythm. Sort of very hit‑and‑miss out of there. I had to just hold my serve as much as possible and take my chances when I could.

You know, in the end there was only a few points here and there that changed the match.

Q. Love‑40 down there at 3‑all, final set, what goes through your mind? How did you manage to pull that one out?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I just ‑‑ I don't know. I was 3‑1 up, then, yeah, felt like the momentum changed definitely a little bit. After he broke there, he came out and played a great game to hold serve the next game. Then I just sort of took my foot off the pedal a little bit. But his confidence and intensity rose, also (inaudible).

When I was Love‑40 down, I basically just took it one point at a time to try to get those three points back. When I was able to get those back, I think I had another game point, lost it. On the second game point I was able to get it.

After that, I told myself, "All right, that's the turning point for me now. That's a bit of a momentum swing there. He's going to be disappointed he lost the opportunity to go up a break in the third."

I wanted to try and make, you know ‑‑ the next game, try and make it count a little bit for me and put the pressure on him right from the start, which I was able to do.

Q. Marat Safin in the final. You've said a lot of things about him this week. It sounded as though you think he's perhaps the biggest threat out there to you. I asked you the question about Roger the other day ‑ what problems does he pose?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, Marat's a great player. A lot depends on the day as well, I guess. You know, he's one of the best players in the world, there's no doubt about that. On any given day, he can probably beat anyone if he's on.

I've got to go out there ‑‑ the last time I played him, I didn't play that great. I lost to him in Hamburg in the quarters pretty comfortably.

Then the last time I played on hard courts I beat him 7‑6 in the third in Miami in a great match.

So, yeah, he's obviously playing well. He's beaten Carlos Moya, who's been in great form, in a tight straight‑sets win. I'm going to have to go out there and hit the ball a lot better and a lot cleaner and execute better tomorrow than I guess I did today.

Q. What would be the keys to tomorrow's match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. I've definitely got to make him play a lot of balls. You know, he's the kind of guy, he loves hitting a lot of winners and he's capable of hitting a lot of winners from anywhere on the court.

I somehow got to get his serve back as well. You know, if his serve's on, it's like his whole game comes together very nicely.

It's gonna be different, though, I guess, to all the matches this week, knowing that it's best‑of‑five sets. So I'm gonna ‑‑ I guess both players can feel like they can work themselves into the match a little bit more.

Q. Does the public have any influence on your game?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really.

Q. No?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not really. I can't remember, you know, too many times that I lost matches because of the crowd. In Davis Cup ties and stuff like that ‑‑ there's not too many matches away from home that I've lost because of the crowd. The matches that I've lost in Davis Cup have pretty much been because, you know, my opponent's been too good, so...

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November 1, 2002

L. HEWITT/R. Federer
6-4, 6-4

An interview with:
LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Lleyton, it seemed like you were seeing the ball as big as a football right from the start. Is that the best you've felt in a while?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I haven't played that many matches in a while. So it's pretty much this week, every match I've played this week, I felt like I got better and better.

I felt like today I needed to. I felt like it was going to be a real test out there for me today. The only time Roger and I played this year ‑ apart from the Hopman Cup earlier in the year ‑ I lost to him pretty comfortably in the semis in Miami. I felt pretty tired after the long stretch of the hardcourts then.

He's probably one of the form players, I guess, indoors this season again. He always seems to play very well indoors. I felt like I had to try to get up on him early and read his serve. I felt like if I could get enough racquet on the serve, I felt like I had a good chance. That's sort of what happened today.

Q. He was missing quite a few shots. Do you think that was due to what you were doing, making him run?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A few. But then again, every service game that I ‑‑ I didn't feel like I played too many bad service games, yet most of them were 30‑alls or deuce games. There were a few games there, once I was up the early break in the first set, that he had a lot of breakpoints to break back.

I thought it was a pretty good standard of tennis out there today. I'm pretty happy to be through in straight sets against Roger.

Q. Roddick or Srichaphan next. What do you know about those two?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Paradorn's playing incredible tennis at the moment. You just got to look at the results. It's always tough playing a guy with a lot of confidence, especially with his style of game. That's sort of hit‑or‑miss. He goes out there, has a very big game. If everything's working, he looks unbeatable out there.

I lost to him in Tokyo a few weeks ago. I felt pretty ordinary when I was playing him. So I'm feeling a lot better at the moment. So if I do have to play him, then I'm sure I can put in a better performance than I put in there.

Against Andy, well, it's a little bit the same, I guess. Big game. You know, he's going to try and blow you off the court, I guess, and I got to try and make him play as many balls as possible.

Q. How important is it for you to be in a semi in a Masters Series right before Shanghai and the end of the season?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's important for me just because I haven't played a lot of matches the last few weeks. So it's always tough, with my kind of game, just to come in one week and just play extremely well.

So, you know, I'm happy that I took a few weeks off. It probably cost me in Madrid a little bit. I was able just to block that out and come in here. I knew I had to get through my first couple matches, it was going to be tough for me. Now I feel I can step it up another peg or two.

I'm thrilled. This is my best result in Paris ‑ into the semis. I think it's tough for all the guys this time of the year, you know. There's so much riding on these matches for a lot of guys to make the Masters Cup and that. Yet a lot of guys are both mentally and physically ready to sort of put up their racquets and have a bit of a break as well.

Q. Do you feel that you're fresher than last year, for example, at the same time?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Hard to say. It really is. You know, last year I felt pretty tired, but I sort of had a boost coming, you know. I was sort of riding the wave of the US Open a little bit as well. I didn't really feel that fatigue going into the Masters Cup. I think I sort of hit a wall straight after the Davis Cup final last year.

But, you know, this year I felt like, you know, after such a big event in Wimbledon, when I put everything into that and playing well there, I felt like I hit a wall. It's been hard for me to get up for every tournament every week since then. It's probably harder this year than last year.

Q. It seems like today you took a good advantage for the race for No. 1. Any comment on that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not really playing for that at the moment. You know, for me, it's trying to get match practice going into the Masters Cup in a week and a half's time. And, you know, I'm just happy to have got through to another semi this week.

It's always ‑‑ in these tournaments, every match is, you know, sort of like a semi or a final of a normal tour event, a tournament. These Masters Series tournaments, everyone's playing. To get through to the semis or finals, you know you're hitting the ball well.

Q. Can you talk about Srichaphan off the court. He's known to get along well with everybody.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I know him a little bit, just saying hello and that. I've seen him around the Juniors a few times. He's a really nice guy. He seems very down to Earth. Yeah, I just think he really enjoys his tennis. I don't know him well enough to go on any further.

Q. Are you surprised that he's at this level of tennis?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really, no. Doesn't surprise me.

I played him early this year in San Jose. I was down match points in the second round of San Jose to him. Then I played him in Miami. I won in straight sets but a very tough 4 and 6 I think. No, it doesn't surprise me much that he's playing well.

Q. Is it possible to say what kind of year this has been for you? It's had its amazing highs. You've had the illnesses and things. Do you amaze yourself, really, what you've achieved this year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, pretty much. I guess when I started out, you know, after getting No. 1 and losing the Davis Cup final at the end of last year, if I set any kind of goals, it would have been to try and finish No. 1 again, I guess, or put myself in a position to finish 1, and hopefully win a Slam ‑ maybe two.

But, you know, for me, after chicken pox, I'd basically ruined my Australian Open campaign. I really had to evaluate my goals and where I wanted to be from there on.

If you told me that the tournaments that I was going to win this year ‑ Indian Wells, tournaments like that, San Jose ‑ when I came back, then obviously kind of to be leading the race and a real strong chance to finish 1 at this time, I'd take it every time.

Even if I don't finish 1 in a couple of weeks' time, for me, it's been a wonderful year.

As I said a few days ago, I think this year, Wimbledon means a hell of a lot.

Q. But to stay 1 in the rankings, regardless of the Champions Race, is quite a significant achievement.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, to stay 1 the whole year is fantastic. There's not a whole heap of players who can say they've done that. Over the last few years we've seen a lot of guys, I think, sort of shifting around in the rankings, a lot of guys being 1 for four or five weeks, then another guy pops up.

Obviously, Sampras and Agassi were, over the last ten years, able to establish themselves as No. 1 players equally, I guess, in the world, at different times.

You know, for me to have been able to hold it at such a young age, it's, you know, it's sometimes hard to believe, I guess.

Q. I mean, what is "peak" for you? Do you feel you're anywhere near it yet or not?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Some days (laughing). Some days I feel like I wake up and I hit the ball incredibly well. Then I sort of come off and think, "Can I play any better than that?" There's definitely other days where I feel like I can work on my game.

You know, for me, working on my game, I think there's areas that I can definitely work on and improve. I think it may not always show, but it gives me another, you know ‑‑ for example, you know, coming to the net a little bit more, serving a little bit better, getting a high percentage of first serves in, winning cheaper points, stuff like that, where it's going to make my whole package better, I guess.

And in longer Grand Slam tournaments, it might help because it adds another dimension to my game.

Q. You haven't got any idea about the venue for the big Davis Cup tie, have you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not yet, no.

Q. Nothing yet. Is clay an option?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Clay? Probably an outside option. You know, we don't really have much in Australia, though, so...

I think everything's an option at the moment. We just sort of are keeping every base open.

Q. Many people wonder if Pete's going to play next year. Do you have any bet on that at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: My guess is as good as yours. Yeah, I got no idea.

But, you know, if there's ever a time to retire and you want to go out with a bang and on top, it can't get much better, I guess, than going out, winning a US Open in your own country, and beating Andre Agassi, your biggest rival over the last 15 years.

So, you know, you probably couldn't write a script any better if you wanted to go out on a real high.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports...

October 31, 2002 L. HEWITT/Y. Kafelnikov
6-2, 7-6
An interview with:
LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That was a match of two very different sets. What was the key in that second set when Yevgeny came back at you? Were you struggling a little bit, or was he playing particularly well?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I felt like I played extremely well to go up a set and a break. I didn't get as many first serves in as I needed.

He sort of came out with a bit of an all‑or‑nothing strategy from then on and started, every second serve, to whack in the corner and take the initiative straightaway on the point.

To his credit, it worked. He was able to break back. I didn't make many first serves from then on. I struggled. He served a lot better. He started getting a lot more confident from the back of the court.

You know, it was ‑‑ the second set could have gone either way. For me, I was just happy to get out with straight sets.

Q. You put a bit more daylight between yourself and Andre with that win. Do you take much notice of what he'll do today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. For me, I have to worry about Andre if, I guess, I get through to the final and he's on the other side of the net.

For me, I just got to try and take care of business on my own side and see what happens, take it a match at a time.

Q. It's a young man's game these days. Does it at all interest you that you're being pursued by a 32‑year‑old for No. 1 in the world at the end of the year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. Not considering it's Andre Agassi.

Q. Does age have nothing to do with it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not when your name is Andre Agassi, I don't think.

I think a lot of guys wouldn't be able to do it at 32, but he's in such great shape that, you know, I'm not even going to put a time line on when he's going to finish.

He's moving as well as ever. He was able to last, obviously, the other night against a very fit Gaudio ‑ an extremely long match as well. His fitness is definitely not dropping off.

Q. Gaudio beat you, I forget...

LLEYTON HEWITT: Gaudio, yes.

Q. It was a good win for Andre?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yes. I definitely tip him on this kind of court. I don't know if Gaston won too many tournaments indoors.

Q. I just got here today. You were saying after your last match that No. 1 in the world was something you weren't really interested in last year until suddenly you won the US Open. Now you've been No. 1 in the world for the best part of a year. What does it mean now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, No. 1 didn't mean much, I guess, until I went into the Masters Cup and knew that if I won the tournament ‑‑ not even after the US Open. The US Open was such a big thrill for me, to have won my first major, that it really blocked out any thoughts.

I thought I had a wonderful year last year even before I got No. 1. It's a great honor for me to have held the No. 1 ranking so far throughout this year. I felt like I've handled the situation, I guess, of being the No. 1 player pretty well. I like what comes with it as well.

Q. A lot of Australians are No. 1 in the world at many things when it comes to sport.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Including cricket (smiling).

Q. We all know that. We'll find out soon, won't we?

LLEYTON HEWITT: We probably will.

Q. No. 1 at anything has to be big in Australia, doesn't it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: For sure. Australia, we're a great sporting country, doesn't matter what we're doing. We get great crowd support, whichever state we play, any kind of sport. We've had so many great champions over so many years.

For tennis, you just got to look at guys before me and every other guy, how many great Australian champions we've had. We've got such a rich tradition in this sport.

For me, it's a great privilege that I've followed some of those great players before me from Australia.

Q. Is your ambition to be up there with all those heads?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't really think about it. I don't really think about it. If I was nearly as good as those guys, have nearly as good a record as those guys, it would be an unbelievable achievement.

Q. The other thing I wanted to ask you about, the so‑called "mystery virus." I was talking to you in Stuttgart more than two years ago. You had a virus. It's something that seems to be dogging you, doesn't it really? It must be worrying, surely?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I spoke about it the other night after my other match. It's something that I think long flights and stuff like that definitely don't help. I was very run down, I think, after Wimbledon. I wasn't able to sort of quite get my fitness level and my immune system up after Wimbledon. That sort of kept going through me until after the US Open.

Q. You said something about you put everything into winning Wimbledon. Was that the supreme effort of the year necessarily, or what?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Definitely the stand‑out, yeah.

Q. I would like to know about the Davis Cup final, what are your predictions?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Got to go through it again (laughter)?

Well, I said it the other day, but I don't know who's going to win.

Q. Sorry.

LLEYTON HEWITT: For me, it's a toss of the coin. What I said the other day was, yeah, I think a lot depends on Marat Safin. I think he's capable of winning both his matches if he's on.

I think ‑‑ I don't know whether clay helps France or not. I'm not quite sure on that one, because it takes Escude, I think, right out of the picture, and I think Escude is probably one of the best big‑time match players that I've seen in a long time.

And I'd say that, you know, the doubles is probably going to be very critical as well, crucial. I think obviously Kafelnikov wants to win pretty badly as well. I think on paper you'd obviously have to say Safin‑Kafelnikov, they've got a great line‑up.

But I don't think ‑‑ France has such a great tradition in Davis Cup and has produced so many great victories that when they get out there and they're not on paper the best team, they're still somehow able to get those three wins on the board.

I think it's an extremely tight thing. I think definitely playing at home is in France's favor.

Q. Roger Federer next. He's a player with quite a lot of variety in his games. Where does he rank in terms of players that cause you difficulties?

LLEYTON HEWITT: He's definitely up there, I guess, for any player. He's got so much talent. If he's on, on any given day, he's an extremely tough opponent to play. I've got to go out there and play my game. I know that he's going to hit some unbelievable shots out there. He's always ‑‑ he's a shot‑maker. He plays with a lot of flair out there.

So I'm going to have to try to get as many balls back as possible, make him play a lot of balls and see what happens. I got better from my first‑round match to today. Hopefully, I can go up another peg for tomorrow.

Q. I just wanted to ask one more question. About the virus, has nobody been able to track down what it might be? Is it just travel? You've been committing yourself too much to playing?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's a fact of not being able to get over one virus, then sort of your immune system (inaudible) your whole time. You can't quite bounce back, you can become susceptible to picking up little things when you're traveling all the time.

Q. Do you think there's an answer to it by taking a break?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm sure there is. There's not too many chances to take too many long breaks in this game.

Q. Is it gambling against your health?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's a tough situation. You're in a vicious circle a little bit. You obviously want to compete and try to do well at No. 1 in the world ranking‑wise. And, you know, definitely coming into another Grand Slam in Australia at the start of next year, it's very tough to take sort of any major breaks, I guess.

Q. So after Shanghai you've got to look forward to trying to do better at the Australian Open than you've done previously, haven't you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I'm not shooting myself about how many points I'm defending anyway.

October 29, 2002

L. HEWITT/J. Nieminen 6- 2, 6- 4
An interview with: LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Lleyton, please.

Q. How did you feel on the court tonight?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, not too bad. It's always a tough situation playing such a big tournament, when the guy you're playing has already played a match. For the Top 16 players, you know, you got to be awfully careful in your first match; otherwise, it's very easy to have some big upsets in this kind of tournament.

It's not too often in such a big event that you got to go out there and play someone who maybe is in a bit better form than you. First round ‑ or second rounds, I guess, but our first matches ‑ I don't think you can read too much into it. It's more just trying to get the win on the board.

Q. How did you feel compared to last week, especially?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I've obviously been hitting a lot more balls since then, since I lost in Stockholm. Yeah, the way that I've been feeling over the last couple months, you know, I just ‑‑ when I'm able to get out on the court and try, obviously I get stronger and stronger and start hitting the ball a lot better as well, just like anyone would.

Yeah, I obviously feel like I've improved, but there's still room for improvement ‑ which is good.

Q. You haven't played that much since the US Open. Does it mean that you wanted to keep your motivation ‑ especially for the last two events for the race of No. 1?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It really hasn't been my choice not to play too many matches.

I obviously meant to play Madrid, yeah. On doctor's advice, wasn't allowed to play, basically. Otherwise, it could jeopardize coming to Paris or going to Shanghai or even Australia next year.

I know pretty much how bad I felt, you know, halfway through January this year after getting the chicken pox, and I wasn't even going to let that thought come into my mind.

So, you know, on doctor's advice I had to pull out of Madrid, which, yeah, it ended up costing me a few points ‑ but so be it. I guess there's a lot more to my health than just going out there and playing a couple more tennis matches.

Q. Sorry if you already said this, but what was the virus exactly?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I've had viruses sort of dragging on for the last two or three months, you know, since Cincinnati pretty much.

Then, you know, I just wasn't able to get on top of it. I felt like I played, you know, tough matches at the US Open. I just sort of kept wearing myself into the ground. Flying is probably the worst thing for it, which means ‑‑ obviously I had to fly home from New York, back to Australia to play, start preparing ‑ basically couple days off after I arrived home ‑ to start preparing for the qualifying time of Davis Cup.

Then after that, I was pretty much back on the plane going to Tokyo again.

So I just haven't been able to try and fight, get on top of it. That's why the doctors back in Australia that I've been speaking to and that I saw in Germany a couple weeks ago all suggested that, you know, it was pretty much a decision that was out of my hands, out of my control.

Q. Is it something that worries you, because the last few years you had often problems at the end of the year. Do you feel it's something that comes from the energy you spend during the whole year or what?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think so. I think it's tough for Australians, I guess, as well, with so much flying that you got to do. I think that's a huge part of it. Hopping on 24‑hour flights now and then, as I said, is one of the worst things for your body; there's no doubt about that. For your immune system, it gets that run down.

The kind of style of tennis that I play, I lay it all on the line every time I step out there. So it's very easy to get very run down after big tournaments.

I felt like this year at Wimbledon I ran myself into the ground. I put everything into winning Wimbledon or playing well at Wimbledon that I had in the tank, and, you know, pretty much the day after Wimbledon I was a cactus. I didn't want ‑‑ I just wanted to lie in bed for two or three weeks.

Q. Can you think about having a base in Europe?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's tough for Australians, I guess. But the weeks that I'm off, sometimes I go to Kim's tournaments or stuff like that, and Kim has a place in Belgium. I think at the moment that's good enough for me.

When I have the opportunity to get home, I feel like even with the flying and that, it's still nice. There's no place like home, I guess. Mine is a long way away from here. But I feel like I recharge the batteries a lot better there.

Q. Comparing to last year, you and Guga, I'm not sure, but I think Guga was leading the race until you got to Sydney.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yep.

Q. This year you're leading the race. Agassi is behind you. Can you compare.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's funny because last year I really, at the time, I couldn't give two hoots about getting No. 1. I really couldn't care less. I won the US Open. For me, that was the biggest thing, the biggest thrill for me, the biggest accomplishment in my career so far at the time.

I didn't even really think about chasing Guga at all. I think just before coming to Paris, I might have even been third on the race behind Agassi as well. It really didn't even enter my mind. One minute I was probably No. 5 going in before the US Open, then I got up to 3 ‑ 3 was pretty good for me at that stage.

Then basically it hit home when I knew that going into the Masters Cup in Sydney, in front of my home crowd, that I knew that if I won the tournament, I got No. 1. Pretty much I laid all my cards on the table and went out for it then. After that point, it really didn't enter my mind.

This year, it's obviously disappointing that, yeah, I could have been a lot further in front, I guess, if I had gone to Madrid and won some matches there in such a big tournament. Not everything goes to plan I guess.

It's gonna be tough to finish 1, I guess, the way that Andre has been playing. He's a very tough player to beat on any surface.

Q. How did you react when you saw him winning Madrid and coming very close to you? Was it a special motivation for another good fight at the end of the year?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I guess everyone would like to cruise into victory, wouldn't you (laughter)? Wave to the crowd and everything.

It didn't really bother me at all. I just feel like if I finish 1 this year, I've been No. 1 now nearly 12 months. For me, that's an incredible achievement. If someone told me at the start of the year I wasn't going to get No. 1 at the end of the year but I was going to win Wimbledon, I would have taken it for sure. I'll take a Wimbledon title any day of the week.

So if I get 1, it will be fantastic; no doubt about that. But if Andre's too good and gets No. 1, you got to take your hat off.

I've got to say that things didn't always fall my way, I guess, throughout the year in tournaments, and not being able to play some tournaments due to illness. Apart from that, I've had a tremendous year anyway.

Q. There will be a Davis Cup final here in three weeks.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yep.

Q. Can you tell us your opinion about that. Who is favorite in your opinion?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's a tough one. I only found out it was on clay a couple days ago. I thought it would be on the same surface we're playing on here.

But it's a tough call. The reason is Marat Safin is such a great player, I think, that he can win a tie, I guess, off his own racquet. But the big thing is, yeah, is Marat going to be there, I guess?

Then the other thing is that I guess as an Australian and losing to the French last year in the final, Australia and France have a very ‑ I'm not saying every other country doesn't ‑ but Australia and France have a very good thing of not always fielding such great individual players, but they gel together well as a team.

I'm pretty sure Guy Forget will be very happy with the squad he's got. I guess at the moment Grosjean is the only Top 10 player on the team. You just got to look at the draw here to see how many guys could have got wildcards into this tournament and didn't.

I'm not even going to predict one, because I've got no idea. I think, as I said, I think Safin's capable of winning both his matches. Kafelnikov is obviously on the way out but wants it extremely bad. But the slight advantage is, for sure, going to be playing in France. You know, all the French players play extremely well in this tournament and Roland Garros. Can't see why it's going to be any different in a few weeks' time.

Q. Back to the Masters Cup, knowing you're already in, is there some kind of mental relief knowing you and Agassi are already in, and six or seven guys are still fighting out there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I guess. It's a lot better than being in, I guess, Moya or Roddick ‑‑ or I guess Moya and Roddick are probably the two in the toughest situations. They've got to do something. If they do something, then Henman and Federer and those guys have to start worrying.

But at this stage, I'd say Safin and Ferrero are probably just about certainties to get in.

And then, you know, Roddick's a fair way behind him, probably have to make a semi or final or win, I guess, to get in it.

Moya, we all know he's capable of definitely winning it here and probably deserves to get in, but may get kicked out because of Costa.

It's a very interesting scenario.

Q. Does it matter to you who's in?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, it's eight tough players ‑ seven tough players, plus myself. It doesn't really matter on, I guess, the draw either. You're going to get three other tough guys in your group who have been able to play extremely well for 12 months of the year. It's a bloody tough competition.

Q. How do you see your third round with Kafelnikov?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I've seemed to have the edge most of the times I've played Yevgeny. He's a tough competitor. I watched a little bit of his match today on TV. He looked very determined out there. The biggest thing is he's sort of going out there with a little bit of a "nothing to lose" attitude. He's made no secret he wants the Davis Cup pretty bad. I think he'd be willing to sacrifice this tournament to win the Davis Cup.

So, you know, he's going out there pretty free‑flowing out there. And, yeah, he's trying to get his game honed in for the Davis Cup. He's also looking for a few more matches.

I got to go out there and play better than I did tonight and just try and go up another gear, I guess.

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