Tennis: Hewitt wrests cup from Ferrero's grip

by Bud Collins

Monday, November 18, 2002

Australian fights back to win Masters

SHANGHAI Juan Carlos Ferrero glanced skyward Sunday for an instant, saw
nothing but black and gray beams, and then looked down at the blue floor
that wasn't as blue as he felt.
.
He didn't want to look up again because as soon as the last shot of the
season left Lleyton Hewitt's racket, describing a beautifully arched lob
well beyond him, Ferrero knew he had lost the match of his young life. He
began to weep exhaustedly.
.
Every one of the 10,000 screaming witnesses cramming the New International
Expo Center knew it, too, and wept within.
.
With one final softly rising but deadly shot, it was obvious before the
yellow ball landed and bounced lackadaisically that Ferrero, a willowy
22-year-old Spaniard, had been abruptly beaten, 7-5, 7-5, 2-6, 2-6, 6-4,
after seeming to find the secret to uprooting the unyielding Australian.
.
You could see why Ferrero, whose name the crowd had been chanting, sobbed.
He had grittily reversed the course of the Masters Cup championship battle,
getting off that hard-paved floor to block Hewitt's procession to a second
consecutive title by winning the third and fourth sets, and twice leading
by service breaks, 2-0, and then 3-1, in the fifth.
.
Theirs was saga of almost four hours, a smorgasbord of firepower mostly
from the baseline that kept the patrons groaning and screeching in wonder.
Double-digit exchanges were common as each drove the other to the ultimate
in a struggle of anything-you-can-do-I-can-do-better-and-stronger.
.
Their incredible seesaw battle never stopped as Ferrero and Hewitt left
their hearts on that sea-blue rectangle in the finest of the 33 Masters
finals.
.
Hewitt was assured of keeping his No. 1 merit badge when No. 2 Andre
Agassi's fortune cookie disgorged a "Tilt!" after a second defeat in the
preliminary round robin.
.
But it was far from sure that Hewitt would hang on to the Masters, too. He
had lost to Carlos Moya and needed a victory from Moya over the third
Spaniard, Albert Costa, to qualify for the semifinal on this exclusive
merry-go-round involving the world's top eight players.
.
Just when it appeared that Hewitt had been worn down by Ferrero, he did his
Clark Kent act without benefit of a phone booth. Even though Hewitt may not
be quite as fast as a speeding bullet, he has become the superman of tennis
on steel legs and a heart that doesn't know how to quit.
.
Never was his unbending will on view more substantially than during the
past week in Shanghai as he turned back such daunting challengers as Marat
Safin and Roger Federer in thrillers, all within 45 hours and each time
with the victory appearing graspable by his opponent.
.
As Ferrero moved to 3-1 in the fifth set Sunday, he had the look of a
winner. Hewitt found his own serve slipperier to hold than an eel, but he
delivered a strong game to 2-3 and "was encouraged," he said afterward.
.
Preying on Ferrero's backhand as he had during the first two sets, he
punctured his opponent, a French Open finalist, to 3-3.
.
Hewitt was back in business. He held to 4-3, the first time he had nosed
ahead in nearly two hours. Ferrero responded forcefully with a pair of aces
to 4-4, and the zany crowd did the wave.
.
But that was all for Ferrero, who had beaten Hewitt two years ago in
Barcelona to give Spain the Davis Cup as another Juan Carlos (the country's
king) watched admiringly.
.
Hewitt had changed to a funereal gray shirt and soon enshrouded the
Spaniard in a gray mood, a closing passage in which Ferrero scored but two
points. Hewitt's serve had surfaced with a vengeance - an ace and two
service winners to 5-4.
.
From 15-all he scooted to Ferrero's drop shot to win the point with a
smash: 15-30. Ferrero missed another backhand and found himself in the
clutches of match point.
.
Hewitt blew a forehand and lunged to barely return the next serve. Ferrero
came in behind a forehand and half-volleyed Hewitt's reply. The ball was to
the Australian's liking, and his swing was an executioner's - the backhand
lob that Ferrero didn't want to see and that prompted his tears.
.
After the match, Hewitt said with relief: "I couldn't imagine sitting here
as the champion again. But I kept thinking about my Wimbledon win over
Sjeng Schalken where I won the first two sets and lost the next two and was
down two breaks in fifth. I kept thinking maybe I can do it again. This was
one of my greatest wins."
.
In the semifinals played Saturday, Ferrero proved a superb returner of
Moya's mighty serve throughout his 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-4 victory.
.
Ferrero evaded two break points in the second game of the last set, pierced
Moya with a buggy-whip forehand passer to 4-3, and hung on.
.
Meanwhile Hewitt superbly displayed his survivalist skills - hurdling 16 of
21 break points - in a demanding 3-hour roller-coaster ride to push Federer
off the track on a fourth match point, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5.
.
Dashing everywhere, both utilized every inch of the enclosure, so brilliant
in their shotmaking and retrieving that the gallery almost ran out of
gasps.
.
For openers, Hewitt brushed aside five set points in the first, one as
Federer served for the set at 5-3, four more as he caught up to 5-5.
.
Despite breaking to 6-5, the Australian had to dodge five break points in a
4-deuce game.
.
In the second set Hewitt seemed to have Federer discouraged. But rebounding
with huge forehands and volleys, the Swiss saved a match point with one of
those forehands to stymie Hewitt's attempt to serve it out at 5-4. Hewitt
would have to put in another hour and 17 minutes before seizing his last
match point.

<<<END>>>

Hewitt wins the Masters Cup

By Glenda Korporaal
The Australian
November 18, 2002

LLEYTON HEWITT did what he does best. Two sets up, the Australian looked to be well on his way to adding the Masters Cup to the trophy he had claimed last Thursday night for finishing the year ranked No. 1, his main goal when he stepped off the plane in the Orient.

Within little more than an hour, his Spanish opponent Juan Carlos Ferrero, ranked four in the world, had wiped away that two-set lead and had broken Hewitt's serve to take a 3-1 lead in the fifth and final set. No. 1 he might have been but a triumphant finish looked like being snatched from his grasp.

But the world No. 1's ability to fight to the end has produced more comeback tales than would seem possible for a man of the tender age of 21. No matter how great the deficit, only a fool considers that Hewitt cannot fight his way back from a seemingly lost cause.

Fight back Hewitt did. He broke the Spaniard back to level at 3-3. Serving at 4-5 to stay in the match, Ferrero allowed Hewitt two match points. He saved the first but the Australian won the second when he hit a backhand lob that Ferrero could only watch and applaud. The exquisite shot completed a marathon 7-5 7-5 2-6 2-6 6-4 win in 3hr 52min.

Hewitt's year started as a grind and it stayed that way right to the jubilant end.

The South Australian said he had pushed through the "pain barrier" numerous times throughout the season-ending event.

"I just had to dig deep and keep on fighting," Hewitt said minutes after falling flat on his back in front of a packed crowed of 10,000 at the Shanghai Expo Stadium.

He described his win as "fantastic" and thanked his coach Jason Stoltenberg for his help during the year.

"This is one of the biggest events in tennis throughout the calendar year," Hewitt said.

"We had a very rough start to the year when I got chicken pox down in Australia. I would have laughed at you if you told me that I would be standing here with the No. 1 trophy and winning this tournament.

From the moment that bout of chicken pox forced him to withdraw from the Hopman Cup in January, Hewitt fought an ongoing battle with a virus and fatigue. As recently as last month it led him to pull out of the Madrid Masters, despite the fact he was trying to protect a lead over a fast-finishing Andre Agassi in the race to claim the coveted year-end No. 1 ranking.

"I really haven't felt 100 per cent most of the year," Hewitt said.

Yet, for the whole year, the dogged baseliner managed to hold the No. 1 ranking he first claimed when he won the Masters Cup in Sydney a year ago.

Throughout this year's tournament, no-one gave Hewitt an easy ride, let alone a straight-sets victory.

French Open champion Albert Costa took him to a third set on the opening night. The in-form Carlos Moya beat him in straight sets the next. Marat Safin also took their match to a third set 24 hours later. And then there was the epic three-set semi-final against Roger Federer that stretched into the early hours of yesterday morning, described by commentators as one of the matches of the year.

After that win, Hewitt spoke of his "never say die" philosophy. How soon he would have to call on it.

When Ferrero raced through the third and fourth sets last night, it seemed the Australian might finally have hit the wall. But yet again Hewitt tapped into his reservoir of determination.

The Masters Cup was Hewitt's fifth title of the year – adding to his triumphs at San Jose, Indian Wells, Queen's and Wimbledon – equalled only by Agassi.

Hewitt picked up $US1.4 million for winning the tournament, boosting his prizemoney earnings for the year to $US3.75 million and his career total to a staggering $US10 million.

Hewitt will return home to Adelaide today where another prize, a CLK320 Mercedes, will be delivered.


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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2002

Hewitt reigns in China

Lleyton Hewitt has finished the tennis season in style with a thrilling five-set win over Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final of the Masters Cup in Shanghai.

In a hard-fought tussle, the world no.1 triumphed 7-5 7-5 2-6 2-6 6-4 in just under four hours for his second successive Masters Cup title.

Hewitt looked well on his way to victory after snaring the opening two sets but Ferrero blasted the Australian away in the next two to set up a deciding fifth set.

In a gripping final set, Ferrero jumped out to a 3-1 lead before the gutsy Australian won five of the last six games for a memorable victory. Hewitt sealed the win with a topspin backhand lob from behind the baseline that dipped over a fatigued Ferrero.

The title was Hewitt’s fifth of the year.

Despite the two having played draining three-set matches on Saturday, the opening pace was furious, with Ferrero gaining the first break to go ahead 3-1.

However, the Spaniard was unable to serve it out, with Hewitt breaking back and then holding his own serve to go ahead 6-5.

A flustered Ferrero was unable to stop the Australian’s surge, and Hewitt took the set when Ferrero hit a forehand long.

Hewitt maintained the momentum in the second set, holding a 3-1 lead before Ferrero broke back to 3-3.

Again it was Hewitt who played the key points well, breaking Ferrero in the 12th game to open up a two-set cushion.

Sensing the match slip away, Ferrero came out firing early in the third set, displaying a punishing array of groundstrokes to overpower Hewitt.

He broke Hewitt twice as the Australian seemed to lose focus, with Ferrero taking the set 6-2.

The fourth set was again Ferrero’s as he forced Hewitt into a number of uncharacteristic errors. The pace of the match had taken its toll on both players, as they each received treatment towards the end of the set.

Ferrero looked well on his way to victory in the fifth set when he jumped ahead 3-1, but a rejuvenated Hewitt somehow found his second win, taking a 5-4 lead with an ace.

The final game was full of drama, as the players engaged in energy-sapping rallies. The end came with Hewitt’s pinpoint lob giving Ferrero no chance.

Masters Cup Final:
(1) LLEYTON HEWITT (AUSTRALIA) bt (4) Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) 7-5 7-5 2-6 2-6 6-4


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Masters Cup King: Hewitt Beats Ferrero In Five To Claim Second Straight Masters Crown

By Richard Pagliaro
Tennisweek.com
11/17/2002

He topped the ATP rankings from the first day of the season to the last and Lleyton Hewitt waited until his final match of the year to conduct a complete collapse.

As sweat poured from his pores following his near four-hour fight with Juan Carlos Ferrero, the fiery, fist-pumping Hewitt fell flat on his back and screamed with primal passion in the aftermath of his captivating 7-5, 7-5, 2-6, 2-6, 6-4 victory to capture his second consecutive Tennis Masters Cup crown in Shanghai.

With his right fist clenched, the fingertips of his left hand held his racquet and the veins in his neck were visible as Hewitt's shriek served as both an explosion of emotion and a resounding replacement of tension with triumph.

"Every match this week was a grind," Hewitt said. "I didn't have one easy match. I think maybe a couple of three-hour matches and a four-hour match, nearly. I don't know how I held up at all."

For Ferrero, the match was a story of missed opportunities. He squandered a chance to serve out the first set and could not sustain his 3-1 lead in the decisive set. Still, Ferrero, who also fell short in the French Open final in the spring, was pleased with his play in the final months of the season.

"I don't feel very happy, but if I'm thinking in the year, I have to be happy," Ferrero said. "Right now, I finish the year really playing good tennis."

The man who refused to back down took victory lying down. Nearly a week to the day after his girlfriend, Kim Clijsters, conquered top-ranked Serena Williams to win the WTA season-ending title in Los Angeles, Hewitt withstood a determined charge from Ferrero to reclaim the crown he won last November in Sydney over Sebastien Grosjean.

The Wimbledon winner became the first man since Pete Sampras in 1997 to claim consecutive season-ending championships. The 21-year-old Hewitt is the youngest player to hold the season-ending No. 1 ranking in successive seasons. It is an immense achievement for the animated Aussie, who joins Hall of Fame champions Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl and 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras as the only men to hold the top spot for a complete calendar year.

As Ferrero fought back from a two set to none deficit to even the match behind ballistic baseline play it appeared the Roland Garros runner-up was ready to take control of the match.

Facing a 1-3 deficit in the decisive set, a drained Hewitt dug down deep for one final charge. Playing with tremendous control under oppressive pressure, Hewitt broke back and won five of the final six games. On his second match point, Hewitt hoisted a lofty lob that eluded Ferrero and when the ball landed in the court, Hewitt crashed to the court as a champion again.

"There were times during the match when I was hurting and I was struggling," said Hewitt, who collected the champion's check for $700,000. "My legs just felt dead out there, and I sort of put everything in to try to end up winning the first set. When I came back and won the second, as well, I just had a bit of a letdown and just sort of hit the wall halfway through the third set."

"I don't feel very happy, but if I'm thinking in the year, I have to be happy," Ferrero said. "Right now, I finish the year really playing good tennis."

November 17, 2002
www.masters-cup.com

Natural Born Winner

By Richard Evans

Winners are born, not made, and winning is the only thing Lleyton Hewitt understands. No path is too difficult; no mountain too high; no task too arduous for this skinny 21-year-old from Adelaide who won his first tournament at the age of sixteen and has now confirmed everything he showed us in Sydney twelve months ago - standing on top of the tennis world and winning the Tennis Masters Cup for the second consecutive year.

By beating Juan Carlos Ferrero from 1-3 down in the fifth, Hewitt not only defied medical logic by finding a reserve tank of physical energy few would have thought possible but he placed himself alongside the greatest players of the Open era. As a multiple winner of this year-end finale to one of sport's most grueling examinations of stamina and determination, Hewitt now joins Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Pete Sampras in winning back-to-back titles while only Ilie Nastase in the seventies and Ivan Lendl a decade later have managed three in a row. In Houston, this time next year, look for Lleyton. It will be surprising if he is not pushing for the hat-trick.

The most remarkable aspect of this latest Hewitt triumph is that the Australian was never at his best throughout a tumultuous week of wonderfully enthusiastic crowds and great tennis. Marat Safin, who beat him in the final of the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris two weeks ago, nearly got him in the round-robin and then Roger Federer put him through three of the toughest sets imaginable in the semi-final.

Stamina, as Hewitt admitted the night before, was always going to be a factor in the final and, after running another marathon to win the first two sets 7-5, 7-5 against Ferrero, it seemed as if the tank had run dry. First serves were missed on a regular basis and backhands thudded into the net. Ferrero leveled by winning the third and fourth 6-2, 6-2 and many experts thought Hewitt was finished when the Spaniard earned a 3-1 lead in the fifth.

But it was then that Hewitt found his first serve and produced two love games out of three in between breaking back to get the set on level terms. Once that happened you could see the confidence drain from Ferrero's game. Hewitt's eyes grew wider as he focused on each service return and he was back on track - the only track he knows; the one that leads to the winner's circle.

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November 17, 2002
www.masters-cup.com

Hewitt Goes Back-to-Back

By Bill Scott

Lleyton Hewitt concluded another ATP dream season in awesome style Sunday, defeating Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 7-5, 2-6, 2-6, 6-4 to lift his second straight title at the $3.75 million Tennis Masters Cup.

The victory added more luster to the 21-year-old standout's career as he finished No. 1 again after doing it a year ago in Sydney. But it was not without drama, as Ferrero mounted a mid-match charge which threatened to spoil the tiring Hewitt's afternoon.

After two breaks apiece in the final set, Hewitt scratched into winning position as he held with a ace for 5-4. A game later, he ended the tense showdown in Shanghai with a winning topspin lob which Ferrero could not touch.

Hewitt ends the year with five titles, his second straight top ranking and total prize money of $3.7 million, which includes $1.4 for his performance in China's largest city.

A capacity crowd of nearly 10,000 watched the world-beater end his week in emphatic style.

His prize packet also includes a fully-equipped Mercedes CLK320 to be delivered to his home in Adelaide. Hewitt will perhaps have to add an extra space in the garage of the home he is building on the city's waterfront for his newest set of wheels.

Ferrero's defeat leaves Alex Corretja (Hanover, 1998) and Manuel Orantes (Houston, 1976) as the only Spaniards to win the season-ending championship. Ferrero moved to fourth place in the ATP Champions Race by reaching the final and will become the first Spaniard since Sergi Bruguera (1993-94) to finish in the Top 5 in consecutive seasons.

Hewitt began the campaign to close out his 61st win of the season as he showed his resilience after dropping serve in the seventh game of the opening set to trail 3-4.

He quickly got the break back to square it at 5-all. Ferrero then began to fade in the face of the Australian's attack, losing the set as Hewitt profited from a return long off the Spaniard's racket.

The Australian quickly seized the swinging momentum, staking a claim on the second set with a break in the second game. That raised the challenge for Ferrero, who broke back in a fifth game filled with spectacular rallies and duels from the baseline.

Showing the power that has characterized his game all week at the year-end event, Hewitt grabbed a two-sets margin as he pounced on a Ferrero double-fault which produced two set points for the Australian.

The first was saved, but Hewitt snapped up the second with a winner.

It was all Ferrero in the third and fourth sets as the accumulation of a long season perhaps began to show in Hewitt's legs. By early in the fifth set, the Australian had notched 60 unforced errors.

But he soldiered on into a make-or-break fifth set, littered with breaks in the first three games. The Australian got it back on court with a break-back for 3-all after a volley duel.

Hewitt then marched to victory and immediately announced the good news to girlfriend and WTA Championships winner Kim Clijsters in Belgium in an on-court mobile phone conversation as the pair celebrated a trophy double at year-end events.

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November 17, 2002
www.masters-cup.com

The Little Guy Who Made it Big

By Bill Scott

Tough times on court as the runt of the litter molded Lleyton Hewitt into the 21-year-old world-beater that he is today.

The winner of back-to-back world No. 1 titles also doubled up on Masters Cup trophies as he beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 7-5, 2-6, 2-6, 6-4 Sunday to cap his season in style.

But fighting a virus that saps his immune system as well as opponents out to knock him from his perch is all part of the job for the ATP target man.

"This year I went up against the odds quite a few times and was able to bounce back," he said. "That's the most satisfying part of this year. The chicken pox knocked me around a lot at the start. I was so disappointed with what happened at the Australian Open."

Hewitt's year couldn't have started in a worse way as he went out in the first round of the year's first Grand Slam. He still managed to bounce back over the course of the season, winning Wimbledon and three other titles before Shanghai to finish atop the heap again.

"I tried to prove to myself and everyone else," he said of this 2002 campaign. "I've been able to build on it this year."

Hewitt said that competing in juniors toughened up his tennis quickly and instilled his trademark fighting spirit which has become the biggest part of his game.

"I always played out of my age group; I played bigger stronger kids. I had to develop ways to beat them, since I didn't enjoy losing. One thing I learned was to be mentally tough.

"I'm very competitive. I see every point as match point in a lot of ways. If I can beat a guy who is serving at 40-0, if I win that game it's a bigger bonus than breaking to love.

"You start to get into their minds a bit more."

Hewitt said that the fatigue factor was one of his biggest opponents this week. His finals victory in nearly four hours all but ran Hewitt into the ground.

"Every match this week was a grind," he said after claiming $1.4 million and a Mercedes CLK320 for his week's work. "I didn't have one easy match.

"I lost to Carlos Moya and I had a couple of three-hour and a four-hour match. I don't know how I held up at all considering how I've been feeling the last few weeks.

"It was a relief to win," Hewitt said after a well-placed lob ended the afternoon. "I can put my feet up now and go on holidays. I can't wait."

Hewitt called the Shanghai week "fantastic, it's been another very special week in my tennis career and in my life.

"Coming here and defending was important. My goal was to get world No. 1 again. Once that passed I tried to put everything into regaining the focus, desire and motivation to win and defend my title.

"That's not easy to do against the best seven players in the world. Anyone in the tournament could have

Hewitt the champion again
From correspondents in Shanghai
November 17, 2002
WORLD No.1 Lleyton Hewitt crowned another glorious year with a lion-hearted display to win the prestigious Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai tonight.

The young Wimbledon champion earned every cent of the $US1.4 million ($A2.49 million) he pocketed after twice coming from a break of serve down in the final set to deny Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5 7-5 2-6 2-6 6-4 at The New Shanghai International Expo Centre.

The thrilling encounter lasted three hours and 52 minutes and came after his three-hour, three-set semi-final win over Roger Federer 24 hours earlier.

Hewitt, having clinched his second straight year-end No.1 ranking on Thursday night when Andre Agassi failed to progress past the round-robin stages of the $US3.75 million ($A6.67 million) extravaganza, also became the first player since Pete Sampras in 1997 to win back-to-back season-ending championships.

And Hewitt's triumph completed a memorable double for the 21-year-old Australian and his Belgian girlfriend Kim Clijsters, who took out the women's season-ending championship in Los Angeles on Monday.









As he did in 2001, Hewitt ended the year with a tour-best 61-15 win-loss match record and equal tour-best - with Agassi - five titles.

His yearly on-court earnings totalled $US3,752,719 ($A6.68 million), plus a $US866,666 ($A1.54 million) bonus for winning 2001 Champions Race and fulfilling his commitments as world No.1 during the 2002 season.

Almost 10,000 Chinese fans paid between $150 and $200 for a ticket to tonight's final of the richest and biggest international sporting event held in the People's Republic.

If they came to see the world's premier player grind another opponent into submission, they went home happy.

Hewitt trailed Ferrero 5-3 in the first set but, as ever, lifted when the chips were down to reel off seven games in a row to take the set and skip to a 3-0 lead in the second.

A lapse allowed the Spanish No.1 to break back and level at 3-3 before Hewitt again raised his game to heap pressure on Ferrero.

Serving at 5-6 to stay in the set, Ferrero volleyed long and double-faulted to gift Hewitt two set points.

Hewitt converted his second chance when Ferrero, not for the first time in the match, finished on the wrong end of a long baseline rally.

Ferrero upped the ante in the back-court slugfest to take the third set with service breaks in the first and fifth games.

Finding more sting on his groundstrokes than the tiring Hewitt, Ferrero repeated the dose in the fourth with breaks in the first and the seventh games to send the match into a decider.

The 22-year-old French Open runner-up had Hewitt on the ropes after again breaking the world No.1's serve in the opening game of the fifth.

But the never-say-die Australian rallied to break back immediately, only to drop his serve again, after saving three break points, to fall behind 2-1.

But having been up two sets to love, and boasting a 16-6 record in finals, tennis's fiercest competitor hadn't come this far to lose.

Again, he found the energy and nerve to break back to level at 3-3 and then clinched the title when on his second match point with a brilliant backhand lob that the helpless Ferrero could only look on and watch - and applaud.

Ferrero would console himself with a cheque for $US700,000 ($A1.25 million) and a career-high world No.3 ranking.

He is the first Spaniard since dual French Open champion Sergi Bruguera (1993-94) to finish in the top five in consecutive years.

Hewitt telephoned Clijsters immediately after the match to tell her of his victory.

Hewitt paid tribute to his vanquished opponent and then to his family, friends, his travelling support and coach Jason Stoltenberg.

"We had a very rough start to the year when I got chicken pox. I would have laughed if you told me at the start of the year I would be standing here now holding up this trophy," he said.

1-Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) d 4-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Esp) 7-5 7-5 2-6 2-6 6-4

Hewitt Wins Epic to Reach Shanghai Final

By Ossian Shine

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Lleyton Hewitt turned in a magnificent performance on Saturday to sink Switzerland's Roger Federer and reach the final of the Tennis Masters Cup.

The match will go down as a 7-5, 5-7, 7-5 victory in the record books but the figures do no justice to one of the performances of the season from a man crowned year-end world number one two days ago.

Never had the Australian fought harder. The man for whom industry and determination are oxygen to his lungs simply refused to lose.

"I hate to lose. I really don't know how to put it," Hewitt said afterwards. "That competitive spirit in me keeps burning."

In the face of stupendous hitting and ferocious firepower from his opponent Hewitt stood firm, treating vicious serves with venom.

His bazooka-like forehand consistently found the few on-court inches his inspired opponent was unable to cover and his backhand was majestic.

Certainly Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero, Hewitt's opponent in Sunday's final after he beat Carlos Moya in the first semi, will have plenty to think about overnight.

The Wimbledon champion fought off nine break points in the opening set and raised his game a notch each time Federer lifted his to new heights.

CLASSIC ENCOUNTER

The harder Federer hit the ball, the faster Hewitt ran. The $3.7 million Tennis Masters Cup is the biggest professional sports event to have been staged in China and the fans were treated to a classic encounter.

They appreciated it to the extent that at one stage Federer was forced to stick his fingers in his ears, so loudly were the 9,000 screaming and cheering every point.

Federer was rocked at losing the opening set having had so many break points and been a break ahead and he dropped his opening serve of the second set.

But the Swiss has been one of the form players this week and buckled down to work, snatching a break back for 3-3 when Hewitt double-faulted on break point.

He repaid the favor a game later however, double-faulting at break point, and never recovered.

With the bit between his teeth, Hewitt was all fist pumps and 'c'mons' as he raced toward the line, but Federer was not finished. He saved a match point while trailing 5-4, broke back and then broke again, clinching the set on his fourth set point 7-5.

Only Hewitt's monumental will to win carried him through the decider as Federer continued to fire on all cylinders. But in the end he could not break down the world number one who clinched victory on his fourth match point when the Swiss thumped a forehand long.

"I went through the pain barrier a few times," Hewitt said. You've got to keep fighting it out and I managed to do that. I'm not quite sure how I got through that."

RARE OCCASIONS

Ferrero, a semi-finalist last year, reached his first Masters final in a quieter way but he too was forced to fight like mad. He finally triumphed in the Chinese sea port, edging fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya 6-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Both Spaniards swiftly found their rhythms at the New Expo Center, with Ferrero pounding away from the back of the court while Moya was taking the net on the rare occasions he was given a short ball.

Ferrero had won six of the pair's previous eight meetings, including their last trip to China at the Hong Kong Open, and he took the initial advantage when he grabbed a 4-2 lead after Moya whipped a forehand into the net.

The 22-year-old looked to be heading for the set when he clubbed a high forehand away for a 5-2 lead but Moya rocked him two games later, breaking back when Ferrero double faulted and taking him in a tiebreak.

Stung by having let the set slip from his grasp, Ferrero punched his way through Moya's defenses in the opening game of the second set, before both players held serve throughout to allow Ferrero to win the set 6-4 and level matters.

The pair were playing some sublime tennis by this stage. At 2-2 Moya was called on to save two break points and he obliged, once with a second serve ace.

At 3-3 he fell 0-40 behind, saved the first and second with forehand winners but on the third an exquisitely guided forehand pass across his body left Moya floundering and gave Ferrero one foot in the final.

Serving for the match at 5-4, Ferrero faltered at first, throwing in a double fault and allowing Moya to dominate.

But when Moya clipped the net with an angled volley to hand Ferrero match point, the younger man seized his moment, caressing a deft drop volley just over the net which the scrambling Moya could not scoop up.

Hewitt digs deep for thrilling win
November 17 2002
The Sun-Herald

The phenomenal Lleyton Hewitt once again confirmed his status as world No.1 with a signature win last night to reach the final of the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.

Hewitt displayed all his renowned grit and courage to stave off an incredible 17 break points en route to an epic 7-5 5-7 7-5 victory over sweet-hitting Swiss Roger Federer at The New Shanghai International Expo Centre.

He will meet Juan Carlos Ferrero in tomorrow's final after the Spaniard upset his in-form compatriot Carl Moya 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 6-4 in tonight's first semi-final.

Hewitt has spoken often this week of fatigue and his battle against ill health this year.

He could have been forgiven for a lapse after retaining his year-end No.1 ranking when Andre Agassi was eliminated from the $US3.75 million round-robin event on Thursday night.

But defeat is the dirtiest of words for the 21-year-old from Adelaide.

His stubborn refusal to lose would not allow such a preposterous outcome against Federer, who threw all he had at Hewitt in a spectacular first set only to finish empty handed.

Sixth seed Federer, also 21 and potentially one of Hewitt's great rivals for the top ranking in the years ahead, came out blazing winners and broke the defending champion's first service game to establish a 3-0 lead.

The sixth served for the set at 5-3 and brought up set point with an ace.

But he failed to capitalise and two unforced errors from Federer enabled Hewitt to get games back on serve.

Hewitt saved four set points in the next game, two with clutch volleys, one with an ace and another with a forehand winner.

He then fended off a further five break points in the next game with some more brilliant tennis before serving out the set in exactly one hour, Federer cutting a forlorn figure when he sent a forehand wide having converted just one of 10 break points.

Hewitt converted his only two opportunities in the first set and then broke Federer in the first game of the second set.

But Federer, too, showed he could fight and replied to get back to 3-3 and forced the Wimbledon champion to save two break points in the eighth game, prompting some customary fist pumping and more than the odd "come on".

At one point, the noise became so loud inside the indoor arena that Federer was forced to put his fingers in his ears to block out the fever-pitch roars of approval for Hewitt's sublime play.

The near-capacity crowd of more than 9000 Chinese spectators were simply enthralled.

Even more so when Federer, himself playing inspired tennis to drag himself back into the contest, finally converted his fourth set point to level after an hour and 55 minutes.

He had to save one match point with Hewitt serving at 5-4 to do so.

Hewitt rallied to break Federer in the ninth game of the deciding set, but succumbed to the tension and was unable to serve out at the match at his first attempt.

He broke Federer to love when the Swiss twice double-faulted to give Hewitt a 6-5 lead.

He finally closed out the stellar match on his fourth match point after in two hours and 58 minutes.

He will be gunning for his fifth title of the year against Ferrero and to add another $US700,000 to his weekly earnings of already $US700,000.

Ferrero will be playing for his third title of the year, from five finals, and will rise to third in the 2002 ATP Champions Race - behind only Hewitt and Agassi - if he can somehow conjure up an answer to stop Hewitt's relentless march to a triumphant end to another wonderful season for the 21-year-old.

Ferrero's advancement to the championship finale bettered his semi-final showing in Sydney last year, when he lost in straight sets to Hewitt.

Moya went into the semi-final as the favourite after claiming the scalps of Hewitt and world No.3 Marat Safin, last week's Paris Masters champion, during his unbeaten charge to the last four.

Moya, with four titles to his name this year, has rediscovered the form that lifted him to world No.1 briefly in 1998, when he won the French Open, to equal Hewitt's tour-best 59 match wins this season.

But his run came to a halt at the hands of an inspired Ferrero, this year's French Open runner-up.

AAP

Saturday, 16 November, 2002, 09:46 GMT
BBC Sport

Champ Hewitt into final

All the action as Lleyton Hewitt reaches the Masters Cup final after an epic semi against Roger Federer.

World number one Lleyton Hewitt had to display all of his battling qualities as he overcame Switzerland's Roger Federer in an epic encounter.

The Australian looked set for victory at one break up in the second set after taking the first.

But Federer somehow put together a run of five successive games to take the match into a third set - but Hewitt emerged victorious after a scintillating encounter.

note: reads from the last game to the first

***

Federer 5-7 7-5 5-7 Hewitt
Hewitt finally celebrates as an exhausted Federer runs out of ideas and energy.

The Swiss player ends an epic match by hitting a forehand too long, and Hewitt will face Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final as he bids to defend his title.

Federer 5-7 7-5 5-6 Hewitt
Federer, having pulled himself out of the mire in the previous game, drops himself straight back in it, finishing a dire service game with two double faults. For the third time, Hewitt serves for the match.

Federer 5-7 7-5 5-5 Hewitt
Federer somehow finds reserves of mental and physical strength to save another match point and break Hewitt - who, for once, is displaying signs of nerves. The match is all square again.

Federer 5-7 7-5 4-5 Hewitt
Hewitt's mental strength seems to have finally broken Federer's spirit. The Swiss player is broken for the first time since the start of the second set, and now Hewitt serves for the match for a second time.

Federer 5-7 7-5 4-4 Hewitt
Once again, Hewitt's extraordinary battling qualities come to the fore as he saves two break points. The Australian has saved 16 of the 20 break points he has faced - and he levels again.

Federer 5-7 7-5 4-3 Hewitt
Both players are starting to show signs of fatigue as the match goes past the two-and-a-half hour point, but Federer rediscovers some freshness to close out with an ace.

Federer 5-7 7-5 3-3 Hewitt
Federer is utterly focused on his task, and takes Hewitt to deuce before the Australian finally triumphs to square the match once again.

Federer 5-7 7-5 3-2 Hewitt
Some explosive first serves from Federer cannot disguise the fact that his forehand is failing him too often for comfort. Nevertheless, he is too strong for his opponent and regains the upper hand.

Federer 5-7 7-5 2-2 Hewitt
Hewitt is thankful for an overrule in his favour from the umpire, although he is generally on top in the game, and there is still nothing between the two players.

Federer 5-7 7-5 2-1 Hewitt
Federer hits his second ace of the match to regain the lead, with both players seemingly on top of their serve once again.

Federer 5-7 7-5 1-1 Hewitt
Hewitt ends a run of five successive losing games with an impressive service game during which Federer does not win a point.

Federer 5-7 7-5 1-0 Hewitt
Federer saves three break points before closing out the game, proving he can match the intensity of Hewitt.

***

Second set: Federer 5-7 7-5 Hewitt
Errors are increasingly creeping into Hewitt's game and the Swiss player earns four set points.

Hewitt produces his best tennis when under pressure and saves the first three - but he is unable to save the fourth and the match goes to a deciding set.

Federer 5-7 6-5 Hewitt
Federer is now playing his best tennis of the match, and Hewitt will have to serve to stay in the second set. The Swiss player triumphs after a series of thrilling rallies.

Federer 5-7 5-5 Hewitt
Roger Federer demonstrates the mental toughness which has characterised Hewitt's play, saving one match point and producing some brilliant tennis to break back at a vital time.

Federer 5-7 4-5 Hewitt
The Swiss player takes out his frustrations with a passionate and aggressive service game which he wins to love. But Hewitt is now serving for the match.

Federer 5-7 3-5 Hewitt
Nerves seem to be affecting both players. Hewitt's first serve - which has been the key to his success - is misfiring while Federer's forehand is consistently letting him down.

But the Australian's mental strength is proving decisive and he moves to within one game of victory.

Federer 5-7 3-4 Hewitt
Having dragged himself level by virtue of a double fault by Hewitt, Federer presses the self-destruct button by handing Hewitt a break with his own double fault.

Federer 5-7 3-3 Hewitt
After his astonishing resilience in the first set, Hewitt surprisingly surrenders serve by virtue of a double fault and, after looking in desperate trouble, Federer in now level.

Federer 5-7 2-3 Hewitt
The Swiss player enjoys a surprisingly easy game, Hewitt lowering his famed intensity momentarily as the Swiss man takes the game to love.

Federer 5-7 1-3 Hewitt
Federer takes the first point, but that only seems to inflame Hewitt who rifles in a flurry of first serves as he takes the next four points, closing the game with an ace.

Federer 5-7 1-2 Hewitt
Federer ends his run of losing games, displaying admirable mental strength to save a break point and keep himself in contention in the second set.

Federer 5-7 0-2 Hewitt
The signs are ominous for Federer as Hewitt appears in no mood to show any mercy to his opponent. The Australian has now won seven games in succession.

Federer 5-7 0-1 Hewitt
Federer's mind appears to be wandering as he muses over the opportunities lost in the first set and he finds himself 0-40 down on his own serve. Hewitt converts his second break point.

***

First set: Federer 5-7 Hewitt
Hewitt displays exactly why he is world number one, saving no fewer than five break points during an epic, extraordinary game to take the first set.

After a distinctly sluggish start, Hewitt seemed to click in the ninth game and although Federer has been near the top of his game, the Australian is looking in ominous form.

Federer 5-6 Hewitt
Both players have raised their game, and after his rather ordinary beginning, Hewitt takes the lead for the first time with some great stroke play.

He breaks Federer after the umpire overrules the line judge following a crosscourt shot from the Swiss player which is on the very edge of the line.

Federer 5-5 Hewitt
Hewitt plays a bizarre game, mixing up brilliant stroke play with some frankly awful unforced errors.

But the world number one proves his resilience, saving four set points before levelling the match score.

Federer 5-4 Hewitt
Hewitt's famed fiery temperament flares up for the first time after a disputed line call. But the incident merely spurs him on and unsettles Federer who is broken with a double fault.

Federer 5-3 Hewitt
Hewitt has definitely found his serving rhythm and holds with no problem at all, closing out the game with an ace.

Federer 5-2 Hewitt
One imperious backhand from Federer at 30-15 distinguishes a fairly comfortable service game for the Swiss player, which takes him to within one game of the set.

Federer 4-2 Hewitt
Hewitt is not put under pressure by Federer, as he wraps up an easy service game to keep his hopes alive.

Federer 4-1 Hewitt
Hewitt produces one incredible return to a Federer forehand smash. The Swiss player still manages to hold, although this is far less comfortable than his previous service games.

Federer 3-1 Hewitt
The Australian finally finds his rhythm, and wins an impressive service game to love without giving Federer a chance of success.

Federer 3-0 Hewitt
Hewitt moves 30-0 ahead and is poised for a swift comeback. But Federer regains his composure, takes the next four points and finds himself three games ahead.

Federer 2-0 Hewitt
Hewitt is looking sluggish and is finding the net far more often than the court. His slack play gives Federer three break points and the Swiss player takes the first.

Federer 1-0 Hewitt
Federer makes a solid start, although he is thankful as Hewitt nets a forehand to hand him the game.

***

Lleyton Hewitt is already assured of the year-end world number one spot after Andre Agassi's early exit in Shanghai.

But the defending Masters Cup champion will have his work cut out against Switzerland's Roger Federer, who won all three of his round robin matches.

Moya ousts Costa, keeps Hewitt in

Friday, November 15, 2002
www.supertennis.co.za

Carlos Moya ended the Masters Cup hopes of compatriot Albert Costa with a 7-6 3-6 6-4 victory on Friday, silencing whispers of a Spanish conspiracy.
If Moya, already through to the semi-finals, had lost to French Open champion Costa in the Red Group round robin match, world number one Lleyton Hewitt would have been eliminated and the two Spaniards would have advanced to the last four of the $3.7 million tournament.

But now Moya and Hewitt both progress to the semis. Hewitt will face Swiss Roger Federer for a place in the final, while Moya meets fellow countryman Juan Carlos Ferrero.

"I am a professional," Moya said. "I had to do my job.

"I tried to be honest to myself, honest to the sport... honest to tennis."

Retaining the title he won in Sydney 12 months ago would be the perfect end to a season in which Hewitt secured his first Wimbledon crown and kept the world number one ranking for the whole calendar year. He is certainly not ruling himself out.

After collecting his world number one trophy on Thursday night the jubilant Australian said: "It is out of my hands...but if I get the opportunity to play on Saturday you never know what will happen.

"I certainly wouldn't write myself out of it."

Moya's victory gave Hewitt a lifeline back into the tournament.

NO COLLUSION

Earlier in the week Hewitt had called for no collusion between the Spaniards who could have conspired to knock out the Australian, but he need not have worried as Moya took to the court in determined mood.

He broke through for the first time in the sixth game, unleashing a sharply-angled forehand off the back foot that veered away from Costa's lunge and gave Moya a 4-2 lead.

His pale blue shirt gradually darkening under the strain of his exertions, Costa dominated the net against his countryman - at 27 the elder by a year -- but Costa continued pounding heavy groundstrokes back at his Davis Cup team mate.

Costa held 15-40 on his opponent's serve but Moya saved both break points with a swinging serve and a delicate drop shot.

Two points later Costa had another, and when Moya tried a drop shot he chased it down, flicked it back and took the game when his opponent pushed the resulting volley wide.

WHIPPED GROUNDSTROKES

Riding his momentum Costa held to square the set 4-4 and put the onus back on Moya, himself a former French Open champion and world number one.

Costa's timing was spot on as he whipped groundstrokes deep into the court but Moya held to edge 5-4 ahead. Costa held on, saving one set point with an ace. Again Moya moved ahead, this time 6-5 and the pressure mounted on Costa.

He survived to force a tiebreak and even held a set point of his own but Moya proved strong, rifling a forehand on to the line to bring up his third set point and clinching it with a service winner.

Costa was not finished, however, countering with some pinpoint rallying. He broke the rapidly tiring Moya in the second and eighth games and took the set 6-3 despite dropping serve himself.

Both men dug in at the beginning of the decider.

In the sixth game, Costa had to hang on by his fingernails and fight off three break points before holding for 3-3 and it was Moya's turn to sweat in the next game when he needed an ace and a flashing forehand winner to stave off two break points and nose 4-3 ahead.

Costa, who has struggled with a lower back injury in recent weeks, called the trainer midway through the next game and received on-court massage as Moya sat on a linesman's chair at the back of the court.

Moya looked shattered but mustered one final effort three games later by racking up two match points and converting on the first with a lunging backhand volley.

Agassi Loss Gives Hewitt No.1

By Bill Scott
Lleyton Hewitt captured the No. 1 ranking for the second straight season when lone rival Andre Agassi crashed to a dramatic 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (6) loss Thursday night to Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Tennis Masters Cup.

It's all over for Agassi's dream of capturing the season's top ranking for the second time (1999). The 32-year-old American just couldn't shake off the poor form which led him to an opening loss in the Gold group against Jiri Novak 24 hours earlier.

The match was a roller-coaster ride, with the Spaniard needing five match points for the victory. It ended on a double-fault for Agassi, whose form never hit a peak during two losing matches.

Agassi's usually impeccable game was riddled with errors as Ferrero got his first victory on the board this week. The win also puts Swiss Roger Federer into the semifinals, joining Spain's Carlos Moya.

Agassi's loss gives Hewitt the top spot no matter how the Australian does in his closing Red group contest against winless Russian Marat Safin.

Hewitt's fate was out of his hands - for Agassi to have taken ranking honors, he would have had to win the tournament, a long-odds challenge for the man from Las Vegas.

Ferrero continued the charge of the Spanish Armada, which already has Carlos Moya safely into the semifinals with French Open winner Albert Costa trying to join him.

Ferrero kept the pressure on Agassi from the start, forcing the veteran to save two set points in the tenth game of the opener, finally taking the set two games later as Agassi netted a backhand. The American recovered in the second, but could not consolidate in the disappointing third.

Hewitt unconvincing

November 13, 2002
www.news.com.au

A nervy Lleyton Hewitt skipped further clear of Andre Agassi in the ATP Champions Race tonight with victory in his opening match at the season-ending Masters Cup at The New Shanghai International Expo Centre.

Hewitt heaped the pressure on Agassi with an unconvincing 6-2 4-6 6-3 success against struggling Spaniard Albert Costa.

Agassi will begin his campaign tomorrow night against Czech Jiri Novak knowing he now must win the tournament and hope Hewitt doesn't progress past the semi-finals in order to snatch the year-end No.1 ranking from the Australian.

Hewitt is now 108 points ahead of Agassi, with 150 on offer to an unbeaten winner in Shanghai. One more pool win for Hewitt would mean Agassi could not afford to drop a single match this week.

Costa's countryman Carlos Moya leads the Red Group tonight after upsetting in-form Russian Marat Safin 6-4 7-5 earlier in the first match of the event in China.

Hewitt and Moya were likely to face off tomorrow night, with Costa and fellow first-up loser Safin set to clash, pending confirmation from the tournament referee.

Hewitt will need to lift to match Moya and Safin, last week's Paris Masters winner, and progress to the semi-finals, after taking nearly two and a half hours to scrape past Costa, who hasn't won a match since bowing out in the second round at the US Open in September.

Hewitt's serve was both his friend and foe. He mixed a bagful of aces with a series of untimely double-faults, which led to the dropping of his two service games mid-match.

The top seed raced to a 4-0 lead in the first set before going off the boil and giving up a break in the sixth game with a double.

Hewitt eventually took the first set in 40 minutes with a big ace down the middle.

He was broken to love to fall behind 2-0 in the second and didn't break back until the seventh game to trail 3-4.

But Hewitt handed Costa the second set in 55 minutes with another double fault.

The Australian lifted the tempo at the start of the third, firing up to break the Costa serve in the opening game with an aggressive overhead and celebrating with his customary first pump and war cry.

But he had to battle hard to keep Costa at bay and was a relieved man when the Spaniard finally submitted with two unforced errors when serving to stay in the match at 3-5 in the third.

AAP

ANDRE VS. LLEYTON FOR NO. 1 IN 2002
Hewitt is revved up to repeat as world's best

By Alix Ramsay Nov 12
For tennisreporters.net

From the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai – He is definitely looking older and, with the light behind him, he even looks a little taller. After 12 months at the top of the heap, Lleyton Hewitt is growing into his role as the world No. 1. He certainly likes life at the top and, as the Masters Cup gets under way, he has every intention of staying there.

After a long and gruelling season, the most important question of the season is still to be answered: Wwho will end the year as the very best in the business? On the mathematical front, Hewitt arrived in China with an 88 point lead over Andre Agassi, the only man who could snatch pole position from him before we all break up for Christmas.

In order to guarantee his place as this year's No. 1, Hewitt only need reach the final. For Agassi to overhaul our hero, he needs to win the title and hope that Hewitt is eliminated before Sunday. Technically, Agassi could usurp Hewitt before then but that scenario requires Hewitt to lose every match he plays in the round robin stage – and that is about as likely as George Dubya being able to spell Shanghai much less find it on the map. Hewitt was certainly in a very chirpy mood as he posed for pictures and answered questions on the eve of the championship. He knows perfectly well that it is asking a lot for Agassi to knock him off his perch and, after leading the rankings for so long, he is well aware that most players look at him in a new light.

"You definitely feel some sort of difference as you walk around the locker room," he said, "especially now that I'm not the youngest guy in there any more. I guess I feel that those younger guys are looking up in awe a little bit at the guys in the top 10 in the world, just like I was when I was 16 and looking at Andre Agassi at the other side of the locker room."

HE'S GOT GAME ... AND ATTITUDE
Before anyone should suggest that Hewitt is getting arrogant in his old age (he is, poor boy, a weather-worn 21), think again. As a skinny lad in baggy shorts on the court, he gives every impression of being an aggressive little street urchin, all attitude and testosterone, and the sort of boy a girl would not happily take home to her mother. In the flesh, as it were, he is a different character entirely. Sure enough, he can still be prickly if he chooses and individual, one-on-one interviews with this Wimbledon champion are still as rare as hen's teeth, but he is really a rather well brought up young man.

He faced the media feeding frenzy with good grace and a considerable amount of patience, fielding a random array of questions with thought and not a little humor. There were the cynical old tennis hacks, regulars of the circuit with egos the size of the Dordogne, who berated him with such queries as: Are you still in dispute with the ATP? (apparently, yes, he is); do you really feel like you are the number one? ("Er, yeah, I guess so"). And then there were the local journalists who were far more interested in whether he was getting married soon ("No"); but you are taken, aren't you ("Pretty much, yeah" said while going a deep shade of pink).

When it comes down to it, Hewitt knows his place in this world, but having got there, he seems like a kid in a sweet shop – he doesn't know where to look next.

"The things that come with being No. 1, I guess it has a lot of positives and negatives," he said. "There's the amount of time that you've got to spend doing a lot more things, but also the satisfaction you get from being called the world's No. 1 tennis player. It's a dream come true for me, for someone to say that to you. You work so hard for it in your career, building up through the satellites and challengers, it's sort of a big relief when you're actually there."

These days he is being mentioned in the same breath as all the Australian greats and many more besides from all eras of the game, a fact that leaves Hewitt a little flummoxed and embarrassed. He is that rare beast – a true champion who values the history of his sport more than he regards his own achievements.

"It's fantastic that I can sort of be in the same category as those guys – Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall – for me just to meet those guys, that's a dream," he said, sounding just a touch shy. "I'm not even going to put myself in the same breath as those guys. Sampras, McEnroe, Borg – they're just unbelievable tennis players. I'm gradually getting up there but there is definitely a long way to go. I don't really concentrate on trying to win more Slams than someone else so whatever comes, comes. For me, I feel that I've succeeded in the sport. I've probably done more than a lot of people thought I could do, even myself. When you first come on the tour, you don't know what to expect, you don't know how high you're going to get."

He will open his account Tuesday against Albert Costa, the Roland Garros champion who has failed to string more than two matches together since the end of July. Not that Hewitt is taking the Spaniard lightly. He may have ruffled the feathers of a few hacks over the years, but he will never show anything other than respect to his colleagues. The court is slow and Albert will keep him busy on the baseline so he will be taking tomorrow very seriously indeed. However, Hewitt is here on a mission.

TURNED THE TRICK LAST YEAR
To have claimed his place as the game's youngest year-ending No. 1 last year, and to have done it in Sydney in front of a home crowd, was the highlight of his short career. But to have come through this tough year when he has been fighting with the after effects of chicken pox – he simple ran out of steam in the summer – and still to end up as the big cheese could just cap it all.

"My immune system just hit rock bottom after Wimbledon," he said. "I put everything, both mentally and physically into Wimbledon this year and, the day after that, I just hit a wall. I haven't been able to bounce back as well as I would have liked to. You look at the results I've had since then – the final of Cincinnati, the final of Paris, semi at the US Open – a lot of people would probably take that, but I've felt like I've had to dig deeper and play when I'm not feeling great. I've not played as good tennis as I would have liked in a lot of those matches. But I'm still sitting as the No. 1 player in the world so, for me, if I do hang on to No. 1 this year, it could mean a little bit more."

If Agassi beats him to the No. 1 spot, Hewitt will be furious. Not with Agassi, not with the ATP (he has other feuds to fight with them), but with himself for missing his chance. Not that he is likely to tell us about it. If Agassi wins, he will be a deserving champion. If Hewitt wins, Agassi will have been a tremendous opponent. That is the way Hewitt is made and that is the way he sees life.

One day the ATP may learn how to deal with young Mr. Hewitt. They may even try to resolve his problems with the Australian press, but don't hold your breath. On the surface he may be touchy but deep down he is a very decent bloke and, at 21, he is also a very young bloke who will be around for a very long time. Listening to him talk about the sport that has made him rich and famous, he is more than willing to give a lot back and that, for everyone, is a priceless asset.

Should anyone running the sport ever persuade him to talk a little more to the press, the rest of the world would soon discover that it is pretty damned hard not to respect Hewitt and very easy to like him. In the meantime, as he does battle with his childhood hero for that No. 1 ranking, we are all in for a cracking week.

*

Alix Ramsay has been covering tennis for British national newspapers for the past 12 years. She was tennis correspondent of The Times for three years.

Hewitt, Agassi weigh in

11nov02
IN the red corner, Lleyton Hewitt, reigning Wimbledon and world champion and pound for pound the best fighter in the business.

And in the gold corner, Andre Agassi, with seven grand slams under his belt, the aging challenger who doesn't know when to throw in the towel.

Like two prized boxers ready for a heavyweight bout, Hewitt and Agassi, looking rather silly in traditional Chinese velvet Chong-Sums, were escorted into the spotlight at the Shanghai Convention Centre tonight.

The ever humble Agassi seemed more than a touch embarrassed.

"What would they think of me back home in Vegas," he said.

Hewitt, of course, was his usual super-confident self. "I think I look pretty good," he said.

More importantly, he said he felt "not too bad", putting to rest speculation he wasn't in physical shape to defend his year-end No.1 ranking at the $US3.7 million ($6.57 million) Tennis Masters Cup starting here tomorrow.

Hewitt will play the second match on the opening night, against French Open champion Albert Costa, after his two biggest dangers in the Red Group, Marat Safin and Carlos Moya, open proceedings.

Hewitt knows he is in the driver's seat in the race to finish No.1 and he didn't waste any time applying the pressure to Agassi, who starts his campaign on Wednesday against Czech Jiri Novak.

Hewitt will begin the decisive round-robin event 88 points ahead of Agassi - with 150 on offer to an unbeaten champion - and was keen to increase his advantage over the 32-year-old American with success against Costa.

"Every match is extremely important, but it's a key for everyone to get off to a good start in this kind of format, and not have a little slip-up and get behind the eight-ball straight away," Hewitt said.

"Albert's going to make me play a lot of balls and I'm going to have to hang out there and dig deep and try to come out with the win."

Hewitt reeled in Gustavo Kuerten's 48-point lead during his run to the 2001 Masters Cup and Champions Race glory in Sydney last year.

"The thing that's different to last year with Guga and I is that Andre has to worry about what I do," he warned his great rival.

"Last year, if I won the tournament, I got No.1. I knew where the ball sat.

I'd prefer to have it on your racquet a little bit, so to speak.

"I've definitely got a couple of the two in-form players on the tour (in my group) in Safin and Moya, but I feel like if I play my best tennis I can beat anyone on any given day."

Hewitt said his main goal this year centered on adding to his grand slam tally, not defending his crown.

But now that he has fought so hard to beat fatigue and illness, the 21-year-old is hoping for another special ending to the season.

"It's been tough," he said.

"I haven't been feeling that great going into the last couple of months.

Somehow I pulled out a semi at the US Open, which I was pretty happy with.

"I gutsed it out to get through there and I really haven't been able to play much tennis since then.

"Coming into (the) Paris (Masters), I really didn't know what to expect. I didn't play my best tennis the first couple of matches, got better as the week went on and just got beaten by a better player in the final in Marat Safin.

"I gained a lot of confidence. I got some important points as well going in there and I just dug deep and hung in every match and kept fighting it out.

"For me, if I do hang onto No.1 this year it could mean a little bit more."

Hewitt, who admitted "there are days where I feel better than others", blamed his year-long battle directly on the chickenpox that led to his first-round exit at the Australian Open.

"I think that had a lot to do with everything," he said.

"My immune system hit rock bottom after Wimbledon. I put everything, mentally and physically, into winning Wimbledon this year. And the day after winning Wimbledon I hit a wall."

Agassi knows he almost certainly needs to win the tournament, and hope Hewitt doesn't make the final, to steal the top ranking.

But he wasn't looking that far ahead tonight.

My greatest concern, to be quite honest, right now is Jiri Novak," he said.

"But here it seems something extra special.

"You get the sense this being one of the biggest international sporting events they've had in China that it's going to be something spectacular to be part of."

November 11, 2002
www.masters-cup.com

Shanghai Preview:
Lleyton Hewitt

After winning Wimbledon in July, Lleyton Hewitt not only moved into the lead of the ATP Champions Race, but led the Race by more than 120 points. With a triple-digit lead and only one more Grand Slam on the calendar for 2002, Hewitt looked poised and ready to finish No. 1 in the World for a second straight year.

Age: 21
Birthplace: Adelaide, Australia
Residence: Adelaide, Australia
Height: 5'11" (1.80m)
Weight: 150 (68kg)
Turned Pro: 1998

Career Titles: 16
2002 Titles: 4
2002 Win/Loss: 57-14
Career Win/Loss: 252-37

However, American Andre Agassi has mounted a late challenge for the World No. 1 ranking - a battle for No. 1 that will be concluded at this week's Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai.

The year didn't get off to a very good start for the 20-year-old Adelaide, Australia resident. A case of the chicken pox forced Hewitt to become a first round victim at the Australian Open and miss the next month of the ATP schedule.

When Hewitt was healthy enough to return to the court, he used San Jose as the launching pad for the start of another successful season. After wins over Paradorn Srichaphan, Todd Martin and Jan-Michael Gambill, Hewitt faced his first major challenger of the year as Agassi stood in the way of his first title of the year. In one of the best three-set matches of 2002, Hewitt and Agassi slugged it out in California with the young Aussie winning second and third set tiebreaks for the win.

At the year's first Tennis Masters Series event - the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells - Hewitt continued to demonstrate top caliber tennis by only dropping one set en route to his very first TMS crown. One week later, Hewitt scored wins against Srichaphan, Gambill, James Blake and Marat Safin before losing to Roger Federer in the semifinals.

After a 10-5 record with no titles on clay, Hewitt won in Queen's for a third straight year and then successfully defeated David Nalbandian for his first Wimbledon title.

Hewitt was well on his way to a US Open title defense, but met an in-form Agassi in the semifinals and the American revenged two previous defeats in 2002 with a four-set win over the World No. 1.

Hewitt began the year by fending off Agassi for his first title of the year and it looks like fending off the American idol is where the Australian will finish the year. While Hewitt went without a title for the duration of the hard court and indoor seasons, Agassi snuck within 43 points of the Champions Race lead after reaching the finals in Flushing Meadows and winning the Masters Series title in Madrid.

Hewitt reached the final in Paris two weeks ago to build an 88-point lead over Agassi entering this week's Tennis Masters Cup. However, Hewitt will have to perform well against a group that includes Safin, Carlos Moya and Albert Costa if he is to finish No. 1 for a second-straight year.

HEWITT WILL HOLD ON THE NO. 1 RANKING IF…
· Hewitt will finish No. 1 if Agassi fails to reach the semifinals.
· Hewitt will finish No.1 if he makes the final regardless of round robins results.
Hewitt will finish No. 1 if Agassi goes 2-1 in round robin play, but does not win the title - even if Hewitt goes 0-3 in round robin play.

AGASSI WILL FINISH NO. 1 IF…
· Agassi could take No.1 if he went 3-0 in round robin play and reached the final, provided Hewitt lost all three round robin matches.
· Agassi could take No.1 if he went 3-0 in round robin play and won the title, provided Hewitt did not reach the final.
· Agassi could take No. 1 if he went 2-1 in round robin play and won the title, provided Hewitt went 2-1 or worse and lost in semifinals.

Hewitt's ranking under siege
By John Thirsk
November 10, 2002
LLEYTON Hewitt's chances of holding his No1 ranking at the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup starting in Shanghai on Tuesday is being attacked on three fronts.

Tossed into a horror draw as he goes head-to-head with his idol Andre Agassi for the top ranking, Hewitt has an off-court battle hanging over his head in New York.

Hewitt's father Glynn has flown to New York to appeal against the $200,000 fine for refusing an ESPN television interview before his first-round match in Cincinnati last August as Lleyton prepares to battle for a total prize pot of $US3.7 million ($6.55m).

The Hewitt camp say they are "ready for war".

"It's become a nightmare," Glynn Hewitt said. "I've been running around and nothing has been dealt with.

"I just hope that with everything going on here in New York it does not affect Lleyton's results at the Tennis Masters Cup."

Hewitt, physically and mentally exhausted after a tough year, leads Agassi by 88 points in the ATP champions race -- there are 150 points on offer in Shanghai for winning all five matches.

Drawn against volatile Russian Marat Safin, Spain's former world No1 Carlos Moya and French Open champion Albert Costa, Hewitt is in the more difficult group. Agassi is drawn against Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, Switzerland's Roger Federer and Czech Jiri Novak.

The 32-year-old American has never lost to Federer or Novak, while Hewitt has dropped three of his past four matches to Moya and was blown away by Safin in the final of last week's Masters Series event in Paris.

Hewitt has drawn the battle lines as he looks to protect the No1 ranking he won in Sydney last year.

"Age doesn't come into it, not if your name is Andre Agassi," Hewitt said. "A lot of guys wouldn't be able to do it at 32, but he is in such great shape that I'm not going to put a time line on when he is going to finish.

"He is moving as well as ever, his fitness is definitely not dropping off. It is going to be tough to finish No1."

Complicating matters is Hewitt's frustration with the ATP, which came to a head in Cincinnati in August and has festered ever since.
The appeal is being heard before a panel of former players -- Guy Forget, Jakob Hlasek, Richie Renneberg and a retired judge.

"If we do not get answers here, then I'll take further action," Hewitt Snr said, referring to a possible legal minefield in the courts.

"This will be a means to an end and once we've done with this (win or lose) we'll go berserk."

Hewitt Snr was reluctant to talk specifics of the appeal, although he insisted Lleyton had a strong case.

"I'm confident of the facts regarding Lleyton and what occurred in Cincinnati with the TV interview," he said.

With everything going on, retaining his No1 ranking will be a tough ask for Hewitt.

The feud with the ATP has obviously left a nasty taste for the Wimbledon champion and it will be a test of his famed ability to block out distractions if he can hold off the Agassi challenge in Shanghai.

The American has been tight-lipped about his chances, but Hewitt would like to hold his place as the world's top player after the excitement last year of becoming the youngest year-end No1.

"Last year, I couldn't give two hoots about getting No1," he said. "I had won the US Open and for me that was the biggest thrill ... the biggest accomplishment of my career.

"I didn't think about chasing Guga (Kuerten). One minute I was ranked five going into the US Open, then I was up to No3.

"Then it hit home when I knew that going into the Masters Cup, in front of my home crowd, if I won the tournament I would be No1 -- I just went for it.

"I would be happier if I was further ahead going into Shanghai, but I've had a tremendous year whatever happens."

Masters Cup Sketches

The Masters Cup is a law unto itself. In many ways. Not least of which is the fact that it starts on Sunday. And it's not like the Slam lead-ups or the like, where they play some matches on Sunday but don't bring out the big guns till Tuesday. They're all big guns at the Masters Cup.

So we won't be able to give you a true preview. Instead, today, we will offer you sketches of the eight guys in Shanghai, and what their hopes and prospects are there.

Lleyton Hewitt. Hewitt, who has been the #1 player in the world this whole year, is also the defending champion. But it's worth remembering that, when he won last year, the contest was in Australia. With a faintly partisan crowd on his side.

On the whole, indoors has not been his surface. Last year's Masters Cup was his first indoor title -- he'd won eleven titles previously. He did win San Jose this year, but then it was a long, weary drought. He finally made a significant final at Paris -- but he lost. He hasn't won a title since Wimbledon. He just looks tired somehow.

Andre Agassi. If you leave aside the huge difference in their degrees of experience, Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt have pretty similar sorts of results. Agassi has a lot more indoor titles, including wins at both indoor Masters; he also won the Masters Cup in 1990. But it really isn't his favorite surface; he's much happier on hardcourts. His eleven indoor titles sound pretty good -- until you remember that he has 54 overall titles. A balanced player would have rather more indoor titles.

And how will he take to the wear and tear of this event? Theoretically, it's no worse than any other 32-draw event: four three-set matches to the final, then a five-set final. But most tournaments don't feature so many tough customers in the early rounds. He doesn't even get the relief of having Albert Costa in his half.

On the other hand, he has a chance at the year-end #1. It's not very likely; Hewitt finally started picking up ground at Paris. But it's possible. He should be motivated.

Marat Safin missed this event last year due to his extended injury. He's only been to the year-end event once: In 2000, when he went 2-2 and blew a chance to earn the year-end #1. But he does like indoors -- four career titles, including two Masters Series: he's played Paris four times, and reached the final or better three of them.

But is there any guy who reacts more unpredictably to pressure? And pressure will be abundant at Shanghai.

Juan Carlos Ferrero made it here for the first time last year, and he had us muttering to ourselves. After a great first half of 2001, he faded in the second, looked hopeless indoors -- and then made it to the semifinal! This year, he's been less consistent than in the first half of 2001, but more consistent than in the second. Indoors is not his surface. But he's clearly demonstrated that he can win anywhere. Or lose anywhere. It's a thoroughly puzzling mix.

Carlos Moya's situation is a lot like Ferrero's, only spread out over six years instead of just two: He had a strong 1997, an even stronger 1998, then turned inconsistent (due partly to injuries), but he's doing better this year. It brings him back to the Masters Cup for the first time since 1998. Surprisingly, he has a very good record here in his two appearances: In 1997, he made the semifinal, and in 1998, he pushed through to the final.

The flip side is, he's never won an indoor title, and he has a losing record at both indoor Masters. He looked pretty good at Paris this year, but can he keep that up?

Roger Federer doesn't have to worry about his indoor results; for all that he has titles on hardcourts and clay this year, it's pretty definitely his best surface. His first title last year was Milan -- indoors. His first four finals were all indoors. This year, he's expanded his range -- but he still won Vienna indoors.

Federer has a number of interesting distinctions: He's one of only two rookies here (Jiri Novak is the other) -- and he's the youngest player here, a year and a half younger than Ferrero and Safin and half a year younger than Hewitt. He's had a certain tendency to underperform in Slams. How will he react to the pressure here?

Jiri Novak is the other rookie. In terms of results, he and Federer have been fairly similar (each has four career titles). But Novak's best surface has historically been clay. Much of his big improvement this year has been due to his improved results on other surfaces; he did make the Madrid final, after all. But he's the only player in Shanghai with no titles this year, and indoors probably remains his worst surface. How much damage can he do?

That question goes double for Albert Costa, the Grand Slam wildcard. This is a guy who, at 27 and with 12 career titles, has never made an indoor final. In his one previous Masters Cup appearance (1998) he didn't win a match. He's been almost completely ineffective since Roland Garros -- far worse than countrymen Ferrero and Moya, for instance, both of whom took home hardcourt titles this year. He needs one win to end the year in the Top Ten. If he gets it, he's #9. The odds still don't look all that good.

We'll have to save the full rankings update for Monday, when we're reasonably sure we'll know who is actually playing in Shanghai (given the possibility of a withdrawal, and the fact that there is uncertainty over who is the alternate, well, we're over our heads. From where we sit, Tim Henman is the alternate to everyone but Albert Costa, and Pete Sampras or Thomas Johansson is the alternate to Costa -- but that's just logic. Which of course violates the unwritten tennis rule that nothing the governing bodies do can make sense. Henman would be the more logical alternate; he's a good indoor player, and if he's been inconsistent lately, well, so has Johansson, and Pete Sampras hasn't even been playing.)


Thursday November 7, 03:16 PM
AAP

Hewitt cops horror Masters Cup draw

Lleyton Hewitt will need all of his renowned fighting spirit to retain the Champions Race title after being dealt a horror draw for next week's Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.

World No.1 Hewitt could scarcely have fared worse, being drawn in a four-man pool with Marat Safin, who thrashed him in last Saturday's Paris Masters final, and his Spanish nemesis Carlos Moya.

French Open champion Albert Costa rounds out the Red Group for the round robin phase of the $A6.6 million eight-man season-ending tournament.

The rugged Costa is probably the only one his opponents Hewitt feels comfortable playing.

Holding an 88-point lead over Andre Agassi in the 2002 ATP Champions Race, Hewitt is in the driver's seat to retain the crown he won at the Masters Cup in Sydney last year.

But he would have hoped to avoid Safin and Moya - the only two men in the boasting a winning head-to-head record against him - until the semi-final stage.

The unpredictable but richly-talented Safin is 4-3 in career meetings with Hewitt and has demolished the Wimbledon champion in their past two encounters.

Third-placed Safin has dropped just 14 games against Hewitt in their last five sets and, ominously, the decisive Shanghai event will be held indoors, as was the Paris Masters and the 2000 Masters Cup in Portugal, where Safin also dismissed Hewitt in straight sets.

Hewitt's record against fifth-placed Moya is similarly worrying.

He is 2-4 in career meetings against the former French Open champion and one-time world No.1 and has lost their last three clashes this year - without having won a set.

Hewitt has beaten Costa in four of their five encounters.

Agassi, Hewitt's only remaining challenger in this year's Champions Race, would be delighted with his Shanghai draw, playing in the Gold Group with two players he has never lost to.

In the simplest of several scenarios for Agassi, the 32-year-old American needs to win the tournament and hope Hewitt doesn't make the final in order to attain the year-end No.1 ranking for a second time.

He achieved the feat in 1999 and would give himself a good show again after drawing sixth-placed Roger Federer (3-0), seventh-placed Jiri Novak (4-0) and fourth-placed Juan-Carlos Ferrero.

Agassi is 1-1 with Ferrero, but comfortably accounted for the Spaniard for the loss of only five games to win the Madrid Masters indoors three weeks ago.