US Open interviews 2005

Interview Transcript
Roger Federer
Saturday, September 10, 2005

Roger Federer def. Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 7-6, 4-6,6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That must be a harder one to take because you've played so well for so long in that match. Do you feel like the second set might have been the key, if you would have somehow got that one, with all the set point chances, held on to that one, did you feel he was a little under pressure?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, yeah, once you go down two sets to Love against a guy like Roger, it's always going to be a massive uphill battle.
But, you know, I would have made it a lot nicer, a lot more comfortable, I feel like, getting myself into the match as well at a set all, and try and put some pressure on him from there.
After I was down an early break in the second set and I got back, once I got back in it, I felt like I was actually starting to dictate play a little bit more out there, and I was definitely having a few more opportunities on his service games in the 5 4 and the 6 5 game. I just wasn't quite able to grab them.
You know, he played an unbelievable tiebreak, though. You know, there wasn't much I could do about it. He started at the better end and he dictated play right away. That made it tough to come back from there.
But, you know, still, I hung in there, weathered the storm early in the third set and was able to hang in there and get a break and get on top.
But, you know, it's always going to be tough, you know, after going down two sets to Love for him to play three average sets or, you know, not to play one outstanding one.

Q. In every press conference the past two weeks, I've sat in with opponents of his, heard variations of "He's playing on another planet," "He's not even mortal." You made him look mortal in the third set. What do people need to do to beat this guy? Can you comment on that.
LLEYTON HEWITT: He's playing extremely well. I felt like out there today, though, the first set I had opportunities early on and just wasn't quite able to dictate and take them when I needed to. If I could have tried to hang with him early in the first set and try and put some pressure on him I was sort of beating myself a little bit in the first set I felt.
Once I got into the match, I felt like I was able to go toe to toe with him, you know, pretty well. But, you know, he's a hell of a shot maker, the best shot maker I've ever seen. He can pull the trigger on, you know anywhere on the court. So, you know, obviously, over five sets, there's going to be times when he hits them pretty well.
So, you know, that's the tough thing, to go out there and actually try and dictate him for three out of five sets.

Q. Roger said you should take confidence out of that match that you can actually beat him. Is that how you feel?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's obviously a bit disappointing right at the moment. But, you know, it was a lot better effort on, you know, my part of getting myself into the match and having a bit of a tussle with him and trying to put him under pressure out there today.
No one's really been able to put him under pressure for the last couple of years, especially on hard court or grass for that matter. You know, he's definitely been the standout player. Doesn't matter how good you are. Not to lose, you know what has he lost? Three matches, and two of them he's had matchpoint this year that's an incredible year.

Q. Do you feel as though you played some of your best tennis today?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I played okay. I still feel like I could have played better out there. I definitely could have served better today.
But, you know, he's a player that, you know, he's going to try and make you play worse out there as well. So it's not easy sometimes to play your best tennis against a guy like Roger.

Q. When you look back at the set points in the second set, do you kind of see that there's not a lot you could have done on those five points?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, the first two set points I had, he played a dink shot. You know, he hit a good first serve, I got it back. He came in, played a dink backhand, came into the net. Wasn't really much I could do.
Next one I played a pretty perfect point, really. And, you know, he hit that forehand pass up the line. You know, when he actually hit it, I nearly thought it was going to go long, but it was against the breeze and he put so much work on the ball as well that it dropped in clearly.

Q. In 2000 Tiger Woods dominated golf in a way that one might say Roger is doing in tennis right now. Ernie Els, who was a runner up to him, said it was too bloody bad he was playing in the era of Tiger Woods. Ultimately, the players said Tiger raised the level of their game. Do you see an analogy? Would you say the same with Roger? Is this what's going to happen to try to sort of stem his confidence?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Absolutely. But, you know, I think everyone, once they get to No. 1, it's always taking the game to a new level, I think. There's no doubt that Roger has taken it to a new level, taking everyone a little while to catch up, to play the tennis that he plays week in and week out, to try to play that, you know, all the time against him.
So, you know, in those terms, yeah, it is similar. But, you know, that's what motivates you. That's why a guy like Agassi wants to go out, you know, he's still playing at 35, and wants to improve and, you know, go out there and play against Roger in the final tomorrow.
You know, that's what drives the competitive spirit, I think, you know, in a lot of the top players, to try to get to that next level.

Q. Was there a point where you got really got frustrated? You seemed to have a great attitude about it. Have you always seen it as, "This guy's going to make me better somehow and I am going to get him sooner or later"?
LLEYTON HEWITT: You get frustrated, you know, but it's a matter of hanging in there and looking at the big picture, I guess. I still feel like I'm a better player than when I was No. 1 a couple of years ago. There's still small areas of my game that, you know, I feel like I can work on and make me a better player week in and week out as well.
That's what you sort of cling to, I guess, after you have losses in majors and come so close yet again but not, you know, hold up the winner's trophy.
But that's where you go back to the drawing board and, you know, keep working and look forward to the next major.

Q. What do you think we will see tomorrow?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Uhm, you know, it's hard to go past Roger, I think. But Andre, two or three, I think, five setters in a row. Obviously, you know, I think Roger is going to be the fresher out of the two. Their head to head matches the last couple years, you know, hasn't gone with Andre too much.

Q. What was happening with the umpire and the foot faulting? Secondly, did it have a bit of a cumulative effect on your serve in that fourth set?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not really. I just when I actually queried about I was getting called more at one end than the other end, I asked him. Actually, when I was talking to him, they were rotating anyway. So that was about that.
No, I was just saying, you know, I had to block it out of my mind and, you know, there wasn't anything I could do out there about it.

Q. You had 12.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I doubt it.

Q. He seemed to move you across the court, then got you coming to the net. Did that keep you off stride?
LLEYTON HEWITT: He's a, you know he plays with a lot of different spins and angles out there, a lot more than anyone really on the tour these days. So, you know, that's the hard thing of coming up against a guy like Roger, because he does play so much different, I think, to 90% of the guys out there.

Q. Could you look back at this year Grand Slams' result, are you satisfied with that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'm, you know, satisfied with it. You know, when you go out there and, you know, compete and give everything you've got, then, you know, I haven't left anything in the locker room in any three of the majors that I've played. You know, I've put pressure on, you know it's only been two guys that have beaten me in the three majors this year that I played, and they're not bad players.

Q. I was talking to Newcombe and Mark Woodforde just about your actual North American circuit, how it's a good base for you for the Australian summer. What are your thoughts about trying to win the Australian Open again and what's on for you for the rest of the year?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, obviously, the next focus will be about the Australian Open. You know, training, training towards that and getting in as good a shape as possible for that.
Yeah, you know, it's a tournament that I love playing and I'm going to really look forward to it again.

Q. In a sense, is this loss harder to take because you played much better than you have your last probably three matches against him? Is it harder to take than even the final last year, that you made the final?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, they're all hard to take, I think. You know, I look back on them, maybe I'll take a bit more out of a few more positives out of today's match than the final last year. You know, who knows, in a few months' time, that might hold me in good stead down in Melbourne hopefully.

Q. Has your view of life and tennis in general changed now that you're becoming a father?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not yet it hasn't. I have to wait and see. I won't know until it happens, I think.

Q. When is your next tournament?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not sure at this stage.

Q. Are you a certainty to play some more tournaments this year, particularly the Masters Cup?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, just we'll wait and see. I'm not sure how many tournaments. I'll see how my body feels and what I feel like doing.

Q. You're not guaranteeing you'll actually be in China if you qualify?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I won't go chasing points for it, no.

Q. I'll ask you the obligatory Crows question, did you see the score, listen to it on the radio?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I saw the score.

Q. Will you go next weekend?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know yet, mate.


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Interview Transcript
Roger Federer
Saturday, September 10, 2005

Roger Federer def. Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 7-6, 4-6,6-3

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. A big match with Andre tomorrow. It's bound to be an energetic day out there. What are your thoughts on the match?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, looking forward, obviously. What better final could I wish for? An American in a US Open final. So it's great. I'm looking forward to it.

Q. Interesting match today. A little tougher than the last year against Hewitt. Are you completely satisfied with your serving in this tournament?
ROGER FEDERER: It's been all right, you know. I've been winning my matches, and against good players. So when I needed it, it was there. But I think overall, definitely wasn't my best serving.
But, you know, you cannot expect to serve aces and service winners all the time.
But today, definitely had to survive more tougher moments than in the past against him.

Q. A lot of breakpoint opportunities you had to face this year. Does that concern you at all?
ROGER FEDERER: No, it doesn't.

Q. You win the first set, break him immediately, you're 40 Love up and then he comes back. It seems like he got a lot of life from breaking you back straightaway.
ROGER FEDERER: Which set was that again?

Q. Beginning of the second set.
ROGER FEDERER: Beginning of the second.

Q. So you break him and then you're 40 Love up.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, yeah, I remember that.

Q. He comes back, is fist pumping, "C' mon". Did you think to yourself at some point, "I don't want to keep playing this guy for three or four hours"?
ROGER FEDERER: No, that wasn't in my mind. I was just a little disappointed, you know, to give away a service game leading 40 Love. I mean, that rarely ever happens, you know.
So maybe I went into that game at 40 Love a little bit too casual, who knows. But he had to still hit some good shots to come back. And, you know, he did, so that's his quality.
But I wish I could have stayed ahead. I think I had the break twice in that set, didn't I? So that was, for me, in a way a tough one to accept, you know, being up I think 4 3 and being up 2 1, then being down 5 4. Suddenly then, well, we all know how many things I had to save then. But in the end I'm basically also quite lucky to have won the set.
I wish I could have played more consistent throughout the match, but, you know, today was tough. I thought he played better than in the past.

Q. Do you think it's much of a disadvantage to play the second match on Saturday versus the first match on Saturday going into a Sunday final?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I would say so.

Q. How surprised are you that a guy that's 35 can win three five set matches in a row to make a final in a Grand Slam?
ROGER FEDERER: I'm not really surprised. All the matches he went into, he was the favorite in my eyes. Obviously, five setters, you know, it's down to the wire in the fifth and you better be playing your best right then.
I mean, he was very close against Blake and the other ones I thought he was pretty much in control. So, I mean, it's always, I think, you have to pay a lot of respect to do that. You back it up one after the other. He deserves to be in the finals, absolutely.
But I know when he enters, if he plays against lower ranked players than him, normally he's take going to walk out as a winner.

Q. Were you given the option to play first? I would assume you would have taken it if you had.
ROGER FEDERER: That was the plan in the first place.

Q. So what happened?
ROGER FEDERER: Phone call, I don't know (smiling).

Q. I mean, I don't know, what do you feel by that? Are you bothered by that?
ROGER FEDERER: I'm through to the final, you know. We both have to win, but something like that happens. But what have we got, three more hours of rest? So, I mean, could be crucial, I don't know. I don't think so, but...
Well, I mean, it's not also the TV that should decide on things like that. So you can ask the players or just the tournament should not even ask anybody and just put up who they think is the prime time match. It's always hard, you know, two Americans, you get the No. 1 and No. 3 in the one section. It's their call. I'm not really angry.

Q. Do you think Lleyton played at a higher level today than in his last, say, eight matches he played against you?
ROGER FEDERER: Maybe his last match, yeah, but the not the last eight.
He played, I think, a good match today. It was close. This match could have gone either way, I had the feeling, especially in the first, in the second, in the third and in the fourth, really.
So I'm happy I came through on top because this was a difficult match.

Q. Did you feel any less comfortable today than the last few?
ROGER FEDERER: Just had to save more breakpoints, you know. I had to go through some tougher moments. That's obviously hard, you know, on your mental part because you always got to focus and focus and focus. That's not so easy, and especially against Lleyton, you know, he's going to get the balls back. Physically, it wasn't a problem, but just it's hard after a while, obviously.

Q. You're known for your beautiful shot making. Do you get a particular joy when you score an extraordinary winner, or a graceful shot?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I like that (smiling). But if I hit it ugly, too, and I shank it and it goes up for a lob winner, I take that too, you know. For me, it's the result that counts. Maybe if it looks graceful; that's nice.

Q. Do you feel something special when there's like a running crosscourt forehand?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it's a little bit you're always a little proud about yourself, but maybe for two seconds and not much longer than that.

Q. Are you feeling better with each match or Nalbandian was better than this one?
ROGER FEDERER: It was different. Doesn't really matter how I feel right now, to be honest. There's just one more match to go. Same for Andre, you know. We give everything we have left, and we both hope we gonna play good, I think. I hope I can play better than him, obviously.
But interesting match, for sure, you know. He's got the crowd behind him and the biggest center court in the world. I expect myself to play a good match if I want to have a chance.

Q. How does last year help you going in against him? You played him obviously against the strangest conditions last year and prevailed. You're going in this year, the crowd will be huge, but you're used to playing Andre here. Does that help?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I think it's the third time we'll play here, on the same court. Last year we played during the day, during the night, in the wind, no wind. So basically we had it all. I think the weather forecast should be all right. It's been fantastic all the time.
I expect a tough match, you know. He always makes the opponent run. I'm ready to run, so (smiling)...
And defend myself and play aggressive when I have the chance.

Q. You won something like 22 straight finals. Is there something special you do to prepare for a championship?
ROGER FEDERER: You mean for the entire tournament or just for the final?

Q. The last 22 finals you've been in in a tournament, you've won that match.
ROGER FEDERER: I'll play the same way as I play today, no change.

Q. The occasion tomorrow, Andre Agassi, 35, you being the world No. 1, it's probably going to be as one sided a crowd as you can probably get in this sort of arena. Do you expect that to have any bearing on your own attitude out there? Do you think you're going to be able to cope with that?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah. No problem (smiling).
I'm not feared at all from that. Davis Cup is tough. I've experienced a lot throughout my career, I have the feeling. So it shouldn't be a problem (smiling).

Q. Do you think today's match adds to your sort of mental supremacy over Lleyton, or should it encourage him perhaps?
ROGER FEDERER: You got to ask him. For me, it's hard to answer, but I think, you know, he was awfully close today, much closer than he was in the last few matches. I think it should give him some confidence. Every time I beat a quality player, a top player or a former No. 1, it's for me always still something special even though it's maybe the eighth or ninth time I've beaten him. But for me, those matches are huge, you know. They keep me they give me shots at winning Grand Slams, staying No. 1 in the world for maybe some longer time.
So for me, this match was today extremely big. Especially I survived some really tough moments.

Q. Technically, did he surprise you?
ROGER FEDERER: Not really, no. We know each other's games.

Q. Thinking about not a wonderful tennis player, but a normal human being, sentimental human being, which do you think would be the best for the end of this tournament?
ROGER FEDERER: I didn't understand. I'm sorry.

Q. Like a human being, thinking like a human being, not like a tennis player.
ROGER FEDERER: Yes.

Q. Which do you think is the best end for this tournament?
ROGER FEDERER: Tomorrow?

Q. Uh hmm.
ROGER FEDERER: (Smiling). Well, depends how you look at it, huh? Where you're from.
Well, it's hard to say, huh. I mean, it's a very different setup, right. Young against older. A guy whose career is towards the end, another guy's been dominant. So depends if you like dominance or not, so (smiling)...

Q. For many people who watch this match tomorrow, there are going to be a lot of emotional elements involved: Sentimentality, nostalgia, watching Andre Agassi play for so long. Do you care about that from a personal sense or is it another match?
ROGER FEDERER: No, it's not another match, obviously. It's very special. I mean, last year was already incredible, I thought, to play Lleyton in the finals. Now it's Andre. I think it's even more emotional, more there's more in it, you know, especially in the finals. It's not like the quarterfinals last year. So already that was special, I thought night session against him. So this is, I guess, one of my biggest matches in my career.
So I better be playing well.

Q. Houston, two years ago when you beat Andre, just judging by the crowd and the reaction of the tournament that day, you'd be forgiven for thinking Andre won the tournament. But that in mind, where do you think you've come in terms of respect, using that day as a starting post, to here? How has it moved?
ROGER FEDERER: Sorry?

Q. Just in terms of the respect that you've developed in this country, that you feel that you've got personally since Houston 2003?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, that was big. I was in this horrible group, I thought, for me. Came through the first match against Andre saving matchpoint. That was for me extremely big. That maybe also was a turning point in my career. I've got an incredible record right now in the States, I've hardly lost a match in the last two years.
So this is fantastic, you know.
I think, you know, the fans here, they enjoy watching me. Obviously always depends on the occasion, how much they're into it, what kind of match was before, what kind of match is after, what time of the day it is. But honestly, I feel I have great support here in this country, and I'm happy to see the reactions after last year's US Open. I was always looking forward very much to how will they react to, you know, Swiss winning the US Open and me coming back, and will anything change, will they recognize me more, will they back me up more. I really have the feeling they do.
So I don't expect that at all tomorrow, so they should be on Andre's side so...
I hope it's not only Americans in the stadium, though (smiling).

Q. How do you do that?
ROGER FEDERER: I don't know. That was luck, I think.

Q. Just pure luck?
ROGER FEDERER: Not pure luck, but there was a lot of luck involved, I think. Because five set points normally don't come out. I was in some rough situations there, and obviously I was serving all right, but in the end I think he should have deserved that set. But tennis can be tough sometimes.

Q. Stefan Edberg, when he first came here, hated the US Open, didn't like the conditions, the smells, everything. Then of course after he started playing and once he won, once he defended, he ended up loving it and it proved to be the most important to him in some ways of all the Slams. I'm just curious, has your attitude changed? Have you always liked the Open? How have you felt about it?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I pretty much enjoyed it. It's always a dream for somebody to come to New York somehow, you know, because the city is so great. I came here as a junior first time in '98. I loved it, you know. I thought, you know, I achieved everything I wanted; I made it to New York.
I always played well, too, so I never really had this bad memories of playing bad here. I've always, I think, won a couple of rounds. I always got a sense for a feel for the city as well. So I never really disliked this event or this city, so I'm happy I'm spending some time here again this year.

Q. Just taking that a little bit further, you've obviously been coming to America two, three times a year for a few years now. What quality of America do you like the best and what quality of Switzerland do you miss the most when you're here?
ROGER FEDERER: Maybe some history would be nice in this country. For me, you know, in Europe, we have such great, let's say, cities with incredible history that I know much more about. Obviously, you know, you have an incredible amount of space here, so you never feel cramped except New York. Okay, this is now a special city.
But I think the people are very friendly, you know, open to tourists and everything. So I think that is very nice.
Europe, obviously, it's quite different. Like it's different to Asia again, you know. I think that's nice, the changes we have in the world. It's in a way a big place, but now with the traveling it makes it quite easy to go and visit them all. I enjoy that.

Q. Do you find you have more anonymity here than in Europe?
ROGER FEDERER: What is that?

Q. More anonymity.
ROGER FEDERER: Which means...?

Q. You can walk the streets without people ogling at you and asking for autographs?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, sort of depends where you go. Go in the countryside, I don't think nobody would think Roger Federer would be walking around in the countryside right now, so they wouldn't make the connection.
But now that they know I'm in New York, obviously maybe more people have a look if there's tennis players or whatever.
But, I mean, it's getting rough now all over the world, I have the feeling more and more, with the success. But so far it hasn't been bothering me, which I'm happy about.

 

Quarterfinal defeated Nieminen

THE MODERATOR: First question for Lleyton.

Q. Lleyton, seems maybe the first four sets, it was a bit up and down, but your energy level didn't quite seem normal, what we're used to from you. In the fifth you certainly kicked it up a gear. What happened in the first four sets?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, just felt like, yeah, I was just struggling a little bit with, you know, my movement. Just felt a step slower, a bit sluggish out there. It was just a matter of trying to stay tough mentally out there and put myself on level terms. Late in the third set he stepped his game up against the breeze for one game to get the break.
And, you know, after the first set I actually felt like I was on top of him. It was just that one game late in the third set that gave him that set. I had to try to rebound strongly in the fourth. There's no doubt I played my best tennis in the fifth set.
It was a huge positive to come out of today and hopefully that, you know, can take it another level or two in my next round.

Q. How would you assess your play today?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It was patchy out there today. Tough conditions again. It's the same for both players. But, you know, I probably pulled the trigger a little bit more than I normally do out there today. But Nieminen wanted to play, you know, the patient game and wait for his opportunities to attack. And, you know, it was just a matter of hanging in there really.
And, you know, sometimes when I was aggressive and came to the net, he actually played some of his better tennis. So that sort of made it a little bit tougher out there because then I get a little bit negative and defensive and, you know, that's not the best way for me to play.

Q. So much has been made of your celebrations on court the last six months particularly. Does that weigh on your mind at all? Does that affect you, the way you conduct yourself out there?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really, no.

Q. Nothing?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, it's been made my whole career since I was 15, 16, so it's not going to change now.

Q. How forward are you looking to another crack at Roger?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, you know, if he gets through tonight's match, which, you know, he's obviously the favorite, you know, doesn't get any easier. But, you know, then again, you keep putting yourself in the position and, you know, there's no doubt I've got to go out there and execute what I want to do and play extremely well to go with him. You know, it's a matter of hanging in there with him and trying to put as much pressure as possible.
Yeah, there's been no secret formula. No one's been able to find the exact formula to topple him just yet.

Q. Is it hard not to use him as the measuring stick, "I've got to add this to my game," or "work on this," or whatever, to catch him? Do you resist doing that, consciously do that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's a tough one because you're obviously doing something extremely well to keep putting yourself in that position, but most of the time you know if you're going to win the majors, you're going to have to beat him somewhere along the line. Obviously probably later in the tournament.
But, you know, it's a tough one. You don't want to go out there and try and work on areas of your game to try to upset Roger late in the tournament, you might fall in one of the first hurdles. That's the tough part about it. But the next day and a half my focus will be purely on Roger if he gets through tonight.

Q. If you look at the way he's played you, when he played you early, he seemed more temperamental, he'd go for it. If he wasn't hitting it, his confidence seemed to sag and you became stronger. The last times he's played you, he doesn't seem to make the errors he used to. How difficult is that to deal with?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's made it a lot more difficult for everyone to deal with. That's one of the huge reasons why he just doesn't give you the cheap points that he did four years ago probably. And that's the reason why he's, you know, improved so much and he's the standout No. 1 at the moment, because he doesn't give you cheap points. Probably more so on our service games when we're serving against him, he doesn't give you those cheap points where maybe he did, you'd get some easy service games and cruise through then try and put some pressure on his.
That's the reason he's improved so much and, yeah, it makes it a lot tougher. But you still got to try to find a way to get in there. There's not too many weaknesses in his game. You've got to try to break down something.

Q. When you were playing those matches early on, did you think, "He's never going to get that together," or did you think, "Once this guy gets it together, it's going to be real trouble"?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, he's always been talented, there's no doubt about that. He's always had all the shots. It was a matter of him putting it together. I think a lot of people probably spoke about him a bit earlier than he was ready to stand up and be one of the greats and win Grand Slams. So it was more probably him coming to terms with that, I think, the pressures and expectations. Once he learnt to handle that, then, you know, his game just went to another level.

Q. But it wasn't a surprise to you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really, no. He was always you know, Juniors and then coming up on the tour, he was one of the most dangerous guys. And I think, you know, when he beat Sampras at Wimbledon, you know, to stop Pete's run back then, even though he didn't make that next step straightaway to one of the best players, he was always very dangerous.

Q. Just curious, did you stay up to watch the match last night?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, no.

Q. This match against Federer, do you think you'll be able to make yourself sort of play those aggressive sort of net approaching points on big points this time?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, you know, in the past when I've had breakpoint opportunities in big points, he's come up with he hasn't given me an opportunity to attack or put pressure on him. That's another area of his game that he's been able to work on. When he's down and in trouble, he pulls the trigger at the right times and comes up with the big shots.
You know, hopefully I get into a position where I can, you know, can try and put some pressure on.

Q. You have the best winning percentage of any active guy in the draw here at the US Open. What is it about this place that makes you comfortable?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. I'm not really sure. The court surface, I think, you know, suits my game pretty well. I enjoy it. It's probably medium to fast hard court here. It's the kind of court that I grew up in Adelaide playing on. I'm very used to it. Moving, I feel comfortable. Atmosphere, a lot of things put together, I think.
But, you know, for some reason it's all sort of clicked here, and this is where I won my my first major in doubles was here with Max Mirnyi. The following year I won my first singles Grand Slam here. It's a pretty special place to come back here.

Q. Federer uses a lot of slice, more than the other guys. Is his slice so different, or is it just so offputting because he changes speed so well? What seems to be so good about it?
LLEYTON HEWITT: He definitely changes speed so well and so easily, as well, on his backhand. His slice, it's one of the best out there. Whether it's better than Pete's or Rafter's or these guys at their best, it's match for match. But there's no doubt that he can change the pace very well in the middle of a rally.

Q. Is that something very few of the other guys do?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, now and then. He just does it a lot better than a lot of other guys when they try to do it.

Q. You said conditions were difficult. Are you referring to the wind?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, the wind.

Q. Can you speak specifically to Nieminen's game and how he played you today.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, the wind was tough out there for both of us. Jarkko, he served in patches. He wasn't serving great at the start, I just wasn't able to capitalize on my opportunities early on. He tried to play the more steady role out there and wait for his opportunities to come in or to attack. He loves hitting that flat backhand and attacking it. His backhand is probably more his, you know, more consistent side, but he can hit winners off his forehand as well. Yeah, he's probably very similar on both sides.

Q. In the final set he wrong footed you. You grabbed your left hip. No damage?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, just twinged it a little bit. Bit awkward.

Q. If you were to play Nalbandian, you're back at that Davis Cup match. Have you sort of gone through or reviewed what didn't go right for you that day?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, little bit. Didn't try and follow it you know, think about it too much after it happened. It was obviously very disappointing at the time. If he was to get through, there's no doubt I'll have to have another crack at him and see if I can change the score line, you know. There was no doubt it wasn't my best match I played, and just didn't execute well at all.

Q. On Nalbandian, if he does get through, he's a guy that you've played quite a lot, even at junior level against. Are you more comfortable playing him against let's say somebody like Federer? But are you more comfortable against Nalbandian?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's hard to compare Nalbandian to Federer right at the moment. But, you know, Nalbandian is tough for out of any of the top guys. When he's on, he's very capable of beating anyone out there.
Yeah, surprising he hasn't probably been more consistent in his results, I think, because I rate his game very highly.

Q. What do you think about it, about his game? What makes him stand out?
LLEYTON HEWITT: He moves extremely well. Very rarely his fitness, he's very good. He doesn't look like one of the fittest guys, but I've never seen him lose a match due to fitness.
He's got a good all around game. He's got a great backhand, one of the best backhands on tour.

Q. You've been down two sets to one a couple times. Is there a certain trick to playing when your back's against the wall?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. There's no secrets. It's just a matter of hanging in there. Obviously, when you are two sets to one down, you want to try to get up an early break in the fourth, and I've been able to do that both times this week.

Q. The morning of the semifinal, how much of the Crows' game are you going to look at, the score, listen to the radio, call?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Don't know, mate. Not sure.

Q. You obviously lost in straight sets in the final last year, but can you take a little bit out of that second set where it was almost a match within itself? Can you take some confidence out of that in terms of how you played?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's a year ago. It's probably not a whole heap I can take out of it. Obviously, wouldn't mind that have been the first set rather than the second, though. Had to try to put a bit of pressure on him early on rather than give him a set start. But that's what he tries to do and that's what he's been so successful at against everyone.

Q. Will we see something different against Federer if you play him? Will you be pulling the trigger more?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Don't know. Don't know. We'll wait and see (smiling).
 

FastScripts by ASAP Sports...

Rd 4

L. HEWITT/D. Hrbaty

6‑1, 6‑4, 6‑2

An interview with:

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. Nice match, Lleyton. After a big push by Taylor, it was a different type of match today. You got a player coming up now, who spoke in a press conference earlier, and is playing very, very hot. He said playing you, he's got nothing to lose. Your thoughts about the next step in this journey?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, Jarkko is a tough player. We played a couple times before. Yeah, he works the ball around the court well. He doesn't give you a lot of cheap points. Off both sides he's extremely capable of putting you under pressure. I don't think there's probably a weaker side. His backhand is probably a little bit more steady, but he's got a fair bit of firepower on his forehand side. So, you know, obviously a lefty. Just got to go out there and try and execute my game well. Make him play a lot of balls, and stand up in the court and be aggressive when I need to.

Q. You looked completely in control today. Was today the best you played this week?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think I stepped it up today. Totally different matchup. But I got out of the blocks well today and, you know, I just went out there with the game plan that Roger and I had put together, and, you know, just executed it perfectly and did what I needed to do. And, you know, didn't feel that under pressure, you know, on either my service games nor his. Sometimes it actually felt like he was playing better on my service games than his own.

Q. When you read a guy like Dominik who says he's super fit and what he's going to do is try to run you around, is that extra motivation for you, knowing your own fitness levels?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. He's one of the fittest guys as well out there, but I wasn't trying to go out there and make it into a marathon match. You know, I'm very happy to get away with the win that I got and, you know, be in the locker room after a comfortable win as well and not waste a lot of energy. Physically, I felt great out there today. So, you know, he didn't put me under that much pressure.

Q. Did you work a lot on the serve in the day in between? Seemed like it was coming through a little more today.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, didn't work on it a whole heap specifically. It was more just trying to get some rhythm yesterday in practice and this morning before I went out. But, you know, it was more just a mental effort to go out there and, you know, play the percentage game again out there against Dominik. You know, put him under as much pressure as possible.
 

Q. After the match with Taylor, do you feel like you really needed a match like today, something to get through quick, save yourself energy?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. It's always nice to get through in these, especially coming off a match like Taylor which could have gone either way in a lot of ways, only a couple points here and there. Yeah, it's nice to go out there and bounce back like I did today. It's even better after playing a long match and you pull up and your body feels good as well. You don't have any doubts in your mind about your body, that's a huge positive.

Q. When you know there's a possibility you might play Roger down the line, is it doubly important to try to conserve energy along the way?
LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, nine times out of ten I think if you're going to win the tournament, you're going to have to come up against Federer at some stage at the moment. So, yeah, it's just a matter of getting through your matches. It's not something you focus on, you've got to save your energy just for that match. So it's a matter of, you know, going out there against the opponents that you've got to play. And next Nieminen, whether it takes me an hour and a half or four and a half hours, I just want to get the win on the board.

Q. Andre has spoken about how marriage and fatherhood has changed his perspective on the game. Can you talk about that and what your expectations are.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't given a whole heap of thought. You know, marriage hasn't changed things that much just yet. Having a kid, you know, it certainly will. But, you know, I think it's going to be more of a surprise when it happens than, you know, to know actually how it's going to be right at the moment. You know, obviously the travel and everything. But, you know, Bec is the priority at the moment regardless, and, you know, Bec and obviously the baby will be the priority next year as well.

Q. Have you given any thought to dropping the lawsuit against the ATP? I know your manager has mentioned a little bit about that. What are your thoughts on that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, it's still going on. There's no need for me to comment right now about it.

Q. You're not going to drop it?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No.

Q. When you see next year, you know, I know it's a long way off, but do you foresee yourself as a guy that wants to keep playing tennis, you know, like an Agassi, into that sort of age span?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, there's too many things around the corner, you know, body and injuries. Yeah, who knows really. It's just a matter of at the moment taking as much care as possible, you know, with your body, and my body and especially my legs are a huge part of my game as well. So, yeah, I'd like to play as long as possible, as long as my body can put up with it. But right at the moment I haven't even thought about that.

Q. In terms of your ‑ I don't want to say love for the game ‑ but in terms of going through the grind of being a professional player.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Who knows? Who knows? As soon as you're not motivated, there's not much point being out there.

Q. Six years you've been in the US Open quarters or better. Does it feel as if it's possible for you to have done that? You're only 24. How do you sort of view that achievement?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's good. I actually didn't even think about it until someone said it in one of the interviews there today. You know, it's a great record to have here. It's not an easy Grand Slam, not an easy tournament to do well at, and to go out successfully every year, you know, it's a huge positive, I think. I love playing in New York. I love the conditions, the court surface, the balls, everything about it. So as a whole, this tournament's been pretty good for me.

Q. Jarkko has never played in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. He said there's a certain exuberance being there the first time. You have experience over him. Is there a special danger in playing a young, hot player in unchartered territory, having that sense of momentum?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, there's a danger in that kind of aspect, I guess. You know, they've got nothing to lose in a lot of ways. But, yeah, that can work for a positive or a negative, you know, with the nerves of playing in that situation as well. So it's not a whole ‑‑ for me, it's more a matter of going out there with the mindset I always have, giving 100%, worrying about my game more than my opponent's. I've played enough guys now that it's been their first time in a quarter, semi, or even a final. David Nalbandian at Wimbledon, first final; it can work on either way. It's not something I dwell on too much.

Q. Roger Federer said being the No. 1 player in the world makes your voice carry. Did you feel a responsibility or burden being at the top?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know about a "burden." There's no doubt that I think, you know, the weight of what you say or your comments, you know, carry a lot further down the line than a lot of other people, you know, in the game of tennis. There's no doubt about that. I'm sure any world No. 1 in any chosen sport would be exactly the same. So I'm sure Roger's really feeling that, obviously, at the moment, being clearly the world No. 1.

Q. How have you changed since you were No. 1?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not a whole heap, I don't think. Really not much on or off the court, I think. I still go out there and prepare and put in all the preparation off the court that I need to work on my game, and fitness levels and all that, all the hard yards, yeah. None of that's changed.

Q. John Newcombe obviously says in commentary that he's concerned when you get in a lead, you try and protect it (inaudible). Would you agree with that at all?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Occasionally, I think. Sometimes ‑‑ depends in matches, I think more. Today was a match where the service games, didn't really mean a lot who was serving out there today purely because Hrbaty is such a good returner and he really wants to take that first hit in the point. Whereas sometimes I felt like, you know, it was easier actually on his service games. He played a little bit more negative on his serves games than on mine. So today was probably a little bit different. In some of the matches, I think ‑‑ you know, against Dent the other day, I just had a bad service game at 4‑3 when I led in the fifth and, you know, it was good to close it out at 6‑5.

Q. Why do you play your best tennis when you are behind?LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know if I necessarily play my best tennis when I'm behind. I don't think ‑‑ today I went out and played probably my best tennis first set. That's when, you know, I was clearly in the lead. But, you know, felt pretty confident out there.

Q. You obviously enjoy the challenge?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it doesn't worry me either way. I prefer to be leading than coming from behind, though.

Q. Yesterday McEnroe was saying that he thinks that you were getting in people's faces too much or opponents' faces. Do you sense a big deal is being made out of something that's not that much of a big deal?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think a lot of people hopped on the wagon, yeah. Yeah, I think, you know, especially with the Davis Cup match in Sydney, I think a lot more people hopped on the wagon. That was probably the more disappointing thing because I actually didn't really know what I did wrong in that match. You know, in terms of that, that was disappointing, you know. Even Coria yesterday was mimicking Massu in his match, but no one really wanted to give him a hard time yesterday, or back in Sydney. So that was disappointing.

Q. Do you feel what you do is more aimed at internal‑wise, like a fist pump or a "C'mon" is more about you than the other guy?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, it's always got to do with me. It's a matter of spur‑of‑the‑moment, the emotions out there, whether I want to pump myself up and, you know, just happens out there. It's not something you think about and go out there and do.

Q. Did you happen to notice his shirt?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah (smiling).

Q. Would you be apt to wear a shirt with gaping holes?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I wouldn't wear it. I wouldn't wear it. But it made it a lot easier for me to beat him today.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports...

Rd 3  defeated Taylor Dent

An interview with:
 

LLEYTON HEWITT
 

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. You play against so few serve and volleyers. Do you enjoy it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's a good challenge. It's obviously a lot different to 90% of the guys out there now. It's pretty much you know, even Henman doesn't serve volley first and second serves anymore. So there's not too many guys that keep coming at you like that. That probably works in Taylor's favor, I guess, a lot of matches especially on these kind of matches, these courts as well.

Q. Worked for you at the end.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was very close.

Q. Thought you were going to give that fifth set away there.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I felt like I was I played Taylor in '97 in Juniors here. I felt like it was that today.

Q. Two double faults?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I let him have another chance after I did well to break. Got the first break late in the fifth set, then just didn't close it out at 40 15. That end was the tougher end to play from today, which has been different than the other day when I played Costa on that court, opposite wind direction today. So it was a lot tougher playing from that end. When Taylor chip charged and hits deep balls like that, he's tough to pass. He's a big guy and he's got a lot of reach across the net. He's not the easiest person to pass or lob. Just a matter of trying to hang in there. I felt like I was returning pretty well the whole match. That sort of kept me in it.

Q. The double faults, obviously, one of the stats was when he broke you there were double faults. That always gave him momentum. Was it just the wind, you think, the conditions today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I didn't serve great today, there's no doubt about that. But I guess a guy like Taylor, I think if you're going to play well and beat him, you've got to serve well. It was one of those matches I sort of put myself against the 8 ball a little bit, behind the 8 ball, because I went out there, didn't serve well and I had to do other things well to put myself in contention, like my return of serve. I felt like I was able to do that today. He's not the easiest guy to return serve, even on second serves. But I felt like I was really stepping in and dictating any opportunity that I got on the second serve, which that was probably the biggest positive to come out of today's match.

Q. He was in here earlier and said 5 Love, he was thinking, "This is going to be a quick day." What changed?

 
LLEYTON HEWITT: He started serving a lot better. He made a lot more first serves towards the end of the first set, you know, throughout the second set. But he made a lot more hiccups and low volleys and half volleys. I actually felt like in the second and third set, I felt like I returned pretty well out there and, you know, he just came up with some tough, awkward dinks. With the wind, it was hard to lob, moving forward, playing a chip shot when he's all over the net. So in terms of that, he just made life, you know, difficult in that situation. Yeah, I still felt like I could have been a lot more positive and aggressive out there and taken it to him a lot more from the back of the court, but, you know, the conditions made it a lot tougher to do that.

Q. How many times during the match did you have in your mind maybe your serve volley point here, it's not quite right, then you played the serve volley point on the big point there in the last game?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he was just bunting, bunting the serve back trying to get into the point, especially from that end with the breeze. He's just chipping it back, waiting for a short ball to pounce on. So, yeah, at deuce there, I just mixed it up. Served out wide to his forehand, expected him to hit a chip shot with his forehand and got the perfect reply that I wanted. You know, as I said, if I served better, then it would have given me more opportunities to serve volley, mix it up a lot more. But I just didn't have great rhythm out there serving today.

Q. You might not have liked your serve overall today, but you came up with two big serves in the final game. Did you catch him leaning the wrong way?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I had to get lucky out there some time. I didn't get a whole lot of cheap points off my serve today.

Q. One was 127.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm getting big now, so (smiling)...

Q. You've got Hrbaty now. What are the challenges he presents coming off a match like this, five sets, serve volleyer, big guy. Now you go against Hrbaty. Compare, contrast those.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's a totally opposite match in tactics and the way the opponents are going to play. Hrbaty, he's one of the fittest guys out there. He's a workhorse. He's going to make you play a lot of balls out there. He's going to run down a lot of shots. But, you know, he doesn't play with a lot of spin. He wants it in, you know, his zone the whole time. It's a matter of, you know, trying to change up, and trying to dictate play as much as possible against him. But, you know, he's a tough player. He's been in the semifinals of the French before and it's not going to be an easy day. I think I'm going to have to improve from today's match.

Q. But more comfortable for you, this kind of an opponent, than a guy like Taylor Dent?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It depends on the conditions. Today the conditions made it tougher as well, because, you know, as I said, he's got such reach around the net, and overhead as well, he moves back great for his overhead, which was very hard to pass in the breeze today. If you're slightly off, or a quarter slightly a bit late, he was over the net. That made it tougher. It's obviously, depending on the conditions, but as Bud said earlier, it's not too often that you play serve volleyers first and second serves these days.

Q. More breeze there than usual?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There was more today. It wasn't as bad as the first day I played last Wednesday against Costa. But it's definitely swirling out there. This tournament's always had very few days where you have, you know, great conditions where there's no wind at all. Apart from the wind today, it was a great temperature and whatever to play tennis in.

Q. How do you think you might rebound physically from today, three hours plus? Going back a few weeks you were sick in Canada?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I'll be fine. For me personally, it wasn't that grueling. I was hoping that my fitness is going to be better than Taylor's out there today as well. Once I got into the fifth set, I would have been pretty disappointed if I lost it due to fitness.

Q. Is there a key to your increased serving? Someone pointed out if you look at the Top 10 players, number of aces they hit per match levels the playing field, you're right behind Andy Roddick. Is it just nothing but work, nothing but serving? Is there another key to what you've done with your serve?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. It's something that Roger and I have had worked on the last 18 months or so, two years now pretty much since Roger took over, basically. It was an area of my game that we felt like we can improve and get cheaper points and make life a bit little easier out there rather than just battling away from the back of the court the whole time. Yeah, it's hard work more than anything, just practice and trying to keep that rhythm. You're gonna have days like today where I didn't feel like I served great out there. But my first two matches I felt like I served pretty well in general. You're always going to have days where you still got to find a way to win, even if everything's not going great. But, you know, pretty much at the end of the day, it's just hard work and trying to find that rhythm again.

Q. Did you change your motion?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not motion. You know, it's just more placement and working the ball and, you know, picking the right times to go for the big one and, you know, more trying to be smart, I think, about the way that I serve.

Q. Do you think with the year that you've had, you know, just getting in terms of your goals here, obviously you want to win every time, but you would have been obviously quite disappointed not getting to the second week of the US Open. Now that you are, I mean, how do you sort of assess the way it's gone for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: So far, so good. I'm still in the tournament. I still feel like there's areas of my game that I can work on and I think I need to work on if I want to make any real in roads into this tournament and be a serious contender. But, you know, I feel like, you know, I'm still here and, you know, Hrbaty is going to have a challenge in the next match, put up a challenge for me in the next match. But I still like my chances in that one, you know, if I go out there and execute the way that I want to. I can't look too far down the line. Obviously, Federer is going to be waiting there, most likely. But, you know, you can't look too far ahead of yourself. You've seen what happened to Nadal and Roddick. There's no easy matches out here.

Q. Eighth game of the fifth set, you're ahead 40 15, don't put a first serve in and you double fault twice. Do nerves enter in at that point?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. As I said, my rhythm just didn't feel great out there today. That was the tougher end to serve from, into the b breeze. I just felt like my ball toss was not quite as high as it should be, sort of falling back the whole time against the breeze. It was more that, I think, than anything else. Because Taylor wasn't really chip charging off my serve that much today. He was sort of waiting for his opportunity in the point to come in.

Q. Foot fault call annoy you at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. If I've been foot faulted in the past, it's normally on the ad side. It was weird to get a couple on the deuce side.

Q. It's difficult because of the way you turn your foot, hard to see whether you're actually on the line or not. I wonder if the lines people are guessing that your foot is on the line.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, there's a few in Sydney this year, in the tournament in Sydney I was getting called a lot for foot faults and we were going to tapes and they weren't foot faults. We had to have a meeting with all the lines people to go through them. Obviously, my foot turns, but your foot actually has to touch the line, part of your foot has to touch the line to be called a foot fault.

Q. Did you hear the Fanatics? They're so far away in this stadium.

LLEYTON HEWITT: They don't get close here. No, yeah, they're there the whole time. It's a bit harder to hear them, but I can hear them, and it's good to have that support.

Q. Being relatively new to tennis, how does Bec deal with the big moments like that? Does she get nervous? She seems quite calm.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I think she's pretty calm. She's sort of learning the ropes a little bit. She's probably a little bit nervous out there for me. But, yeah, I don't think she she can probably see the bigger picture a little bit better than I can, too.

Q. Taylor faulted his own serve. Does Taylor's serve seem any less dangerous to you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not right at the moment. I felt like I was on his serve a lot today. I don't think it's any less than it has been in the past. I think the balls are getting a little soft here after couple games after they lose their new when we play with new balls. Maybe that's got a little bit to do with his serve not coming through as much. But, yeah, every second serve today, I felt like I was seeing it and picking my spots well. Still, he's got a great first serve, no doubt about that.

Q. Is it fun to be in a match like that? The crowd is really in it. Everybody's in it. It could have gone either way. Is there a feeling that, "I'm really glad to be out here"?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Sometimes (smiling).

Q. Not today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I still felt like there was a lot of areas of my game that weren't quite clicking today. It was more a matter of trying to find a way to win today and get in the locker room and look forward to the next round.

Q. What did you think of the question that CBS asked you on court afterwards? Was it a cheap shot?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It was a strange one. I think when you put people out there that don't have too much idea about tennis...

Q. Was your confidence destroyed and all your weaknesses exposed? Do you feel this way?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I'm through to the next round and, you know, he's a tough opponent for anyone to play.

Q. Don't look like a wreck sitting there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I'm hanging in all right. I think I'll sleep okay tonight (smiling).

Q. How are you physically? Saw you coughing there a little bit. Something in your throat?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I'm fine, mate. Thanks.

Q. Keen for a night match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Doesn't bother me either way. You know, it is a great atmosphere to play at night. But I can get out of here at a decent hour, too, playing first match at 11. So whatever comes my way, I guess.

Q. The doubles players were in here a couple days ago announcing that they were suing the ATP. You don't play that much doubles, but you're a tennis player and a lot of your mates are doubles players. Can you offer opinions.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I spoke about it the other day. It's hard for me to comment too much purely because I don't know enough about it. You know, for me, I use the doubles, picking my tournaments, to prepare for singles now. Obviously it was fantastic to win my first Grand Slam in doubles with Max Mirnyi here in the US Open in 2000, but apart from that I've hardly played any Grand Slam doubles and I just pick my weeks here and there. I think you can understand why some of the guys are disappointed, you know, to be changing the scores and whatever. But does it affect me? Not really.

Q. Does it strike you as sort of the wrong thing to do to the game to tennis?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, well, doubles has been such a big part of our game for so many years, but tournament directors are putting the money up to supply tournaments and get sponsors and whatever. If they feel that that's the way that, you know, is going to help them make more money and support the game and they put a lot of money and financial help into our game. So it's very hard to go against what they're suggesting as well in a lot of ways. You've got to try to find a happy medium, I guess. At this stage it looks like they're all trying to get one extreme in 2007, 2008. I think that's what the doubles players are trying to get against.

Q. What do you think of your countryman, Ben Graham, making the Jets as a punter? Ben was more of an AFL star.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he is a good player. I don't know that much about it. But, yeah, he's obviously got a great kick on him, left foot kick. I know Geelong were very disappointed to lose him.

Q. But they still made the playoffs?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Geelong?

Q. Yes.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, they're still going. They're still in there at the moment.

Q. Your guys have another week?

LLEYTON HEWITT: What, just one?

Q. I think so.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You think so? We'll wait and see.
 

FastScripts by ASAP Sports...

Rd 2 L. HEWITT/J. Acasuso 7‑6, 7‑6, 6‑2

An interview with:

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. Tough matches in the last couple years here, Lleyton?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, in patches, I guess he's a tough competitor out there. He's got a lot of flashy shots and a lot of weapons out there. I'd never hit a ball against him, so it took me a while to get in and read his game a little bit. You know, he served extremely well, especially the first set and a half. Then he started, you know, missing quite a few first serves, giving me a bit of a look in. But I thought he'd make a lot more errors than he did.

Q. Are you pleased with your game?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It was good. I still feel like I can improve on today's match, but they're the kind of matches you just got to find a way and get through them and put yourself in a position to have another crack at someone in two days' time.

Q. Obviously, that's Taylor Dent. You've played him enough to know what to expect?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I know what I'm going to get. It's just a matter of executing, going out there with a game plan, you know, and executing what I need to do out there on Sunday. You know, it's never easy playing against Taylor, but, you know, he's going to give me a target and I've got to take my chances, you know, when I get them.

Q. Does that make these early rounds actually more nerve‑wracking, when you can't come up with a game plan because there's an opponent you've only played once, maybe not only that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, it's not quite, you know ‑‑ not harder than taking on Federer (smiling).

Q. But you get the point.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's tough in its own way purely because they may not be in the same, you know, in the caliber of Federer or Roddick or Nadal or Agassi, but you just haven't seen them play. So sometimes, yeah, it does take you a set, set and a half, to get into the match and find out what their weaknesses are and try and exploit them as much as possible. So in some ways, you know, it is tougher.

Q. Is it also a case where the unknown opponent, because they're playing a named star such as yourself, is really playing their A game at all times? Does that also weigh on your mind, your opponent who you might not have heard of, he knows who you are, you don't know about him, he's all psyched? Is it tougher mentally to take some someone you haven't heard of?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's the same situation week in and week out now, for me it's been for the last four or five years. All the top guys, Agassi I've been playing for a number of years now. That's what you got to deal with, and the pressures and expectations of being in the top, you know, three or four in the world. So it's just a matter of handling that and, you know, going out there, not taking any opponent lightly and, you know, even if you're one of the top guys in the world you've got to expect that you're going to get a pretty tough challenge every time you step out there.

Q. Your Wimbledon match against Taylor Dent, it was four sets, but was it a typical four‑setter? What sort of lessons do you take out of that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It was probably one of the more comfortable four‑setters I've played against Taylor, I would say. That whole match I felt pretty comfortable. I think I lost the third set in a tiebreak, if I recall correct. It was a tight, tight third set. I bounced back and played well in the fourth again. Yeah, it was a tough match, but I was on his serve early. You know, in the past it's maybe taken me, you know, a little bit of time sometimes to get on his serve. You know, Taylor's got a great serve and volley game. It's a matter of me going out there and making him play tough low volleys and half‑volleys and, you know, making him play as many balls as possible.

Q. Will you practice with a serve‑volley player the next couple days?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think so. It's more ‑‑ tomorrow it will just be another light hit and just try and keep the rhythm going more than anything. You know, I've played enough guys, you know, to know. Obviously grew up playing with Rafter, and a number of serve‑volley guys anyway. So I don't think that's going to take me by surprise.

Q. Do you think the ATP screwed up with the doubles changes they're proposing?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Uhm, I don't know enough about it, to tell you the truth. Obviously, the doubles guys are pretty disappointed. It's a hard situation because tournament directors still have to look at what's the right thing for their tournaments that they're putting so much money into. I can't speak on behalf of them. Me, as a player, I don't play a whole heap of doubles because the singles tour is hard enough as it is. I just pick and choose my weeks to play. You know, there are obviously ‑‑ the tournament directors, whoever, the ATP, are obviously in the structure of trying to make it less and less doubles specialists kind of guys; whether that's right or wrong I'm not sure.

Q. These changes, would that change your attitude about playing doubles or not?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think so. For me, personally, I pick and choose the weeks that I feel like I need another match or two, and whether it's practicing for Davis Cup doubles or, you know, little things like that. I don't think in a whole heap that would personally change my thinking a whole lot.

Q. Can you tell me whether you're doing anything like donating or raising money for the hurricane victims?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think a lot of the players have actually been asked to donate racquets, shoes, shirts and whatever. So the ATP is trying to ‑‑ or the US Open is trying to do as much as possible, so I'll be a part of that.

Q. Taylor stressed you had every right to get in your opponent's faces and stuff, that's the way you pump yourself up. In the nicest possible way, he put you in a group of players that sometimes cross the line on on‑court etiquette? Have you heard that so many times it doesn't faze you at all?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It doesn't faze me a whole heap. It's still a matter of me going out there Sunday and playing my game and not worrying about who's at the other end too much. So it's sort of water off a duck's back.

Q. Can you talk about the line call in the second set. You were very sort of matter‑of‑fact, you handled it, you asked for the referee. Similar to how you handled the Roddick match in Cincinnati. Are you trying to be sort of more maybe...
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I just wasn't sure what was going on. Obviously, Jose, my opponent, had no idea what was going on either. It was more a matter of trying to clear up what the actual ruling was for that particular line call. It didn't help either of us, both our cases weren't held up. So that's when they decided to play (two/too?).

Q. You've obviously done extremely well here over the last few years and spoken about it at length. Can you just tell us again why you seem to perform so well here. Five losses and 31 victories?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I enjoy the conditions here. I think obviously the heat suits me. I pride myself on being one of the fittest guys out there, so I think that's always helped me a lot here. Yeah, it's a great atmosphere. Obviously, the court surface and the conditions, I think, are probably the main key there. You know, it's a hard court that I feel like I grew up, you know, in Adelaide growing up. Tennis lessons at local clubs are on hard courts similar to this. So I think it's sort of where you grew up and played a lot of your junior tennis on.

Q. On the point of fitness and saying you're one of the fittest guys on the tour, do you think you can get any fitter than you are? If so, in what areas?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I think I can. I think it's more maybe strength fitness more than anything. My stamina is pretty good. Hasn't let me down on too many occasions. I think there's always room for improvement. Maybe it's only marginal, but it could be something that you need in a big match.

Q. Are you changing anything, the way you play at all?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I haven't noticed myself slowing down yet, so I'm okay.

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RD 1 L. HEWITT/A. Costa 6-1, 6-2, 6-1
An interview with:

LLEYTON HEWITT

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How was it out there?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It was good. Extremely tough conditions so it was one match that you just wanted to get under your belt and get into the tournament get back into the locker room as quickly as possible. And I felt like I executed exactly how I wanted to out there considering I knew it was going to be extremely windy after the warmup. I had this morning with Roger. Went out with a game plan and executed it perfectly.

Q. Obviously you played pretty much the least amount of tournaments of any of the Top 30, 40 players this year. Is that going to impact your form when it gets into a real tight contest or --
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. Couldn't have played probably more or less than I played before Wimbledon. As soon as I get in the big matches, the big situations, I know what to do and there was a couple of tight matches obviously at Wimbledon against Dent, tight four-setter. Then against Lopez, as well. I played my best tennis actually under those situations where I was down an early break against Lopez and the bigger the point the better I played. Hope that's going to be the same situation here.

Q. You guys' peril could lay anywhere, even in a first round, Andy obviously experienced that bitterly last night. Looking at first round, a guy who has won a Grand Slam event albeit he's not in top form, did you have any concerns about having Albert in that first round?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, no more than any other first round, I think. Yeah, there's no doubt I got respect for the guy, winner of the French Open, winner of any Slam. In this day and age, they can play on any surface. Yeah, you know it going to be tough. He's a guy who never gives it away easily either. He's a workhorse out there. Yeah, in a lot of ways it could have been a tough and awkward matchup for me. I think I just handled the situation so much better and the conditions out there than he did today. Yeah, I don't think these kind of conditions suit his game too well.

Q. When you see the likes of Andy go out early round, does that affect your thinking at all? Did you watch the match last night?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I didn't watch it. It doesn't affect me. Andy is on the other side of the draw obviously and, yeah, it's just -- always an eye-opener any time to see one of the top guys go out in the first and second round. But, you know, I've been on the other end of it as well. I know as well as any one that you can't take those matches lightly. And I played that Muller block last year in the Washington final after beating Agassi and he can play.

Q. Your part of the draw has opened up considerably. Does that make it easier for you or tougher? You have got a lot of claycourters, maybe Taylor Dent, looks like a relatively easy run.
LLEYTON HEWITT: As you saw last night, everyone was counting Andy to the semis and finals. There's no easy draws in this day and age. This court surface, I think a lot of the claycourters can play exceptionally well on this surface nowadays. Horna, Asacuso in the next rounds not going to be easy, Asacuso beat a lot of good players in Cincinnati to make a quarter there and played pretty well against Federer. And Horna, I beat in the Long Island final last year, but he made the final of a hard court event. So I am going to play the likes of one of those two guys.

Q. Has the "Cashy" headband been put back in the bag?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I just tried that for a couple of weeks.

Q. What was the idea behind that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Just something different. That was it.

Q. Is that in respect to him and that sort of thing?
LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. I loved Cashy growing up. He was one of my favorite players. Love the headband, too. It was a great thing for sport, a great thing for tennis I think. That was his trademark, no doubt about that. Obviously, I just had a thought before I went to Montreal, and obviously it didn't get the greatest stats, got pulled out the first round, but I called him up and asked if he'd mind if I wore a few of his headbands.

Q. They were his?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, his.

Q. Shipped them off to you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah.

Q. Injuries have played a part in your schedule this year. Obviously you are married now, going to have a child. Eight tournaments so far this year. Is that going to be a sort of similar plan for you next year?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No doubt I'd like to play few more this year, for sure. Next year, I haven't really set out a schedule, but as it's been the last three, four years now be focusing on the four majors and working backward from there. Yeah, leading into the French, I am not sure how much I will play. Obviously, I want to be fresh going into Wimbledon, being away that whole time leading and playing a lot of tournaments before the French. I don't know if that's the best preparation for me before Wimbledon. So I got to look at what holds in best stead for all the four majors and coming into the US. No doubt I'd like to play more tournaments this year as well coming in here. That's not to be, just got to try and do as well as I can with what is put in front of you at the time.

Q. As an expecting father, have you been talking to other guys on Tour that have young kids or babies get some tips what it's going to be like?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really, no. Tim Henman's made a few jokes here and there. That's about it.

Q. What has he said?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably can't repeat it here.

Q. Did he mention the cricket, as well?
LLEYTON HEWITT: He's mentioned the cricket a few times.

Q. Any thoughts on that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not at the moment (Laughter). I still think we'll find a way at that win the fifth test blank, hopefully the Tour.

Q. Does it feel any different to come here as a married man to have the extra responsibility of family life?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No. Once I get out on the court, practice court, match court, it's business as usual and matter of focusing on my job and what I am here to do.

Q. How about the evening sessions here, do you like them?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I like the evening sessions, if I get any. I have played well in the evening in the past here, pretty good record, I think. I enjoying playing the evening sessions. It's a real buzz here, much like Australia in the night matches as well.

Q. Expect that you will travel with your wife and kid next year?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Most of the time, yeah.

Q. How are you expecting that to change your routine and your schedule?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I have no idea at this moment. Obviously it's going to change, but 'til it happens, I have no idea.

Q. Just going to wing it?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, again.

Q. Forget sleep?
LLEYTON HEWITT: That's going to be a change(Laughter).

Q. (Indiscernible) on the weekend?
LLEYTON HEWITT: For sure.

Q. Sent a message to the guys?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I have spoken to a lot of the guys.

Q. How are you going to monitor these boys, Internet?
LLEYTON HEWITT. Depends, 7 o'clock in Adelaide, I don't know what I'll do. Depends on my matches and that as well. But I have a very keen eye on it.

Q. What's the tip?
LLEYTON HEWITT. We'll win. There's no doubt about that.

Q. How many?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. Depends on how many players they have out. They still have a few of their guns still 50/50, I think. And a lot depends on them. I think if we get through this week, it's going to be a huge confidence booster for all the boys.

Q. (Indiscernible) Wednesday start be as opposed to an earlier start?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think now it's going to be a disadvantage. If it got rained out today, could have been a different story. Now that I got through, every second day, as per any Grand Slam, obviously until you get to the Saturday and Sunday back-to-back semi and final, but I am just happy I didn't get rained out today and I could get through.

Q. Did you make a request to play Tuesday, can you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I put in that I preferred to play Tuesday, but my half of the draw was Tuesday or Wednesday, and -- I think when Safin pulled out, as well, it made things a little harder, because there weren't as many key names to play on Wednesday.

Q. And the 11:00 A.M. start, how was that for you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: That's fine. No, it's good to get it over and done with. Probably prefer that to hanging around and waiting - especially not knowing what this weather is going to do.

Q. Spoke to Rod Laver on the weekend. Obviously an opinion worth listening. Rod said while he likes Roger for the tournament, he thinks you have got a shot and he was feeling sort of the best thing for you is to not worry about what Roger is doing, what he's not doing, until such times as you were playing him.
LLEYTON HEWITT: That's what I do every tournament. I don't worry about Roger until I come up against him because I am obviously doing something pretty well against the other 99 blocks of the Top 100 out there. So it's only a matter of worrying about Roger when you have actually got to face him, but then again, there's been no secret formula for anyone against Roger on any surface really the last couple of years. I'd look forward to hopefully getting that crack at him in the semi.

Q. Having said that, Albert was just in here. He said the difference between playing you now and last time he played you, he thought your serve was a lot bigger. He also thought you were a lot stronger. Is that something that you worked at in terms of looking at Federer or just in terms of being a better player?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think in terms of just being a better player. There's no doubt that Roger has taken the game to another level though. Yeah, that might motivate, I think, the rest of the guys out there to keep improving and to keep getting better. One thing that Roger Rasheed and I worked on was strength and trying to add another dimension to my game and trying to become a better player. If there's no small areas of your game to work on, then you might as well hang your rackets up. That keeps you motivated and keeps you hungry out there to keep improving. Yeah, it hasn't just happened overnight. That's been something that we have been working on the last two years, 18 months, two years. I think my result have shown that. Physically, I have been pretty strong in all the majors that I have had to play. Probably the most in the Australian Open, getting through to the final.

Q. Peter Luczak said the other day to me he thought the difference from hitting with you a couple of years ago to now is that he said you might make a few more errors because he thinks you are much more aggressive than sort of to know the ball back to keep it in play. Is that again...
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think over the last couple of years that's happened more and more. Whether that means coming into the net a little bit more to add another dimension, element of surprise to your opponents or not. Yeah, it just gives me another area of my game to improve and work on. That's a lot different doing it in the practice court to going out and doing it in match court in match conditions, under match pressure, under 30-alls and Deuce points out there.

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