Final articles 2002 - thanks Robyn

after the final

wimbledon.org
Hewitt Cruises to Men's Title
Barry Newcombe

Sunday, July 7, 2002


Lleyton Hewitt, the 21-year-old Australian, claimed the Wimbledon title in straight sets on the Centre Court this afternoon with victory over the surprise finalist, 20-year-old David Nalbandian of Argentina, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 57 minutes.

Hewitt confirmed his world number one ranking as he took the title for the first time in his first Wimbledon final against another debutant who was playing both at Wimbledon and on the Centre Court for the first time.

Nalbandian, seeded 28th, started badly to trail 4-0 but began to pick up more points and then games as he became accustomed to the demands of the final. The match was dominated by Hewitt's pinpoint accuracy on either flank, his certainty when he made his occasional attacks at the net and, above all, by the unshakeable belief that this was going to be his day.

Hewitt, in his fourth Wimbledon, is the first Australian to win since Pat Cash in 1987 and brings the total of Gentlemen's Singles titles won by Australians at The Championships to 21. Like Cash, Hewitt clambered across the crowd to greet his friends and family after winning his second Grand Slam (he was US Open champion last September).

At the start, Hewitt won the toss and chose to receive on a cloudy and cool afternoon with some light breezes blowing around the court. Nalbandian started uncertainly with a double fault and out of the next four points hit two service winners and two errors as Hewitt broke serve.

Hewitt held serve easily and broke Nalbandian again in the third game but this time the Argentine saved two break points before being beaten on the third by a backhand pass.

Hewitt held to love with an ace to lead 4-0 and then, to the delight of the crowd, Nalbandian won a game after saving two break points. He had two chances to take Hewitt's serve in the next game but the Australian held on for 5-1 with a smash.

The pressure swung on to Nalbandian again and a volley from Hewitt and two errors by Nalbandian put him three set points down. Nalbandian saved with a diving backhand volley and then double faulted to lose the set 6-1 after 32 minutes.

In the second set , Hewitt held serve from break point down to lead 1-0 and then the players left the court because of a light shower. When they returned, a male streaker ran on to the court and held up the resumption briefly before he was caught by security staff and led away.

Hewitt broke for 2-0 on his fourth break point but the court erupted after the next game when Nalbandian broke Hewitt for the first time. Hewitt saved a first break point but the second went to Nalbandian after a high speed rally that ended with the Argentine hitting a backhand volley winner. Nalbandian held serve for 2-2.

Hewitt held serve to lead 3-2 after one hour and Nalbandian held for 3-3. With Hewitt serving at 30-30, play was suspended because of rain.

The match resumed after a delay of 32 minutes and Hewitt held for 4-3. Hewitt next broke for 5-3, shouting encouragement to himself twice with the phrase "Come on" echoing around the court.

The Australian increased his lead to two sets to love, clinching the second set 6-3. Hewitt was 0-30 down and then won four points running for the set after one hour and 16 minutes.

To start the third set, Nalbandian saved a break point and held for 1-0. Hewitt then held after saving two break points and took Nalbandian's serve on a second break point with a backhand winner to lead 2-1. But Hewitt could not reinforce his break and lost serve for 2-2.

The first point won by Hewitt in the fifth game was one of the best of the final. He was pulled out wide by a drive from Nalbandian but not only managed to reach the ball but to return it cross court and close to the net for a winner.

Hewitt broke again for 3-2 but on break point Nalbandian appeared to stop playing when he believed a baseline shot was out. But the shot stood. It was cruel for Nalbandian but his rival had a lead once more.

Hewitt, with the end now in sight, held serve to love for the first time since the fourth game of the first set, and he was up 4-2. Nalbandian hit his sixth and seventh double faults as the next game fell into Hewitt's hands, leaving the Australian to serve for the match at 5-2.

Hewitt started with a service winner to 15-0. Then a smash took the score to 30-0. Next Nalbandian hit a forehand out to give match point to Hewitt. A double fault followed, 40-15. Then Nalbandian hit his forehand long. And a new Champion was born.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

BBC
Sunday, 7 July, 2002, 15:55 GMT 16:55 UK
Awesome Hewitt wins Wimbledon

Lleyton Hewitt beat David Nalbandian
6-1 6-3 6-2


Lleyton Hewitt thrashed David Nalbandian to claim his first Wimbledon title and emphatically underscore his status as the new dominant force in men's tennis.

The 21-year-old Australian swept aside the unheralded Argentine in one of the most one-sided finals in Wimbledon history.

Victory gave Hewitt his second Grand Slam title, following last September's win at the US Open.

Pete Sampras was the man Hewitt took apart on that day, and the 21-year-old Australian seems set to dominate the world game just like Sampras did in the 1990s.

Hewitt's victory was not achieved with the natural grasscourt style of Sampras but instead with fast feet and baseline power more reminiscent of Andre Agassi, the last man to win Wimbledon from the back of the court 10 years ago.

Nalbandian, the first Wimbledon debutant in the Open era to get through to the final, had never even played on Centre Court before.

Because of that he was allowed to practice in the famous arena before the match but that was not enough to prevent a double fault on his very first point.

Hewitt went on to break his opponent in that opening encounter and that set the tone as the Australian took the first set 6-1.

The top seed had dropped just two sets in the whole of the tournament and so, having lost the first, Nalbandian knew he was facing a near impossible task.

Early in the second set the match saw its first rain delay which was only around 12 minutes - although that was enough time for a male streaker to expose Wimbledon's security once again by dancing around Centre Court.

Once he was removed attention switched back to the naked ambition of Hewitt to become the first Australian to win Wimbledon since Pat Cash in 1987.

The world number one broke Nalbandian straight away to lead 2-0 - and although his opponent immediately broke back a second rain delay interrupted the Argentine's momentum.

When the players returned there was another break by Hewitt, which gave him the chance to serve out for the second set.

The players swapped breaks early in the third set but then a third break went Hewitt's way - thanks in part to an overrule which Nalbandian disputed heavily even though replays showed the umpire was correct.

That gave the Australian a 3-2 lead and when he held for 4-2 the crown was within touching distance.

Another break left Hewitt serving for the title and, after a nervous double fault at championship point, he held to 15.

As he fell to his knees on the famous grass of Centre Court a new era in men's tennis had truly begun.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

BBC
Sunday, 7 July, 2002, 12:42 GMT 13:42 UK
Gamewatch: Hewitt v Nalbandian


All the action from Centre Court as Lleyton Hewitt shrugs off rain delays, a streaker and David Nalbandian to become Wimbledon champion.


Hewitt 6-1 6-3 6-2 Nalbandian
Hewitt falls to the floor after serving out to win his first Wimbledon title. The Australian is a deserving champion on the grass and there is no telling how many more Grand Slam titles he will win.

Hewitt 6-1 6-3 5-2 Nalbandian
Two double faults spell the end for Nalbandian. He has done marvellously well to reach the Wimbledon final but has wilted in the face of Hewitt's considerable challenge.

Hewitt 6-1 6-3 4-2 Nalbandian
Hewitt's serve has looked largely impressive and it consolidates his advantage.

Hewitt 6-1 6-3 3-2 Nalbandian
Boos from the crowd greet Hewitt's latest break as Nalbandian protests a tight line call with umpire Mike Morrisey.

Hewitt 6-1 6-3 2-2 Nalbandian
Hewitt shows signs of tightness with victory looming and surrenders his serve to Nalbandian after a long rally.

Hewitt 6-1 6-3 2-1 Nalbandian
The sun makes an unexpected visit to Centre Court and momentarily puts Nalbandian off his service game. Hewitt earns a break point and takes it spectacularly with a drilled backhand winner.

Hewitt 6-1 6-3 1-1 Nalbandian
Despite being recognised for his supreme backcourt game, Hewitt is coming up with a serve-and-volley game when it matters. The Australian fends off break point and crashes home a smash to hold.

Hewitt 6-1 6-3 0-1 Nalbandian
Nalbandian is playing well below the ability he has shown in reaching his first Grand Slam final, but he hangs on to hold his opening service game of the third set.


Second set:

Hewitt 6-1 6-3 Nalbandian
The world number one falls behind in his service game but fights back and wins the second set with an ace. He is now just one set from winning his first Wimbledon title and looks unstoppable.

Hewitt 6-1 5-3 Nalbandian
Hewitt is pumped up and he breaks Nalbandian to put himself within sight of a two-set lead.

Hewitt 6-1 4-3 Nalbandian
Hewitt shows characteristic composure to hold serve and edges ahead in the second set.

Hewitt 6-1 3-3 (resumption) Nalbandian
The players are back on court again and will resume at 3-3 and 30-30 on Lleyton Hewitt's serve.

Fans are not anticipating a long delay and spirits on the newly-named "Hewitt Hill" are very high. Hundreds of Australians have assembled where British tennis fans usually cheer Tim Henman, to watch their hero on a giant screen.
Hewitt 6-1 3-3 (rain delay) Nalbandian
Nalbandian wins the best rally of the match with a bold drop shot. The Argentine is enjoying himself at last, but rain halts play again at 30-30.

Hewitt 6-1 3-3 Nalbandian
The standard of tennis is pretty high now and Nalbandian is making a match of it.

Hewitt 6-1 3-2 Nalbandian
Hewitt answers with a solid service game.

Hewitt 6-1 2-2 Nalbandian
Visibly more confident after his success in the last game, Nalbandian squares the set to the delight of his fans - among them delegates from the Argentine embassy.

Hewitt 6-1 2-1 Nalbandian
Centre Court erupts as Nalbandian secures his first break with a cheeky lob over Hewitt who is caught flat at the net.

Hewitt 6-1 2-0 Nalbandian
The assorted interruptions have done little to help Nalbandian's game. He bounces back from 0-40 but then gives another break to Hewitt.

Hewitt 6-1 1-0 (resumption) Nalbandian
The players return after a rain delay to be greeted by a tenacious streaker, who hurdles the net in his full glory before being escorted from Centre Court.

Hewitt's girlfriend Kim Clijsters averts her eyes but even those in the Royal Box have a chuckle at the surprising events before the crowd settles down to the resumption of play.

Hewitt 6-1 1-0 (rain delay) Nalbandian
Nalbandian forces break point again but then plays a series of loose shots to hand the game to Hewitt.


First set:

Hewitt 6-1 Nalbandian
Nalbandian ends the first set as he started it - with a double fault. Hewitt has used his unflappable tennis to exploit his opponent's nerves to the glee of many Australians in the crowd.

Hewitt 5-1 Nalbandian
Hewitt shows his grit to fend off the first break points on his serve and holds.

Hewitt 4-1 Nalbandian
The crowd gets behind a dispirited Nalbandian and he rallies from more break points to win his first game of the final with his first winners of the day. The Argentine has already made 12 unforced errors.

Hewitt 4-0 Nalbandian
Another easy service game for Hewitt who is closing out the first set in double-quick time.

Hewitt 3-0 Nalbandian
Nalbandian looks nervous and is being made to work hard for every point. He serves his second double fault at deuce and Hewitt pounces to break for a second time.

Hewitt 2-0 Nalbandian
No sign of nerves for Hewitt. The world number one finds his range with a couple of deep backhands and holds to 15.

Hewitt 1-0 Nalbandian
A nightmare start for Nalbandian, who double faults with his first serves of the match and is soon broken by the probing baseline shots of Hewitt.


The players step onto Centre Court to great ovation. Lleyton Hewitt wins the toss and elects to receive.

Wimbledon is faced with the rare prospect of a baseline-dominated final and is guaranteed a new men's singles champion.

Australian Hewitt starts as overwhelming favourite and he has plenty of support, with girlfriend - and tennis ace - Kim Clijsters in attendance.

"Henman Hill" has been renamed "Hewitt Hill" for the occasion, with plenty of Australians watching the big screen outside Court One.

Argentine Nalbandian had not even played in a senior tournament on grass before this year, but has an arsenal of strokes to deploy against the world number one.

Aussie rules

Hewitt wins second Grand Slam title with Wimbledon rout



WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- If there were ever any doubts about Lleyton Hewitt's status as the world's top player, there aren't any more.

The 21-year-old Australian crushed David Nalbandian in straight sets Sunday in the Wimbledon final to win his second Grand Slam title, solidify his No. 1 ranking and confirm the changing of the guard in men's tennis.

In a tournament where aging former champions Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi lost in the second round, Hewitt swept through the draw without a hitch and put on a ruthless performance Sunday to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 in under two hours.

The match shaped up as a mismatch: the top-seeded Hewitt against No. 28 Nalbandian, a 20-year-old Argentine playing in his first grass court tournament and his first match on Centre Court.

And a mismatch it was.

Hewitt never wavered, whipping his ground strokes with power and precision, dictating the points, making very few errors. Nalbandian couldn't cope with the occasion or Hewitt's supremacy, making countless unforced errors.

Hewitt's only show of nerves came when he served a double fault on his first match point at 5-2, 40-0. But when Nalbandian hit a shot long on the next point, Hewitt fell onto his back in exhilaration

He got back to his feet and slammed a ball into the crowd. After shaking hands with Nalbandian, Hewitt left his racket on his chair and pumped his fists above his head to the crowd.

Hewitt then climbed up through the stands to the guest box, emulating the celebrations of Pat Cash, the last Australian to win Wimbledon in 1987.

Hewitt embraced his coach Jason Stoltenberg, kissed his girlfriend Kim Clijsters and hugged his parents before returning to the court to accept the winner's trophy.

wimbledon.org
Lleyton Fulfils Lifelong Dream
Ronald Atkin

Sunday, July 7, 2002


Lleyton Hewitt became the first Australian to win the Wimbledon men's singles title for 15 years when he defeated Argentina's David Nalbandian 6-1, 6-3, 6-2.

Pat Cash, who was commentating on the match for BBC television, was the last successful Australian here, in 1987, but the final was watched from the Royal Box by two other Aussies who won Wimbledon - Frank Sedgman (1952) and Neale Fraser (1960). A third distinguished former Australian player, Ken Rosewall, was also an official guest, but the best he could achieve here was to finish runner-up on four occasions.

There was never any chance of Hewitt joining Rosewall as a beaten finalist. He dominated a nervous opponent in the opening set and then used his speed and astonishing range of strokes to hold at bay Nalbandian's counter-attack.

Because he had not played on Centre Court at all during the fortnight, Nalbandian was permitted a half-hour practice session there before the final, but it did not appear to have done the 20-year-old Argentinian much good when the finalists appeared on a grey, overcast afternoon.

However, Nalbandian's discomfort and lack of touch early on only served to get the spectators on his side, though none of them wanted to tackle the pronunciation of his surname. Instead, there were cries of "David" and one of "C'mon Big Dave". Most of the Australian support seemed to be concentrated on the slope outside the stadium, watching on the giant TV screen. Perhaps Henman Hill should have been renamed Hewitt Hill for the day.

The forecast by one Italian expert that this final between two baseliners would be "a match on green clay" was not proved true, particularly in the first set, when Nalbandian found it difficult to keep the rallies going. Having lost the first four games, Nalbandian raised the biggest cheer of the match so far by holding serve with 23 minutes played.

Having won his first Grand Slam at the US Open last September, Hewitt immediately set his sights on Wimbledon. To do so, he discarded the trappings of his teenage years, the ponytail and the back-to-front cap. The hair was cut short but there was no reining back on the zest and feisty approach. This was crystal clear as Hewitt won the first set in 33 minutes. "I wish you were British, Lleyton," yelled a lone voice from the crowd.

After one game in the second set, won by Hewitt, the players were driven off by a brief shower. On their return, before play could resume, a male streaker appeared on court, the first since a woman halted play in the 1996 final between Richard Krajicek and MaliVai Washington.

Play was again suspended, this time for 33 minutes, at 3-3 in the second set and, when the action resumed, Hewitt swept the next three games and went two sets clear, to a yell from the crowd "Come on Aussie, you're the tiger."

By this stage, Hewitt was doing plenty of shouting on his own account, pointing to his family and friends in the VIP box and pumping himself up in the fashion that has become so familiar from this all-action world number one.

In the final set, Nalbandian's resistance was no more than token and it was all over in one hour and 57 minutes. Nalbandian's total of six games was the lowest since John McEnroe defeated Jimmy Connors for the loss of four games in the 1984 final.

As Nalbandian's forehand flew beyond the baseline at match point, Hewitt fell flat on his back, arms thrust upwards. As Boris Becker, three times a champion here, pointed out: "This is the most wonderful moment in a tennis player's life, winning Wimbledon for the first time."

After offering his commiserations to Nalbandian, the Australian climbed up into the VIP box to embrace his mother and father, Glynn and Cherilyn, his girlfriend, Kim Clijsters, and his coach, Jason Stoltenberg.

Then he told the crowd, and the TV audience: "This is a real ripper. It's an unbelievable feeling. Growing up as a kid in Australia, I always hoped I would be playing for this trophy. To finally get the chance means so much to me."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

theage.com.au

Hewitt rules in straight sets
By Linda Pearce
July 8 2002


For more than a week, no player had seemed capable of denying Lleyton Hewitt his first Wimbledon title, and, indeed, nobody could. David Nalbandian has only been a tennis somebody for a matter of days, and was overwhelmed by the first Australian champion since Pat Cash in 1987, in the most one-sided final since 1984.

A baseliner has won the Wimbledon title for the first time since Andre Agassi a decade ago, and Hewitt was undeniably well suited by the slower pace of this year's courts and balls. He was also playing against a brave but unknown Argentinian contesting his first senior tournament on grass, and who was predictably outclassed.

Hewitt won the US Open 10 months ago, and has maintained his perfect record in grand slam finals, achieving in 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 fashion, and in less than two hours, what his friend and Davis Cup teammate Patrick Rafter had been unable to manage in the previous two finals, against Pete Sampras (2000) and Goran Ivanisevic.

"I kept having to look up on the scoreboard to see if it was real," said Hewitt, who thanked his family, friends and support staff. "I can't believe how well I've played these two weeks. It's an unbelievable feeling," he said, adding that he had thought nothing could top his US Open-No. 1 double of last year, "but now this. This is a real ripper."

Nalbandian said Hewitt had "played very, very good today. It was a big day for me, my first grass tournament, and I hope next year when I come here for the second time I'm going to win the final."

The 21-year-old from Adelaide accepted the winner's cheque of almost $1.5 million and the Challenge Trophy from the Duke of Kent, having thrown himself onto his back after a Nalbandian forehand sailed long on his second match point. As with Cash, Hewitt climbed into the players' box to rejoice - with coach Jason Stoltenberg, family, and girlfriend Kim Clijsters.

After holding it for 15 years, it was a baton Cash was happy to pass, believing he had held the "last Aussie" tag for far too long. "The Wimbledon championship is the most important one to win for all Australians, given the fantastic heritage we have in the tournament," Cash wrote in his Sunday newspaper column. "I like the idea of someone as gutsy as me taking over the mantle. Lleyton is as mentally tough as old nails. He just wants to win at all costs."

Nalbandian had nothing to lose, but nor did he ever look like winning. The world No. 32 perhaps tried too hard to hit Hewitt off the court, rather than staying back and rallying from the baseline. Hewitt ran absolutely everything down.

Nalbandian had been allowed to practice with his coach on centre court for about half an hour, having not had the opportunity to play a match on the famous arena and got no higher in the pecking order than court one for his semi-final against Xavier Malisse. But it did not prevent him being initially overawed.

Nalbandian started and ended the first set with nervous double faults, and was annihilated in the 33 minutes in between, losing all but one service game and pushing Hewitt in return only once. When he was not being forced into errors, he was making his own, and even the crowd groaned with sympathy and disappointment at his plight.

Hewitt looked untouchable, serving solidly, keeping an immaculate length, plucking winners from his strings when required and doing what he needed to do just when it was necessary. Yet it was almost enough to just keep the ball in play at first against the nerve-riddled Nalbandian, deserted by the composure that had served him so well in the earlier rounds.

Nalbandian appeared calmed a little by the chance offered by the rain break at 0-1 in the second set. He dropped serve immediately on resumption, but then steadied to convert his sixth break point of the match, find some rhythm at last and edge his way back into what had been a horribly one-sided contest.

Then the rain came again, at 30-30 on the Hewitt serve in the seventh game, and the favourite returned to win seven of the next eight points and reassert his authority. The third set was a contest for a time, before Hewitt comfortably closed out the match to become the 12th Australian man to win the title.

The tension had been broken as the players returned from a rain break early in the second set, when a streaker cavorted around the court, untroubled by any security response for several minutes.

Clijsters laughed; Cherilyn Hewitt, Lleyton's mother, was comically open-mouthed. It was the most unexpected sight of a day in which most of what was achieved and witnessed was glorious indeed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

theage.com.au

Learning to love Lleyton: a fighter who hates losing
By Peter Fray
July 8 2002


Self-effacing, he is not. Nor is he sweet-tempered, witty or supremely intelligent.

But the world of tennis, and Australia in general, have started to love Lleyton Hewitt, not so much for what he is, but for what he promises to become.

If last year's US Open showed him as brattish and foul-mouthed, Wimbledon has shown the 21-year-old as a maturing, considerate and, yes, fierce, talented and gutsy sporting professional.

As his coach, former Australian Davis Cup player Jason Stoltenberg says: "He's just a fighter at heart and he doesn't like to lose. If he goes out and loses, you know he's given everything and that's a good thing."

Armed with the best wishes from sports-mad Prime Minister John Howard, Hewitt appears to be the natural successor to Pat Cash, Australia's last Wimbledon hero, 15 years ago, and his mate and mentor, the two-time runner-up, Pat Rafter.

Members of the close-knit tennis circuit say Hewitt has become more relaxed as his two-and-a-half-year relationship has developed with girlfriend Kim Clijsters, the Belgian tennis star.

Even the British press, still smarting after the loss of their poster boy, Tim Henman, yesterday praised Hewitt's talent and changed attitude.

The Sunday Times' tennis writer, Richard Evans, said: "Hewitt is getting nicer and he's getting better, which is great for the game and terrifying for his opponents."

Privately, his detractors say Hewitt has only been well behaved over the past two weeks because he has been winning. And that fist-punching and crowd-pointing, often to mates in the crowd, such as professional fan Warren "Woz" Livingstone, are the benign expressions of the raging, foul-mouthed punk just below the surface.

But others, including many of tennis' old and respected guard, are ready to forgive. Veteran US broadcaster and columnist Bud Collins told The Age: "He's matured, he's maturing a lot. I think everybody deserves a second chance. He's great for the game. He's a wonderful player. It's going to take something to dislodge him."

For his legion of fans, led by Mr Livingstone, Hewitt can do no wrong.

When the tennis ace pumps his fist to his chest and points to the crowd after a big point, it is often to Mr Livingstone and his crew, the Fanatics. It's a signal developed during Davis Cup campaigns and simply means "just guts", said Mr Livingstone.

He argues that Hewitt's bad relations with parts of the media and tennis establishment were a function of age. "Imagine if they printed everything you said when you were 21 years old," he said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

theage.com.au

Hewitt still a novice in grasscourt game
By Linda Pearce
July 8 2002


For all that Lleyton Hewitt has already achieved, including a US Open title, his status as history's youngest year-end No.1, and a place in his first Wimbledon final, it may further concern his rivals to learn that the 20-year-old is considered by past Australian greats as a grasscourt work-in-progress.

Three-time Wimbledon champion John Newcombe said before the tournament began that the key to a Hewitt victory was a more aggressive style of play.

That was rarely needed in the preliminaries to the final, played overnight, Melbourne time, against Argentinian David Nalbandian, for the only two sets the top seed dropped en route were in his quarter-final against Sjeng Schalken.

"You could see him start to come to the net and loosen up a bit after the first set against (Tim) Henman, but he's not convinced yet," Newcombe said. "That's the next dimension to his game and that's a little bit frightening to other players, that he has another dimension that he can take his game to, on grass or any surface."

Fred Stolle, the three-time Wimbledon singles finalist and twice doubles champion, concurred. "Lleyton can still get a lot better on grass, once he learns to get in and serve and volley a little bit more, and I think he will do that in the next couple of years," Stolle said.

Fellow South Australian and Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald also sees room for improvement, predicting a long career at the top for the baseliner, who had never passed the Wimbledon fourth round before becoming Australia's third consecutive men's singles finalist.

"It's a pretty scary thought, really, but he can get better in a couple of areas, so therefore if he doesn't get a major injury then there's no reason why he can't win several major championships," Fitzgerald said. "I think he has a chance of winning all four."

Only five players have managed this and Andre Agassi was the most recent, in 1999.

Agassi was a child prodigy and Hewitt a teenage variant on the theme, despite some early doubts, his determination and thirst for competition would be enough to compensate for his lack of size and strength at the highest level.

So, regardless of last night's result, has he already exceeded Fitzgerald's expectations? "Let me put it this way: he surprises me every time he goes on the court," the multiple Wimbledon doubles champion said.

"For me my biggest memory was Brazil (in last year's Davis Cup, when Hewitt was unbeaten in three matches on clay against Gustavo Kuerten's team).

"What he did there I'll never, ever, forget it, and to be able to do that under that sort of pressure in that environment, I found that incredible. So he keeps surprising me, every day."

Nalbandian, too, was the least likely of opponents. The 28th seed and other half of the youngest Wimbledon final of the open era was playing in his first senior grand slam event.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

theage.com.au

Hewitt poised to cash in
By Linda Pearce
London
July 7 2002


Pat Cash has reigned long and loudly as Australia's last Wimbledon champion, but today he should prepare to pass the torch. The extraordinary rise of Lleyton Hewitt suggests that handover is at last imminent, 15 years after Cash clambered into the players' box at the All England club to celebrate his own famous victory.

Since 1987, only Pat Rafter has reached a Wimbledon final - or two - but had to play second fiddle to the record-breaking Pete Sampras and the who-would-have-thought Goran Ivanisevic.

Hewitt could win the title having played only one top-20 player, but he should not be judged by the lesser quality of those he has beaten. At 21, and on his fourth visit here, he has unquestionably been the tournament's outstanding player.

Although not a natural grasscourter, Hewitt is still a very good one. Former Davis Cup captain John Newcombe, who first saw Hewitt as a 15-year-old on Sydney's White City lawns, said yesterday: "It was obvious he could play on grass then. He had a great return of serve.

"He wasn't afraid of it. He didn't dislike it, and so he adapted his game to it. He didn't try to say, 'Well, I have to play a different type of game because I'm playing on grass' and it was obvious he was comfortable out there, and that it was always going to be very difficult for other players to serve and volley against him."

Tim Henman was reminded of just that in Friday's 7-5, 6-1, 7-5 semi-final defeat. Hewitt passes those who approach the net and punishes those who think they can outrally him.

"It's almost like you've just got to stay at the baseline and give him no pace to work with," said Henman, who also acknowledged Hewitt's court speed.

"He's not the most aggressive or the hardest hitter from the baseline. When you get half an opportunity, you go for it. You either make a mistake or you hit a winner."

Grass does not intimidate Hewitt, and Martina Navratilova makes the point that the lack of great volleyers allows players to stay back with little fear of being punished. The slower courts and balls have also been in Hewitt's favour this year.

"Lleyton's a great counter-puncher and he does like a bit of pace," said Davis Cup coach Wally Masur. "So it doesn't matter how hard you serve at him, if there's a reasonably true bounce it doesn't bother him. He doesn't mind the ball coming on at all."

Hewitt, who is an Adelaide Crows' fanatic, planned to spend his rest day on the Internet following the scores from Football Park. He also intended to practise and to "chill out", while David Nalbandian and the medically suspect Xavier Malisse resumed their semi-final.

"I feel like I'm hitting the ball well enough just to go out there and worry about my game at the moment," Hewitt said, claiming to have seen little of Malisse or Nalbandian so far. But have no doubt that he will find out. Such is the nature of the beast. Yet the fact that this is a tournament he is expected to win has not been without its pitfalls.

Masur knew as Hewitt's forehand collapsed when on the verge of a quick victory against Sjeng Schalken, and then when he needed two attempts to serve out the match against Henman, that the tension had begun to build.

"He was obviously aware of the situation in the bottom half of the draw," Masur said. "If Sampras was waiting, for example, or Rafter or someone, he would be finishing those matches off snappily. So he's aware of how momentous it is because the opportunity's there."

The fact that it was knocking so loudly was also playing on Henman's mind, and the semi could well have been a de facto final.

Certainly, Hewitt played as if it was, in a performance reminiscent of his second last match against Yevgeny Kafelnikov at last year's US Open, which followed a testing five-set battle against Andy Roddick in the quarters.

"He was in a zone out there against Henman, just like at the US Open, and I think if he keeps that up for one more match, I don't think he can be stopped," said Newcombe.

And so, at 21, the sport's youngest-ever world champion today has the chance for a second grand slam title. Could he eventually become one of the greats?

"I believe so," said his coach, Jason Stoltenberg. "You've got to get a lot of luck and a lot of things have got to fall his way, and he's got a long way to go. He's only got one grand slam, but it's a start."

Shades of Tiger as Hewitt shows he can reign supreme

Nalbandian crushed between the showers as Australian's confidence, balance and timing prove him to be world's best

James Lawton at Wimbledon
08 July 2002


In the graceless, unforgiving language of modern sport it might be said that David Nalbandian, aged 20, "choked". But then history is likely to take a kindly view of this setback at the end of two of the most extraordinary weeks that Wimbledon, the old storehouse of legend, has ever known.

Certainly it is true that if Nalbandian is driven back into the obscurity out of which he leaped from Cordoba, Argentina, into the final of the greatest tournament in tennis, he can reflect that he wasn't simply caught in a mere treacherous current of the game he invaded so surprisingly. What did him in, surely, was a one-man tide of the future.

Lleyton Hewitt from Adelaide is just a year older than the man he crushed so relentlessly between the showers yesterday, but the game he plays looks as if has been drawn from the ages and packaged into a force which can dominate the courts of the world – all of them, fast, slow, whatever pace you care to set – for a good 10 years.

It is a game which wore down the last of Nalbandian's previously stunning resolve in less two hours – by 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 – and though it is undramatic in some ways, lacking, for example the thunder of Boris Becker or the sustained and riotous aggression of John McEnroe, it has a component which has always separated the great ones from those who are required to labour in their wake.

At the core of it is the soaring confidence that comes when you know you are so much better balanced, than the man across the net or the ring or standing beside you on the first tee of a great tournament. Hewitt has the balance and the timing of a sporting god, no question. It is an asset which has a relentlessly dispiriting effect on the resistance of the opposition. Britain's hero, Tim Henman, was overwhelmed by it in the semi-final and yesterday Nalbandian found it squeezing the life out of him from the first exchanges.

Hewitt confessed to just one point of "tightening". It came when he was serving for his second Grand Slam title to place alongside the US Open he won last year. "Yes, I felt tight when I thought of what this tournament meant to me, and how long it had been since Pat Cash had won it for Australia the last time." Hewitt served a double fault, but his agony was brief as Nalbandian committed another of a shoal of unforced errors and drove the ball long. Hewitt fell back into what looked like a stupor of relief, but soon enough he was marching up to the stands in the fashion of Cash and embracing his parents, the Aussie rules footballer Glynn and physical education teacher Cherilyn. "I was trying to take it all in," he recalled later, "but as I was sitting on the chair I thought, 'stuff it, I'll do what Pat Cash did'." In fact, it was clear enough, he had done rather more than his compatriot.

Cash battled to win a title against expectation. Hewitt rode the powerful sense that he was installing a new era of the game, one in which his sheer speed and adaptability suggest an ability to shape so many situations into the basis for new victories. He spoke briefly but eloquently about his seizing of a currently unchallenged status as the world's No 1 player. "When I came to Wimbledon the first time," he said, "I was trying to mix it up. I think I was playing the wrong type of game, coming to the net, chip-charging, this kind of thing. It just wasn't working. I went back and thought about it.

"I said, 'the guys have got to play extremely well to beat me from the back of the court'. I returned well, used my passing shot, my strengths as my edge, my quickness around the court. That's the way my mind began to work. I was going to be my own player, and I knew my serve could get me out of trouble."

Against such boldness of conviction, the unlikely dream of David Nalbandian fell apart, but in the man from Cordoba there had also been been plenty of evidence of the force that can come when a young player of extraordinary ability has the courage to play to his limits. "I've had some great days and I've done my best, but I know now what is required to beat somebody like Lleyton Hewitt. He is a great talent, and it will take a lot of work to get to his level," Nalbandian said.

Precisely what Hewitt's level is will, of course, take another year or two to establish. But the prospects are daunting. He is a curious mix of bravado and shyness – in many ways a Bjorn Borg with a McEnroe inside screaming to break out. The technical view is that he has much of the talent of Andre Agassi, but ultimately will prove harder to beat because he is naturally less of a risk-taker as he drops back to the baseline.

What is stunning is his capacity to pick a moment of vulnerability in an opponent and go for a shot which demands the ultimate precision of a marksman. It breaks a pattern of play, a tight rally, with shattering force and repeatedly he brought it to bear on the fragile pysche of Nalbandian.

There was in it the sense of a masterful competitor familiar to anyone who has seen Tiger Woods take hold of a golf tournament, not necessarily with the boldness of his play but with the absolute confidence with which he lays down a strategy and plays to it with the unbreakable belief that it is within his powers of execution.

Hewitt may never exert such control over his game, but there were times yesterday when the comparison was inevitable. It flowed from the conviction of a young sportsman announcing precisely why he was the best in the world, It was in the certainty that comes when you know that nature, and the force of your own ambition, has given you an unbeatable edge.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Hewitt confirms changing of the guard
By John Roberts at Wimbledon
08 July 2002


Having cleared "Henman Hill", Lleyton Hewitt yesterday skipped up Pat Cash Creek, which now has steps in place of the heads Cashy clambered over in 1987. Hewitt was entitled to take this route. The 21-year-old from Adelaide not only became the first Australian men's singles champion here for 15 years, but he also saved the crowd from the spectacle of Cash wearing one of Sue Barker's tennis dresses, a sight possibly worse than the male streaker who hurdled the net yesterday.

Hewitt's final hurdle was David Nalbandian, a 20-year-old Argentinian competing in his first senior grass court tournament and finding himself on Centre Court as though stepping with Alice through the looking glass. He coped as well as he was able, but Hewitt, the master of the situation, won 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 after one hour and 56 minutes.

It was an unusual climax to the tournament. Wimbledon patrons are not accustomed to watching two men duel from the baseline for the most prestigious title in the sport. Yesterday the birthplace of serve and volley came close to replicating Roland Garros in Paris, where scrapping for points in lengthy rallies on slow clay courts is the norm.

For years, there have been complaints that Wimbledon's grass courts favoured the big servers and had fallen victim to the modern power game restricted to one, two, or three-shot points. Yesterday we were treated to a sample of the alternative as Hewitt and Nalbandian traded shots chiefly from the back of the court, relying on angles and the depth of strokes to out-manoeuvre each other.

Whether that is preferable or not is in the eye of the beholder. What seems certain is that we shall be seeing a lot more of Hewitt, who demonstrated why he is the world No 1 from the start of the tournament to the finish, surviving one major crisis in the quarter-finals, where he held four match points against Sjeng Schalken in the third set and eventually squeaked through in the fifth set, 7-5.

Hewitt may not be everybody's can of XXXX, but his brash, bouncy style has refreshed the men's game as it goes through the latest changing of the guard, with Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, standard bearers throughout the 1990s, attempting to hold back the years.

Significantly, Hewitt is the first counter-puncher to win the title since Agassi, 10 years ago, withstood Goran Ivanisevic's blistering serve and triumphed in a heart-stopping fifth set. Hewitt did not have to weather an Ivanisevic-type blitz yesterday, but had to outwit a comparative novice whose real achievement was in representing his country in the men's singles final for the first time and showing the whole of Latin America and Europe that clay-court skills can be translated to any surface.

A recurring debate during the fortnight concerned the pace of Centre Court, a subject which had provoked comment from several players, including Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman, who said it was slow enough to be a clay court, and Tim Henman, who did not go that far but would have preferred a slicker surface.

The combination of a relatively dry spring and the introduction of rye-grass in the mix appeared to produce the higher bounce of the ball usually to be found on medium- pace concrete courts. That did not save some big-name hard-court players from disappearing early, but in Nalbandian's case, grass was grass.

Breaking with tradition, the All England Club allowed the Argentinian world No 32 half an hour to practise on Centre Court yesterday morning before he competed in his first match in tennis's hallowed arena. When the match started, however, it seemed that Nalbandian's brief preview had left him even more in awe of the place.

Hewitt, treating the lawn as if he had inherited it by beating Tim Henman, moved swiftly into his smooth-running stride, breaking his nervous opponent in the first and third games. Nalbandian managed to loosen up sufficiently to hold serve for 1-4 and threatened Hewitt's serve in the next game.

The Australian played his way out of trouble, and signs of stress returned to Nalbandian's face, framed by the straggly makings of a beard, as the Argentinian struggled throughout the seventh game, double-faulting to lose the set after 33 minutes. During that time, Hewitt had converted three of 10 break opportunities, and was eager to improve the ratio of success.

Rain delayed play for 10 minutes after Hewitt held serve in the opening game of the second set, time enough for the streaker interlude before play resumed with Hewitt breaking for 2-0. At this point it seemed that Nalbandian would do well to avoid total humiliation, but he was able to recover the break in the next game with an impressive backhand lob-volley after an exhilarating exchange of lobs and smashes.

After a second rain delay, this time lasting 33 minutes, Nalbandian, serving at 3-4, was passed by a forehand drive to 15-40 and netted a forehand on break point. Hewitt served out the set to 30, finishing with an ace. Both players saved break points early in the third set, Nalbandian again the first to lose his serve, passed by Hewitt's backhand drive down the line for 2-1.

The game Argentinian fought back, winning a rally with a backhand drive to level at 2-2. That was Nalbandian's last act of defiance. He was broken in the next game and then double-faulted twice to lose the seventh game. Hewitt, serving for the match, double-faulted at 40-0, but made amends by luring Nalbandian into hitting a forehand long. Hewitt fell backwards in celebration before picking himself up and heading for Pat Cash Creek.

"I can remember being at my grandparents' house when I was six, watching the Pat Cash match," he said. "For me it was a huge thing to see an Australian win such a big tournament. I hope every kid playing in their local club in Australia will realise you can dream, and if you put in a lot of hard work, your dream is not out of reach." Hewitt had an advantage, of course. He plays like a dream.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hewitt graduates with adversity degree

World No 1 has the single-minded intensity of a Connors and McEnroe says he is the fastest player he has ever seen

By Andrew Longmore
07 July 2002


It would seem that a 21-year-old's world could not be more complete. US Open champion, world No 1, Wimbledon champion in all but gold etching on the champions' board. "Unbelievable," says Lleyton Hewitt. "I don't know what to say."

Just one dark cloud shrouds the skies above the young Australian. His beloved Adelaide Crows are struggling in the Australian Football League and, even worse, Port Adelaide, their arch rivals, are top of their league, which makes conversation with his travelling schoolmate, Hayden Eckermann, and Roger Rashid, coach, television journalist and fellow Adelaidian, rather more spicy than he would like. "Footie", Australian Rules, the sport of his father, remains Hewitt's great sporting love outside the confines of the tennis court. The Hewitt family live barely a punt away from Football Park in the suburbs of Adelaide and there are plans afoot, forgive the pun, to parade the new Wimbledon champion in front of the crowd at the Crows' next home game. Only the little matter of his first Wimbledon final against David Nalbandian this afternoon stands between Hewitt and an unconditional acceptance of his status as the best player in the world.

Acceptance? In his homeland, Hewitt has struggled to win hearts. Aussies like a winner, but brashness is heavily punished. Early jousts with his public induced the sense that little Lleyton needed to be pulled down a peg or two. Tall-poppy syndrome, the Australians call it, though his presence on court is still more of overgrown schoolboy than fully matured male. "Lleyton has never minded who he upset," says Rashid, who was once summoned by the veteran Adelaide-based coach Peter Smith to watch a fresh-faced 13-year-old and has been watching ever since. "As a young kid, when he was facing a guy several years older who thought it might be smart to give a bit of mouth, Lleyton would give it back. His mentality has always been: 'I'll get you'. That's what happened against Henman. 'This is feeding me, please give me more'."

Hewitt's outbursts, though, have been spectacularly immature, the flip side of a tendency to open his mouth before engaging the brain. In the second round of the US Open, against the black American James Blake and in front of a black line judge, Hewitt's frustration launched him into dangerous waters. "Look at him," he bellowed at the umpire, pointing at Blake and then the offending official. "Now look at him. What do you see?"

Blake, a gentle giant of a man, let Hewitt off an extremely sharp hook later, but the black American press were less forgiving. What happened next, though, revealed the core of a competitor. Having survived a brutal five-setter against Andy Roddick, the all-American favourite, Hewitt destroyed Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Pete Sampras to take the title. As a demonstration of pure single-minded two-fingered intensity, this was pure Connors.

So, rewind to the tie-break against Sjeng Schalken on Thursday afternoon, Court One. For the first time, Hewitt is beginning to look vulnerable against the raking grounstrokes of the languid Dutchman. He has already forfeited four match points when an overrule on a baseline call gives Schalken a significant advantage. Hewitt's instant reaction is explosive, but somewhere between the baseline and the umpire's chair, he recovers his senses. The conversation with the umpire betrays his frustration, but never descends into abuse. But, for the next two sets, the Australian is a shadow of a No 1 as if his self-imposed tranquility has spilled over into his tennis.

Those close to Hewitt – and they are an exclusive crew – point to a new maturity which has accompanied his swift rise to Grand Slam champion and youngest world No 1. But the larrikin in Hewitt is not far below the surface. Connors never fully matured and nor will Hewitt, but anyone who witnessed his dissection of Tim Henman on Centre Court on Friday will never again question his claim to be the natural successor to the mantle previously worn by Connors and Andre Agassi.

"Andre is more of a punisher on the baseline," says Brad Gilbert, Agassi's former coach. "Lleyton's not like that. What you do know is that Lleyton is going to bring the kitchen sink with him on to court." Gilbert's favourite Hewitt point comes from the closing moments of the Schalken match. The Dutchman double- guesses a backhand volley, Hewitt has anticipated the move and waits to return, but when Schalken sweeps another volley across court, Hewitt has scuttled across court and is ready to make the pass. "There were Lleyton's two greatest assets, right there," added Gilbert. "His heart and his feet." John McEnroe, who spent a lifetime combating Bjorn Borg's speed, thinks Hewitt is the quickest player he has ever seen.

But it is the attitude which makes the man. Hewitt thrives on adversity. Davis Cup victories over Alex Corretja in Barcelona and Gustavo Kuerten in the Brazilian's home town of Florianopolis are the prime reference points on his motivational compass. At the time, Kuerten was the No 1 player in the world. Hewitt won in three sets on clay.

"That was a real turning point," says Rashid. "He was heavier off the forehand side, he was hitting clear forehand winners that day. But he is also smart on court, he has good court management and a good rapport system. On court, he'll be able to tell you exactly where his friends are, not just in the players' box, but maybe where Wally Masur and John Fitzgerald are, maybe where I am and he uses them to hone in on. You could unfurl big banners for Tim Henman and he wouldn't notice. He couldn't tell you what was going on."

Hewitt's gestures, punching the air, pointing towards his supporters, are essential to his wellbeing on court, but they have not endeared the Australian to his peers. Corretja, who objects to Hewitt's frequent self-chastisement, has refused to speak to him since the Davis Cup final. But isolation is the companion of the champion, and it is a state Hewitt can live with as long as he can rely on the mateship of Hayden Eckermann, now a permanent member of Hewitt's entourage.

A switch of coach, from Darren Cahill to Jason Stoltenberg, was messily handled last year, heightening the antagonism of the local press, who were dismissed from the gates of Hewitt's family home, where he still lives upstairs in a converted flat. But no one could question Hewitt's fluency in the interview room or the court this past two weeks. Rashid believes his best tennis is still a couple of years away, a prospect to disturb the dreams of Tim Henman and David Nalbandian.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Masur warns Hewitt against burn-out
| Sports Watch ... 07 July 2002 |


Lleyton Hewitt must guard against burn out, says Australian Davis Cup coach Wally Masur.


Hewitt's determination to chase down every point has propelled him to the US Open title, the world No.1 ranking and into the Wimbledon men's final.

But it could also lead to his tennis career stalling or ending prematurely unless he was wary and heeded the right advice, Masur said.

"He's so dynamic and players like that tend to get injured," Masur said.

"He's very young and he's had a few things obviously. That's always a possibility. Anyone who throws themselves around like that, problems can arise."

But he said 21-year-old Hewitt's relatively small and light 180cm tall, 68kg frame would be to his advantage, along with the expertise in his travelling entourage.

"He's got a light frame and that helps. Big guys tend to take a bit of a pounding," Masur said.

"He's very fluid, he's a great natural athlete.

"He's got good people around him. He travels with a physio and a fitness trainer and I think they're doing their best to safeguard his longevity."

Hewitt's first Wimbledon final fell on the 50th anniversary of Australian legend Frank Sedgman's win.

Sedgman believes Hewitt has yet to reach his peak, and also fears for his potential to burn out.

"I think he still needs to refine his game a bit and I hope he remains injury-free," Sedgman told British newspaper The Independent.

"I admire the way he's a real go-getter. He's got a lot of heart and he's certainly got the determination to succeed."

Three-times Wimbledon champion Boris Becker drew comparisons between Hewitt and Bjorn Borg, who won the championships in five consecutive years from 1976 to 1980.

"He reminds me of Bjorn Borg, the way he plays, the way he wills himself to win and the way he falls to his knees and turns to his family and friends in the players' box," Becker wrote in The Times.

"He knows where he is now on centre court and that is such an advantage. Under normal conditions he will be champion, but your first Wimbledon final is not a normal condition. This is sport, this is magic."

Cash: Hewitt a worthy champ
Copyright © 2002 Nando Media
Copyright © 2002 Agence France-Presse


LONDON (AFP) - Former title holder Pat Cash on Sunday hailed fellow Aussie Lleyton Hewitt as a worthy Wimbledon champion.

Top-seeded Hewitt overpowered Argentinian outsider David Nalbandian 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 on Centre Court to claim his first men's singles title at the All England Club.

Cash, the last Australian to win the title in 1987, admitted that his countryman was in a class of his own over the past fortnight.

"There's no doubt about it. He was the only guy out there who is the worthy champion," Cash told the BBC.

"Sampras (Pete) is on the way down, and Agassi (Andre) didn't get through, and other than that there isn't anybody who deserves to win that trophy.

"He (Hewitt) was the toughest player and the best all-around player he could be. It was faultless really.

"Lleyton was his usual ruthless self. That was the title he really wanted to get and nothing was going to get in his way."

And Cash said that 21-year-old Hewitt, the reigning U.S. Open champion, had some of the best years ahead of him.

"There's more Grand Slams in him. How many is anybody's guess," said Cash.

"It's kind of sad that he's got a couple of weeks before he's back playing tournaments. He's going to be exhausted. You look forward to a rest but he won't have much of a chance.

"I still think that when it comes down to the U.S. Open he will find himself fired up," said Cash.

Cash said that he was disappointed by 20-year-old Nalbandian's display, but admitted that an exhausting fortnight had taken its toll on the Wimbledon novice.

"I suppose it was a bit dull for us watching and the crowd tried to get Nalbandian back in the match, but he didn't have anything in the tank," said Cash.

"Not having a day off and not being able to recover is really tough for him. I expected him to play better than he did. He probably played two-thirds as well as he could play.

"He needed to start pretty well and drop into a rhythm, and whether it was nerves or not he didn't have a rhythm.

"He did break serve a couple of times and it looked like we had a match, but he couldn't get going."

 

BBC
Sunday, 7 July, 2002, 15:19 GMT 16:19 UK
Wimbledon uncovered

By Matt Slater
BBC Sport Online streaker editor


They might be lightning fast at covering the All England club's playing surfaces when it rains, but Wimbledon's streaker-response time is far less impressive.

All fortnight we have admired the sleek efficiency of Wimbledon's well-oiled rain drill - a few spots of the wet stuff, the umpire suspends play, the net comes down and 20 green-clad man sprint across the court dragging a tarpaulin behind them.

Total cover in about five seconds.

This efficiency, sadly (or happily, depending on your view of these things), does not extend to covering naked intruders.

With men's finalists Lleyton Hewitt and David Nalbandian just back on court after a 15-minute rain delay, one bored spectator (it was getting a bit one-sided) decided to play his very own Centre Court exhibition match.

Wearing only a broad smile, the twinkle-toed naturist made light of the cool temperature (well, that's his excuse) and cavorted around the court for nearly a minute.

He even hurdled the net twice - demonstrating ably why we should never allow Olympic athletes to perform naked again, as they did in classical times.

As divertingly different as this all was, the biggest eye-opener was the sight of Wimbledon's security staff attempting to cover the frolicking nude with large red capes - it simply cried out for shouts of 'Ole!' from the crowd.

And it is not as if they haven't had to deal with this kind of brazen cheekiness before.

As BBC commentator John Barrett pointed out, a streaker also interrupted the 1996 men's final between Malivai Washington and Richard Krajicek.

But then as commentary box buddy John Lloyd explained, "That was a better sight, that was a female."

Well, quite, but Hewitt's consort Kim Clijsters wasn't complaining - SW19 has rarely seen the Belgian so animated.

Missed tackle

So was it just another example of the eccentricity the world expects from Wimbledon week (like playing tennis outdoors in an English summer)?

Absolutely, but there was one man who didn't look pleased by Wimbledon's experiment with avant-garde contemporary dance...referee Alan Mills.

The grumpy kill-joy had a face worse than thunder while watching his bumbling staff reprise a Keystone Cops routine.

As the Beeb's Barrett said: "Poor old Alan, he just didn't know how to tackle him."

Rather you than me, Alan.

Hewitt the Ripper: Lleyton dominates
7/7/02 5:44 PM

By Matthew Cronin


If Lleyton Hewitt was impressive in pouncing on Pete Sampras to win his first Grand Slam title at the 2001 U.S. Open, his ethereal play in his crushing of Argentina's David Nalbandian in the 2002 Wimbledon final on Sunday brings to mind another adjective -- dominant.

"It's a real ripper," Hewitt said of his Wimbledon trophy.

In outplaying Nalbandian in every aspect of the game, Hewitt became the first aggressive baseliner since Andre Agassi 10 years ago to win the Wimbledon crown. The decade long rule by serve-and-volleyers Pete Sampras, Richard Krajicek and Goran Ivanisevic is now put to rest and a look at the past five Grand Slam winners indicates that just having a big bomb of a serve is no longer good enough to get it done in the newfangled world of all-court tennis. That group is composed of Hewitt, a super-quick wall of a competitor who is able to end points both from the back and at the net; '02 Aussie titlist Thomas Johansson, who doesn't have a big weapon but is solid everywhere; and '02 Roland Garros titlist Albert Costa, he of the huge groundies, thick legs and a newfound confidence closing points at the net.

"If you return well and you stay aggressive from the back of the court and you pass well, then I don't think there's any reason why the baseliners shouldn't do that well at Wimbledon," Hewitt said early this week. "A guy like Agassi was able to do it and I can draw confidence from watching a guy like him chop up a lot of good serve-and-volleyers."

By winning Wimbledon, the 21-year-old Hewitt did what only Sampras has been able to do at the hallowed lawns of the All-England Club the past decade -- win the event convincingly while coming into the fortnight as heavy favorite. Never one to fold under pressure, Hewitt was locked in form the
time that he arrived at SW 19, speaking with the air of a champion and confident that he could put down any style of challenger. His one big scare came in the quarterfinals against zoning Dutchman Sjeng Schalken, but when push came to shove deep in the fifth set, it was Hewitt who was able to
sprint the extra step and come up with a crowd- dizzying big shot.

Hewitt isn't the first whippersnapper to rule on the lawns, but the No. 1 is the first 21-year-old in a long time to dominate the tour with an all-around game. You would have to go back to former Swedish great Mats Wilander's amazing days in the 1980s in Melbourne, Paris and New York to recall a player with a slight build and no overwhelming weapon -- save for heart and guile -- who was the clear cut favorite for a long stretch of time.

Since racing past Sampras last September, Hewitt has been on an amazing run. A remarkably focused competitor with one of the world's most effective returns of serves, Hewitt ended '01 as the youngest player to finish ranked No. 1 in the ATP history at the age of 20 by virtue of taking the year-end Masters Cup in Sydney.

But instead of starting '02 with a bang and winning the Aussie Open, the 5-foot-11, 150-pounder fell victim to the chicken pox and was upset the first round. Bedridden, he was unable to lead his team in Davis Cup against Argentina, developments that upset him.To complicate matter even further, he was trying out a new coach, Aussie Jason Stoltenberg, whom her hired in the off-season after his coach of four years, Darren Cahill, resigned (Cahill is now coaching Andre Agassi).

But in his first tournament back in February in San Jose, Hewitt outfought Agassi for the title. Two weeks later, he scalded Tim Henman for the masters Series Indian Wells crown. The boy had become a man.

Agassi paid him an ultimate set of compliments. "He's a great competitor, his game is consistent and when he's down he's plays big situations aggressively and takes control of the point," Agassi said. "That's the sign of somebody who's ready for big moments. He has great skill and is earning his place with the best of us."
Hewitt had a respectable clay court season, losing a tight fourth round sweat fest to Guillermo Canas at Roland Garros. Then he took the fast train to London and once his toes touched the grass blades, he never left the center of the fairway. He won his third straight title at Queens by dissecting Henman and despite catching a flu in Rosmalen the next week, entered Wimbledon as focused as he has ever been, elbowing his way past the tough Jonas Bjorkman in the first round in straight sets and then not dropping a set in his next three matches against Greg Carraz, Julian Knowle and Mikhail Youzhny. After overcoming Schalken, he then quickly extinguished Tim-bledon (England's Tim Henman ) in the semis and then blew out Nalbandian.

Hewitt is so far ahead in the rankings right now that it would be a near miracle for someone to pull ahead of him by October.Almost assuredly, he will enter the U.S. Open ranked No. 1 and if he continues to improve his serve and play around the net, he will be the overwhelming favorite to repeat as champion.

For a guy who once a dreamy-eyed kid who job it was to serve orange juice to the Aussie Davis Cup team, that's not a bad position to be in.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Borg, Connors, Agassi and now Hewitt: The baseline is back

7/7/02 10:11 PM
By STEVE WILSTEIN


WIMBLEDON, England (AP) _ A fizzle in the drizzle. A Wimbledon final hackers could appreciate and only the most loyal fans could love.

It had as much tension as a snapped string. As much excitement as teatime.

The loudest cheer came for a man who somersaulted naked over the net. At least he provided comic relief. Not that anyone expected anything more.

Lleyton Hewitt was No. 1 coming in and he's No. 1 going out, brandishing his first Wimbledon trophy Sunday after a 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 drubbing of 20-year-old David Nalbandian, an endearing but overwhelmed Argentine making his debut on Centre Court.

If there was little to savor in this sloppy affair, it at least provided a welcome change from the fusillade of aces that ring out most other years.

Pete Sampras sometimes served more aces in two games than the seven Hewitt and Nalbandian produced in three sets. On the other hand, they hit more groundstrokes in one rally than Sampras did in a whole match. To the typical weekend player, this felt a little more familiar.

Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and now Hewitt are the only men to win Wimbledon from the baseline in the Open era. The only ones, really, since Bill Tilden back in 1930.

This final was the first between two baseliners since Borg beat Connors two straight years, 1977 and 1978.

The baseline game may be back on Centre Court. But for how long?

History suggests that Hewitt's title run this year is more an anomaly than a portent for the future. Consider the trend: Connors in 1982, Agassi in 1992, Hewitt in 2002. Once every 10 years. Not a baseliner in between.

The reason is simple. Grass, where the ball skids low and fast, favors the big serve-and-volleyer. Always will.

Winning from the backcourt takes a rare combination of sharp returns and steady groundstrokes. It takes intelligence and swift legs, canny anticipation and the endurance to chase balls all over the court.

Most of all it takes patience and guts, a willingness to stand 10 yards from the net when the opponent is rushing in, trying to win with the power of passing shots or the finesse of drops and lobs.

Agassi stands his ground in the center of the baseline and controls points with flat, crushing groundstrokes from side to side, winning as much by wearing players down as by whipping shots past them. He's not as fast afoot as the other baseliners, but he seems to know where all the balls are going and usually gets there in time. No one has had quicker reflexes on returns or has taken shots earlier on the hop.

Connors also hit flat groundstrokes, his shots clearing the net by the smallest of margins in a way that thrilled the crowds. He was the best returner of his era, but he wasn't content to stay back all the time. He liked to press the attack, taking short balls or groundstrokes on the fly while moving forward.

Hewitt is more like Borg, counterpunching rather than dictating the terms of a rally.

``He's Borg with less spin,'' Brian Gottfried, one of the top pros of the 1970s, said as he watched at Wimbledon.

Borg, who won Wimbledon five straight years from 1976 to 1980, was the baseliner supreme who hit with the heaviest topspin, his shots arcing five feet over the net, biting and kicking up. But Borg also learned to transform his game on grass, to play a more serve-and-volley style his last few years.

Hewitt could do the same. He's a lightweight at 150 pounds, but he can serve at more than 120 mph. He knows how to hit the approach and how to volley. At 21, with trophies from last year's U.S. Open and now Wimbledon, he's still a work in progress.

``When I first came on ... I was actually trying to mix it up,'' he said. ``I think I was playing the wrong style of game _ come to the net, chip-charge, that kind of stuff. It wasn't working. I went back. I said, 'The guys have got to play extremely well if they're going to beat me from the back of the court.' I returned well, used my passing shot, my quickness.''

Though Australians in the past grew up playing and loving grass, Hewitt was best on hardcourts. But the more he worked on his serve, the more he found he could win on grass. The past three years, he won the Wimbledon warmup at Queens.

``My serve has got me out of a lot of trouble the last few years in big tournaments,'' he said. ``When you start winning Queens a few years in a row ... then you start realizing you're a real contender for the big one a couple of weeks down the track.''

Still, it's tough to win Wimbledon year after year from the baseline. This year, with all the strange upsets, belonged to Hewitt. The future probably still belongs to the big boys.

Steve Wilstein is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at swilstein(at)ap.org

------------------------------------------------------------------------

LLEYTON SWEEPS TO WIMBLEDON TITLE OVER NALBANDIAN

What's ahead for No. 1 Hewitt


By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Fred Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.

It's one thing to go into Wimbledon the favorite and it's another to so thoroughly dominate the field, but that is exactly what the 21-year-old Adelaide Crow Lleyton Hewitt did, embarrassing England's Tim Henman in the semis and then wiping out Argentina's David Nalbandian in the final.

The tour hasn't had a dominant 21-year-old in a long time – not Pete Sampras, who began to peak at age 22, nor Andre Agassi, who played his best tennis in his late 20s. Jim Courier and his Aussie Open through Roland Garros runs comes to mind. Both he and Lleyton are nail-tough competitors with huge hearts and not just a little bit of hate brimming underneath their white caps. Courier was a more powerful player off the ground, but Lleyton is a more accomplished all-courter who is faster and a much better volleyer.

Hewitt has been the sport's top dog since he won his first U.S. Open crown last September and it's hard to think of anyone who is in a good enough mental space to knock him from the top spot this year.

Only Marat Safin appeared to have a fighting chance coming into Wimbledon and he played so poorly in his loss to giant killer Olivier Rochus and took the defeat so lightly that it will take heart transplant to get the 2000 U.S. Open champion spilling his guts again.

Nalbandian showed a lot of game and grit in reaching the final and it's apparent that he has a solid future in the sport, but he does not have weapons to hit through Hewitt on hard courts. Agassi is sure to make trouble on the cement this summer and has a shot at the Open crown, but the 32-year-old dad simply will not play enough to take over the No. 1 ranking.

THE SLIM FIELD OF CONTENDERS
Who else is left? Not Sampras, who will be fortunate to win a Tier II title this summer; not Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who seems more motivated playing doubles now; not Henman, who is Hewitt's prisoner; not Aussie Open champ Thomas Johansson, who seems destined to be a one-Slam wonder; and certainly not Roger Federer, who has been the most disappointing Slam performer of the year.

There are a few men who have shown enough spunk this summer to at least earn themselves a brawl with Lleyton in Flushing Meadows: Guga Kuerten, who's fresh and put in on the line at Roland Garros despite a lot of rust; '02 French champ Albert Costa, who now finally believes in himself and is hitting the ball big enough to dig some holes in asphalt; Wimby semifinalist Xavier Malisse, who appears to be finally adding bravery to his talent; Roland Garros finalist Juan Carlos Ferrero, the only notable Spaniard gutsy enough to play Wimbledon; and Andy Roddick, whose miserable last six weeks will give him plenty of motivation to step up in the summer.

All these men need to make an impression during the U.S. summer hardcourt season leading up to the Open, so they can give themselves enough confidence if they have to face Down Under's favorite back alley brawler.

Give credit to Hewitt's new coach, Jason Stoltenberg, for aiding his stead in improving his serve and volleys over the past seven months. Hewitt is nearly a complete player now and although he still could make some minor improvements in his game, it's very hard to find many holes there. Unless he breaks a leg or goes on a massive losing streak, the defending U.S. Open champion will go into Flushing Meadows as a huge favorite, a distinction that few, if any, 21-year-olds have held in the past decade.

Sunday, July 7

Hewitt was in his element


By Curry Kirkpatrick
ESPN The Magazine

WIMBLEDON, England -- Maybe David Neanderthal or Nebulous or Nalbandian or whatever his name is should have missed his starting time -- the way he did at '99 junior Wimbledon when he got disqualified. Or maybe he should have taken off his tennis whites and put together a jig and a net jump -- the way serial streaker Mark Roberts did at a rain break before being escorted away. Or maybe Nalbandian should have paid a few more visits to a Centre Court he'd never seen except for an emergency practice the morning of the last round of the first grass court tournament he'd ever played.

Whatever he might have done, as soon as the Unknown Argentine did what he had to do -- trod the hallowed ground, armed primarily with a sometimes-nasty forehand and a finely-honed sense of humor -- Lleyton Hewitt, the top seed and No. 1 player in the world, showed him he really didn't belong. Hewitt ruthlessly drilled the poor fellow as if in a backyard frolic -- and turned the tennis championship of the world into a 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 laugher.

Nabandian, ranked 32, had won six matches through the Fortnight, whipping Pete Sampras' conqueror, George Bastl, winning five tie breaks as well as two character-testing five-setters. But he's a baseliner -- and Hewitt's the best at that. He's a quick, speedy grinder -- and Hewitt's the best of those. Nalbandian'd taken advantage of this year's heavier balls, higher bounce and slower grass -- but the pugnacious Hewitt might have been Brer Rabbit in the Briar Patch under those conditions.

Before the match was four games old, Nalbandian had exposed his nerves and inexperience -- or Hewitt had exposed them for him, striking 12 clear winners (against zero errors) -- and Boris Becker, resplendent in his Rod Stewart retro ruffled white shirt in the BBC commentating box, was chuckling at the picture on his monitor of Nalbandian's French girlfriend, Victoria: "But at least that is a beautiful girlfriend he has."

The beauty of the match was almost all from Hewitt's side -- uncontainable rockets from along the baseline, especially his lethal inside-out forehand; depth and weight of shot to all the corners and angles; his vastly improved serve always there to bail him out of trouble spots. As if there were many of those. The worst finals spanking at this venue since John McEnroe thrashed Jimmy Connors 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 in 1984. The match was interrupted twice in the early going for (surprise!) rain -- but the only real suspense came when Roberts, 37, made one of his typical naked forays upon a major event just as the two players were returning from the first delay.

Streakologists will recall 1996 when, just before an equally horrid championship round mismatch between Richard Krajicek and Mal Washington, a fetching blonde rushed nude onto Centre Court. This time Roberts -- who has streaked the British Open at St. Andrews, a soccer final at Glasgow, the Grand National steeplechase and a snooker match, once with a toy puppy concealing his privates -- did the honors. "Why not they get him? He out there five minutes," said Nalbandian later, who nevertheless seemed to, uh, raise his game momentarily, staying with Hewitt for 12- and 15-shot rallies, making him work for his points, even poking some winners himself.

But The Kangaroo Kid -- having escaped the dangerous Sjeng Schalken in the quarters after being down a break twice in the fifth set and then pounding the home favorite Tim Henman in straights in the semis -- wasn't about to let his moment slip. "I couldn't wait for Wimbledon to start this year," said the Adelaide, Australia, native who won the Wimby grass warmup at Queens for the third year in succession (the first since McEnroe to do that). "It's always been a big thing for an Australian to win this tournament. I remember Pat (Cash) 15 years ago winning, watching it with my grandmother. His headband, his fire out there."

Cash also was the first to climb up into the stands to embrace his family and friends after winning the All England. And Hewitt did that, too. "I thought, stuff it, I'm going up there," he said.

Not that the new champ, who watches the series of Rocky DVD's for inspiration and was the youngest player ever to attain the No. 1 ranking last winter, embraces the public and press as much. Nor the stress of the spotlight. There was that time a few years ago when he referred to the "stupidity of the Australian public;" the 2001 French when he labeled an umpire "a spastic;" the James Blake incident at the U.S. Open when he insinuated a black linesman was partial to his African-American opponent. An Australian magazine once rated Hewitt the country's "least admired sportsperson." And of Hewitt's youthful transgressions -- the in-your-face cockiness, the arrogance, all those "C'MON'S" -- Agassi's former coach, Brad Gilbert, once said he'd be "amazed if someone didn't whack him in the locker room."

But nobody's going to whack Hewitt on court any time soon. He may be an enigma, preferring to keep to his sporting family -- father Glynn is a former Aussie Rules Football player, mother Cherilyn is a phys ed teacher, girlfriend Kim Clijsters from Belgium is among the top 10 players in the world -- rather than do media interviews or make public appearances. But so what if he'd rather dress down with his "mates" rather than talk tennis or explore his private life with some sleaze Fourth Estate. What is he, 12?

Naw, he just looks like a pimply pre-teen, even long after he's cut his surfer-rat locks into that new, crewcut, bullet-head look. At any rate, he's the youngest player to win Wimbledon since Becker -- and who's to say Hewitt won't keep winning here on the grass as long as his lightning-quick, groundstroking, bard of the baseline predecessor, Bjorn Borg, did?

As for Nalbandian, he was the last wackiest straw in the wackiest Wimbledon within memory. Neither previous 2001 finalist back in the tournament. Sampras and Agassi and every other American gone before the fourth round. Three South Americans in the last eight. Jennifer Capriati's ex-boyfriend advancing a round further than Jennifer herself. (Not to mention, Xavier Malisse granted a 10-minute reprieve in his losing semifinal to Nalbandian to call his doctor in Belgium about his heart palpitations; apparently, they weren't over The Capster.) Anna Kournikova... Uh, just wanted to envision the name one more time.

Through all this chaos, sure enough, came the weirdest story of all, Nalbandian, just 20, the grandson of an Armenian immigrant to tiny Unquillo, Argentina, in the high Sierra range just outside Cordoba -- who, just to practice for his first Wimbledon, had to persuade his club back in Buenos Aires to mark out tennis court lines on a cricket pitch.

Nalbandian wasn't just the first Argentine this or that -- the great Guillermo Vilas won four Grand Slam titles but never got past the quarters at the All England. N-Band was the first man from the South American continent to reach the final -- after Alex Olmedo, the UCLA Bruin from Peru who won the title here in 1959. And the first from any continent in the open era to make the Wimbledon championship round in his debut at Wimbledon. (The last five players who won here in their first visit were all Americans: Bill Tilden, Ellsworth Vines, Bobby Riggs, Ted Schroeder and Dick Savitt.)

Nalbandian had an impressive junior career, beating Roger Federer in the finals of the '98 U.S. Open juniors and finishing third in the world. But when he hooked up with former tour player and countryman Gabriel Markus -- who cherishes being the only player from his country to beat Sampras -- as his coach last season, Nalbandian really took off, improving over 200 spots in the rankings (to No. 47) in 2001 and then winning his first title at Estoril (beating Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya) in 2002.

Hewitt's pedigree, however, trumped his opponent in the same way he ripped his game asunder on the court. Ken Rosewall won the French at 18, Rod Laver and Lew Hoad also were champions of majors as infants. But of all twelve Australians who have triumphed amid the leafy glades of SW 19, Hewitt is the youngest.

"Our sport needs a dominant figure," Becker said. "Lleyton is the perfect role model to those kids who should know you don't need to be 6-4, 200 pounds to succeed in tennis. The right attitude. The right technique. You can make it with other stuff. That's his gift."

In 1997, the kid was only 15 years, 11 months, when he became the youngest qualifier at the Australian Open. Four and a half tennis seasons later he's already won 16 tournaments -- with many more to come.

Now if the U.S. and Wimbledon champion can only open up to the outside world -- and show an attractive personal side he reveals only in miniature flashes -- Hewitt might win many more thousands of hearts. And in the process maybe even save an entire sport.

Curry Kirkpatrick is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at curry.kirkpatrick@espnmag.com.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, July 7
Aussie men sweep events
Reuters


WIMBLEDON, England -- Lleyton Hewitt's first men's singles title at Wimbledon was only the start of a day of celebration for the hordes of Australians at the All England Club.

While Hewitt cruised to 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 victory against Argentine David Nalbandian on Centre Court, Australian doubles specialist Todd Woodbridge was on court one winning his seventh men's doubles title -- his first with Swede Jonas Bjorkman.

Later in the day 18-year-old Australian Todd Reid won the boys' singles final 7-6 (5), 6-4 over Lamine Ouahab of Algeria.

All three were cheered on by a large Australian contingent both at courtside and in front of the giant television screen on the grassy knoll dubbed "Henman Hill" -- several of their banners calling for it to be renamed "Hewitt Hill" in honor of their hero.

Hewitt, who draped himself in the Australian flag before parading the trophy, said the tradition of Australian success at Wimbledon made his victory all the sweeter.

"We've had so many great players do well here in the past," Hewitt said. "So it's sort of a place you enjoy coming back to and you look forward to coming to play."

Woodbridge celebrated his 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (7), 7-5 victory against Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor with Mark Woodforde -- the now retired Australian with whom he won his previous six men's doubles titles here -- who is here as a television pundit.

Holding a glass of champagne, Woodbridge, 31, said the success was a boon for Australian tennis in what could have been a down period.

"The young guys in the junior program have really stepped up to the plate in the last two majors, and come through with some good results. That's terrific," he said. "We had thought we didn't have much backup after I'd retired from singles and Jason Stoltenberg, Richard Fromberg also retired, Mark Woodforde also.

"Things were a bit lean when you notice we only had four players in the main draw. For Todd Reid to come through and win, that's a huge boost for junior tennis in Australia."

Woodbridge said he thought 21-year-old Hewitt, whose success was the 21st for Australians in the men's singles, had more major titles ahead of him.

"I think he's a four to six Slam winner" he said. "It's just a matter of keeping fit, the drive and motivation he has. He's just a freak really in a way. I mean, people like Lleyton come along every 15, 20 years, one person like that."

Hewitt said he hoped his victory would be a spur to young tennis hopefuls back in Australia, as Pat Cash's victory in 1987 had been for him.

"I think for every, you know, kid playing in the local club in Australia, just for them to realize that it is possible. You can, you know, dream," he said.

"You've still got to put in a lot of hard work and try and get there, but it is possible. It's not out of your reach.

"For me it was such a huge thing to see an Australian win such a big tournament. I think that, you know, rubs off a little bit."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

and some tidbits...

Hewitt is the third-youngest to win Wimbledon - only Boris Becker (17) and Bjorn Borg (20) were younger Wimbledon winners than Hewitt since the advent of the Open tennis era in 1968.

For the second rain delay in the second set, they stopped play at 30-30, 3-3 at 3.33 pm for 33 minutes, the same time as the length of the first set.

"When he was in primary school he wrote an essay which said 'I'm going to win Wimbledon', and now he's done it." Max Hewitt, his grandfather.

Hewitt and Clijsters will have a week off in Belgium.

The Guardian's version of BBC's Gamewatch
Lleyton Hewitt v David Nalbandian: game-by-game


Email whatever guff comes into your head druring the match to dan.rookwood@guardian.co.uk and during the Robinson's Barley Water breaks you might find they form part of the report

Dan Rookwood
Sunday July 7, 2002

Lleyton Hewitt wins the Championship in straight sets with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Wimbledon debutant David Nalbandian
Hewitt storms to Championship point, then wavers with a double-fault, the little tease. He doesn't keep us waiting long. Nalbandian forces it long and Hewitt has done it. You have to say, he's a bit good. He dropped just two sets all fortnight. Herb has left the Sainsbury's building. They are working on your question, Neil. I had my scooter stolen last night. I'd only had it two days. Because of that, I reckon I know exactly how Nalbandian is feeling right now. Sainsbury's have a lovely selection of Pink Grapefruit squash and other pink drinks, I'm informed. Thanks for all your emails. The sky is very blue now.
Third set: Hewitt 5 - 2 Nalbandian* (Sets: 2 - 0)
Oh deary me. Two double-faults. Nalbandian has all but given up. Hewitt is serving for the Championship he so richly deserves and quite obviously desires. "Your report should not be in the sports pages but somewhere hidden between the gardening section and the anitque collecting section," says Laurence from Manchester. Laurence doesn't like tennis. Neither does his mum, apparently.

Third set: Hewitt* 4 - 2 Nalbandian (Sets: 2 - 0)
Dave has lost the plot. A dodgy net chord falls Hewitt's way. Nalbandian looks up to the heavens and pleads for divine intervention. The crowd laugh and they laugh and they laugh. Because, after all, it's sooo funny. Next thing he'll balance his racquet on his head. Hewitt wins the game very easily by the way. David still seems to be affected by those line-calls.

Third set: Hewitt 3 - 2 Nalbandian* (Sets: 2 - 0)
Boo-hiss-boo. Our Dave is broken back. Can these boys not hold their own serves or what? Nalbandian is the victim of some unfortunate line-calls and he carries on his remonstrations with the umpire throughout the break. He's drinking some vile-looking pink stuff. It's definitely not Robinson's. Ed and Soph, do Sainsbury's make any pink squash?

Third set: Hewitt* 2 - 2 Nalbandian (Sets: 2 - 0)
Dave is listening. He breaks back. He's not playing half badly really. And we all know what happened to Hewitt in his quarter-final against Schalken. He had match points and then went on to lose two sets. Nalbandian is not out of this yet. Honest, he's not. Honest. Charlie Smith writes in: "I'm reading your report because I am at work. I am at work now because I did not get all my work done last week. I did not get all my work down last week because I spent too much time reading about what was going on in the tennis. I feel trapped." Charlie asks that the following be "passed on to the ladies" like a common cold: he's a single, 26-year-old barrister who can cook. Do us some cheese on toast then, Charlie, with a bit of Worcester sauce on top.

Third set: Hewitt 2 - 1 Nalbandian* (Sets: 2 - 0)
Neil Clough is back. "Please ask the Sainsbury's chaps if they have any plans to open stores in America. Next to the streakers and sporadic rain it's something I miss about dear old England." Well, Herb et al? Nalbandian saves a break point himself beautifully with an angled slice volley at the net - very cool under pressure. He might be cooler if he shaved off that face fuzz though. And then after all that, Hewitt wins the game. He's pumped. He screams again, his eyes are out on stalks, the veins pop out of his neck and he points at someone in the crowd. Is this to be all over in straight sets? Come on, Dave, entertain us.

Third set: Hewitt* 1 - 1 Nalbandian (Sets: 2 - 0)
It's just a slightly different game to the Ivanisevic v Rafter final last year. Neither player has served and volleyed once yet. "I'm an Australian, sitting a shift at a scientific experiment on the Swiss-French border," says Gaby Bright. "There is not much to do - just collecting data - and taking advantage of fast internet connection to trawl the web. Go, Aussies, go." Quite. But Hewitt makes heavy weather of this game. However, he saves both his break points quite brilliantly. Nalbandian screams out "No!" really loudly when he muppets the ball into the net. Hewitt clenches his fist and glares at his opponent after he wins the game with a smash. Grr!

Third set: Hewitt 0 - 1 Nalbandian* (Sets: 2 - 0)
Sean Matthews from the English department of the University of Wales wanted to let us know that he is reading. "I'm in an internet cafe in Sofia and I wondered what the score was," he says. Dave saves a break point to hold on to his first service game of this set.

Second set: Hewitt* 6 - 3 Nalbandian (Sets: 1 - 0)
After just an hour and 16 minutes of actual play, Hewitt takes the second set with an ace. "Come on!" he screams again. President Neil is back: "NBC have just shockingly replayed the streaker incident in its entirity (apart from a strategically placed blurry bit) including the leap over the net, flabby buttock display and brilliantly executed moonwalk. Not sure if McEnroe's daughter got to see any of it but you can bet Tatum is onto her lawyers as we speak...corruption of a minor and all that."

Second set: Hewitt 5 - 3 Nalbandian* (Sets: 1 - 0)
As you were, sir. 1610 hours, Hewitt punches the air for the first time and screams "Come on!" He's not business-like now. There is a similar ejaculation from the Aussie (behave) at the end of the game as he breaks Nalbandian's serve. Hewitt is very strong mentally. He now serves to take a two-set lead. Before that last rain break we had a game on our hands.

Second set: Hewitt* 4 - 3 Nalbandian (Sets: 1 - 0)
Well it was a 35-minute break in the end. "We are following your commentary while working through customer complaints in customer management at Sainsbury's," write Matt, Soph, Ed and Herb. "So if anyone has any burning questions they have always wanted to get off their chest about Sainsbury's now is their chance." Hewitt wins the game to maintain the slight advantage in this second set. He's deliberately slowing play down to make Nalbandian nervous.

3.40pm: Rain delay update No2
Ho-hum. It's just a 15-minute shower, so they say. Andrew Peacock reckons BBC pundit Pat Cash could do with one of those. "Has Pat Cash has been sleeping rough?" he asks. "His look is out of the same book of personal grooming that Nalbandian's using methinks." We're all so hypercritical today, aren't we?

Second set: Hewitt 3 - 3 Nalbandian* (Sets: 1 - 0)
Dave gets the benefit of the net chord to win the game, despite a couple of mishits along the way. It's quite exciting stuff now. I'm interested to know who out there is reading this on a Sunday afternoon, and more to the point, why. You've clearly got nowt better to do, so drop me an email. I can see Mac has still got his daughter on his knee. Or at least I hope it's his daughter. Boo-hoo, just when Nalbandian was beginning to get his act together, the rain returns. I predicted that, you know.

Second set: Hewitt* 3 - 2 Nalbandian (Sets: 1 - 0)
Hewitt wins the game 40-30. He's looking very business-like, if slightly spotty. I need the loo. "I'm watching the game in the USA and during the rain break McEnroe's daughter joined him in the commentary box and sat on his lap for a couple of minutes," says Neil Clough who is president of his company. "As touching as this father/daughter bonding session was, I couldn't help but see it as the latest volley in his ongoing battle with (ex-missus) Tatum. Interesting stuff...infinitely more so than the tennis." Indeed. Though Nalbandian is at least putting up some opposition now. It's certainly getting the pock-marked Argentine ambassador worked up. Apologies if that too is discriminatory, Luciano.

Second set: Hewitt 2 - 2 Nalbandian* (Sets: 1 - 0)
Pow! Nalbandian wins another game. Oof! Hewitt looks a little peeved. "I'm definitely not from Clapham, although I did use to drive through Clapham Common on cross-London trips in the days before the M25 was built," writes Bob Cushion. "Be that as it may, I've just been talking to a Greek Cypriot friend here in Dubai whose life ambition is to go to Wimbledon, and he asked me how much it would cost to get a ticket for the men's final. I had no idea, I suppose there must be some available from ticket touts. Have you got any idea, or has anyone else, how much one would be?" I think the going rate is £17,657.13. I've got the 13p if that helps.

Second set: Hewitt* 2 - 1 Nalbandian (Sets: 1 - 0)
Two more break points to Nalbandian. And would you Adam and Eve it, he breaks the Australian. And what a way to do it. In one of those ooh-aah rallies that has the crowd a-gasping, David plays the following shots: One rubbish lob, a better one, a top-spin forehand, a drop volley, then a lob volley to win. Luverly-jubberly. Luciano from Argentina writes: "Your commentaries are quite discriminatory."

Second set: Hewitt 2 - 0 Nalbandian* (Sets: 1 - 0)
Well that break clearly did Nalbandian no good at all. He's still rubbish and goes 0-40 down. But credit where it's due, a few corking rallies later, it's deuce. Then criticism where it's due, he messes up the next two points and Hewitt has the early break. Will Riley is fascinated by the fact that spiders go bald if you stroke them. I'd like to know what kind of evidence he can provide to substantiate this outrageous claim.

3.04pm: Streaker update
Referee Alan Mills is not amused. Some fella has just cavorted around the court for a few minutes much to the amusement of all. It even caused a stir in the Royal Box, so to speak. Three people came out with red rags to cover his lack of modesty, but he hurdled the net and started moonwalking away. Genius.

3pm: Rain delay update
Hang on, the rain has stopped and they're taking the covers back off. I'm no Bill Giles (more Sian Phillips actually), but I'm forcasting more rain breaks ahead. No matter, I have my crossword. Simon Brewer, who also claims to be from Clapham (though frankly I don't believe him) says there's someone in the Argentine's box with a very nasty mullet. He thinks it's Nalbandian's playing partner. "Mullets shouldn't be allowed on Centre Court," he says. That's a very right wing stance, Simon. A question: do I refer to Nalbandian as an Argentine or an Argentinian? And what's the difference? We should be back on in a few minutes, I reckon. Hopefully, for the sake of tennis, the break should do Nalbandian the power of good.

Second set: Hewitt* 1 - 0 Nalbandian (Sets: 1 - 0)
Now then David, that's a bit more like it. He wins himself a few more break points by playing with more confidence. Perhaps he is beginning afresh. He's not managing to convert any of them though. Will Riley has written in. I suspect he also might be from Clapham. All Wimbers fans are. Must be something of a bind that Henley Royal Regatta is on over the same weekend, I'd imagine. "Has Jade been let out on day release?" he asks. "She and Kim are awfully similar." That's not kind, William. It's starting to rain and play is suspended. Yawn. Send me some emails to keep me awake. And can someone put the kettle on?

First set: Hewitt 6 - 1 Nalbandian*
Poor David. It's a little unfair that his first match on Centre Court happens to be the final. Still, if he keeps going like this the ordeal shouldn't last too long. He gives Hewitt three set points. Then he saves one with a diving volley at the net before gooning up big time with his third double-fault. 33 minutes, 16 unforced errors, one measley game - these are not good stats, David, however pretty Boris thinks Victoria is.

First set: Hewitt* 5 - 1 Nalbandian
Guy Lavarack, also from Clapham, thinks Nalbandian could at least have had a shave for his big day at Wimbledon. He disapproves. I agree Guy. Personal grooming is as important as a decent drop volley in the modern game. Goodness gracious me! Nalbandian forces a break point against the Hweitt serve. Nay, two! Maybe even three - I wasn't concentrating. But it all comes to no avail: Hewitt wins.

First set: Hewitt 4 - 1 Nalbandian*
The crowd are applauding every point Nalbandian wins. Let's just say they're not wearing out their hands too much, but at last he has his name on the board. Richard Skinner from Clapham wonders who is more attractive: Jade from Big Brother or Hewitt's girlfriend, Kim? He also thinks that this was a sympathy game from Hewitt.

First set: Hewitt* 4 - 0 Nalbandian
The veteran Australian at 21 beats his junior 20-year-old opponent with alarming ease, 40-0. He looks in very commanding form indeed. Nalbandian is staring at his shoes lots. He looks a little embarrassed to be there. It's a bit embarrassing to watch at the moment.

First set: Hewitt 3 - 0 Nalbandian*
A double-fault gives Hewitt a break point. Nalbandian has very dodgy stubble indeed. He wrestles it back, but Hewitt once more seizes the advantage and steals the game with a flashing cross-court backhand. This first set looks done and dusted. I am eating vegetarian quiche for lunch out of a polysterene box, thanks for asking Andy Williams. I thought it was pizza when I bought it.

First set: Hewitt* 2 - 0 Nalbandian
One thing is for sure, there are going to be rallies ago-go with these two baseliners, which should hopefully make for an interesting match. Nalbandian has started very badly. "But at least he has a beautiful girlfriend," I hear the BBC's Boris Becker say.

First set: Hewitt 1 - 0 Nalbandian*
Oh dear. Nalbandian's first point on Centre Court was a double-fault. Not the most auspicious of starts for the nervy Argentine, and he goes on to lose his first service game 30-40. I'm trying to eat my lunch at the same time. It's now gone cold.

A wee bit of preamble
This is David Nalbandian's first senior tournament on grass. He's never played on Centre Court, but he has at least never lost at Wimbledon. This is Lleyton Hewitt's first Wimbledon final. He lost just two sets en route, both in that problemtic quarter-final.

Lleyton heads into history
July 9 2002


Australia's first Wimbledon winner in 15 years appreciates the gravity of his success, writes Linda Pearce in London.

Four or five months ago, after an untimely bout of chicken pox had ruined his Australian summer, Lleyton Hewitt had a feeling that had nothing to do with spots, fatigue or the pain of what might have been had illness not truncated his visit to Melbourne Park.

It was about Wimbledon. Hewitt could not explain it, but he couldn't wait to get there.

"For some reason, I was really looking forward to Wimbledon this year. I just had a feeling," Hewitt recalled late on Sunday afternoon, before the significance of his first Wimbledon victory had fully struck home.

"You know, I could have bombed out in the first round," he admitted. "But there was something that was drawing me. I couldn't wait until Wimbledon started, basically. You know, that's a strange feeling to have when you're a baseliner coming onto grass."

It has never been his favourite surface, but Hewitt remembers watching Wimbledon from his grandparents' house in Adelaide as a six-year-old in Pat Cash's glory year of 1987. The Hewitt family soon started visiting Melbourne each year for the Australian Open, and that remains Lleyton's holy grail, but he knew what Wimbledon was and what it represented: the tradition, the prestige, Australia's success - all of that.

Hewitt had played at Wimbledon three times before this year and never passed the fourth round. When the 2002 draw was done he was to meet Jonas Bjorkman first, the man who defeated him last year, Nicholas Escude, again in the round of 16, then perhaps Roger Federer, Tim Henman and Andre Agassi or Pete Sampras after that. Not quite the draw from hell, but not far off.

Yet Federer's shock loss in the first round to qualifier Mario Ancic was perhaps the message Hewitt needed.

"It was a bit like the Australian Open, and and we made a point of that being a wake-up call and just getting the job done," said Hewitt's coach, Jason Stoltenberg. "Tournaments can happen like this, where a lot of guys go out early, and he had to make sure he was still standing at the end."

Hewitt had also modified his game from his infant attempts to mix up his grass game by chip-charging and sometimes serve-volleying.

"I went back. I said, 'the guys have got to play extremely well if they're going to beat me from the back of the court'," Hewitt said.

"I returned well, used my passing shots, my strengths as my edge, my quickness around the court. Basically, from that first year on, I've gone into the grasscourt tournaments and just played my game."

And this year, better than ever. Hewitt continued to work on his serve, which saved him so often over the past fortnight. He had the confidence that comes from having won a grand slam title, last year's US Open. And he had enough lead-up play on grass, by winning a third Queen's Club title, that he withdrew before the quarter-finals at the pre-Wimbledon week in Rosmalen, citing a stomach virus.

Things slowly, almost inevitably, began to fall into place. The top seed got past the challenging Bjorkman and the less threatening Gregory Carraz, Julian Knowle and Mikhail Youhnzy without dropping a set. He should have beaten Sjeng Schalken in the same fashion, too.

As his friend and fellow South Australian Mark Woodforde explains it: "He's so tenacious. You really wish you could get some younger kids and say look at this. You wish you could bottle it up and then just open it up and get a whiff of it, sort of like smelling salts, and say OK, 'essence of Lleyton'."

After a brilliant performance against Henman in the semis, and with just the grasscourt novice Nalbandian left, the title was almost Hewitt's.

Yet it still had to be won, and when it came to finals day, Hewitt was more nervous than he had been at Flushing Meadows 10 months ago as he prepared to play Pete Sampras in the US Open final.

The first set was a trouncing. Nalbandian had never been on centre court except during a specially granted warm-up, and was nervous and overawed.

His opponent settled slightly in the second but from 3-3, Hewitt won nine of the next 11 games. As Cash described it: "Lleyton was his usual ruthless self. There was nothing that was going to get in his way."

Hewitt double-faulted on his first match point, at 40-0, but when Nalbandian pushed a final forehand over the baseline, Hewitt threw himself on his back, then belted a ball joyously into the crowd. "It was a weird feeling. It was like a dream," he said.

"I sort of had to pinch myself to see if it was real or not out there. You know, to get to 40-0 up, I had to have another peep at the scoreboard to make sure I didn't celebrate too early."

Hewitt acknowledged his family and supporters, and then briefly sat down. Then he decided that 15 years had been long enough between Australians clambering up the stand and into the players' box to kiss his girlfriend and mother and embrace his father, friend and agent. So he clambered, smooched, hugged.

This was far from the best Wimbledon final, and may eventually be remembered as the day that serve-and-volley tennis died an ugly death on the lawns of SW19. The all-baseline affair was "a unique final, I think, more than anything", said Hewitt, who did not play a single serve-volley point in the entire tournament. "I think I tried to once," he said, "but I served a fault."

But there is no doubt the Champions Trophy went to a deserving winner, someone who appreciated the prize just as much as Goran Ivanesevic had 12 months before.

"It's a great piece of gold," said Hewitt. "I was just looking at all the names. You walk through onto centre court there, you see the honour board there, see all the great names that have won this tournament.

"When I got a hold of that trophy, I really wanted to have a look at all on the names on there. Nice to have my name underneath."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

PM applauds Hewitt's Wimbledon win
ROME|Published: Monday July 8, 8:05 AM


Prime Minister John Howard interrupted his European tour to ring and congratulate Lleyton Hewitt for winning Wimbledon.

Mr Howard learned of Hewitt's victory in the Wimbledon final while flying back to Rome from the Greek island of Crete.

The prime minister, who rang Hewitt to wish him well before the match against Argentina's David Nalbandian, was mid-flight when the pilot of his chartered aircraft broadcast the tennis result across the intercom system.

He and his entourage gave the world number one three cheers to mark his win.

On landing back in Rome, both Mr Howard and his wife Janette rang Hewitt to congratulate him.

Before calling, the prime minister said his message would be simple.

"Just warm congratulations and you've made millions of Australian sports lovers very happy," Mr Howard told reporters.

The prime minister said Hewitt was an outstanding young tennis player.

Mr Howard missed watching the game because of his program in Crete.

The visit included a tour of the ancient Knossos archaeological site and wreath-laying ceremonies to commemorate those who died in the World War II Battle of Crete.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Breaking through for $250m career
By SHAUN PHILLIPS, sports affairs reporter
09jul02

LLEYTON Hewitt's Wimbledon breakthrough has put him on track for career earnings of $250 million.

Hewitt, 21, won $1.4 million plus rich sponsor bonuses for his centre-court demolition of David Nalbandian, but that's just a daub in the big financial picture.

Hewitt has earned an estimated $70 million in just four years.

Experts believe his on and off-court earnings will burst through the $20 million a year barrier.

He earned an estimated $16.5 million last year when he won his first grand slam event, the US Open, and became the youngest season-ending world No. 1.

"At his age he's got great potential to keep increasing his earnings significantly," Sponsorship Solutions' Craig Richards said.

According to Business Review Weekly's annual sport rich list, Hewitt's total earnings soared from $3.6 million in 2000 to $16.5 million last year.

Golfer Greg Norman was the leader on $48.2 million, almost exclusively from off-course earnings, while soccer star Harry Kewell snared $20 million.

Veteran American Andre Agassi was the highest-earning tennis player last year according to Forbes magazine, with about $33 million.

It has been a dizzying rise for Hewitt since he burst on to the world scene in 1998 when he won the Australian Hardcourt Championship at 16.

His management group Octagon sent out an invitation to the corporate sector yesterday declaring their charge to be the dominant force in international tennis.

"Take the opportunity to partner the youngest player in the history of the game ever to become the world No. 1 and the hottest property in Australian sport," it said.

Octagon's Rob Aivatoglou said the sky was the limit for Hewitt.

"It's unbelievable when you think he's won two grand slam (events) inside nine months, he's world No. 1 and he's only 21," Mr Aivatoglou said as he celebrated with the Hewitt entourage in London.

"This propels him to the very highest level in Australian sport. It puts him on a par with what Ian Thorpe is achieving."

A five-year deal with Nike signed in 2000 and worth $30 million is the jewel in Hewitt's off-court crown. The relationship is expected to be worth much more when it is renegotiated.

His contract with racquet manufacturer Yonex is believed to be worth about $25 million.

Hewitt's Wimbledon win took his prizemoney to $15 million.

Mr Aivatoglou said Hewitt's global popularity was rocketing.

Hewitt, who will reward himself with a short holiday, is due in Adelaide in September to spearhead Australia's Davis Cup clash against India.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Street parade for Hewitt
From our wire services
08jul02


NEWLY-CROWNED Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt will be feted with a street parade on his return to his hometown of Adelaide.

South Australian Premier Mike Rann said a parade would be a more fitting way to honour Hewitt than a more formal state reception, as it would give all members of the public a chance to be involved.

"I just think it's really important for all of us to give a massive welcome to Lleyton Hewitt," Rann told ABC radio.

"Anyone winning Wimbledon is a great world achievement but to do it at his age (21) and do it so well is fantastic.

"His future is going to be huge."

Hewitt beat Argentinian David Nalbandian 6-1 6-3 6-2 in the final.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Love him for his tennis, says Stoltenberg
July 9 2002


Lleyton Hewitt's coach Jason Stoltenberg has called on Australians to appreciate the new Wimbledon champion's tennis rather than criticise his combative personality.

Hewitt's straight sets win over Argentinian David Nalbandian in the final today won him his second grand slam title but the feisty 21-year-old still has a long way to go before completely winning over the Australian public.

"I'm not sure what's caused it or what's going to happen to improve it, I just wish people would sit back and appreciate the fight and the will to go out there and play for Australia every single time he has the chance," Stoltenberg said.

"In the heat of the moment people might say things or do things and if that's what's happened to him, that's a bit unjust. Just to sit back and enjoy the way he plays the game, that should be enough."

Stoltenberg said the intense on-court character will have no problems relaxing off the court and enjoying his Wimbledon triumph.

"He'll enjoy it all right. You see him on the court, he's pretty intense, but off the court I know that he's tickled pink, I know he is," Stoltenberg said.

"Off court he's quiet and low key and sticks to himself. On the court he's so feisty and it's just his natural fight that's inside him."

Stoltenberg believes coaching the most driven and competitive player he has known is one of the easiest jobs in tennis.

The 1996 Wimbledon semifinalist took on his first coaching assignment after Darren Cahill parted company with Hewitt following reported disagreements with the world No.1's parents.

Stoltenberg admitted at the time he felt uncomfortable taking over from a friend but was just as anxious about coaching a player who had recently become world No.1.

"I didn't know what to expect, starting the year at number in the world," he said.

"It's a bit tough coming in when you've got someone who can only go the one way.

"But he is good to coach because he's that good.

"You just point him in the right direction and he just does it, he does all the work. He makes me look good.

"He's pretty well self-motivated, you don't have to work on that side of him too much.

"He played great today and to win in straight sets is special."

Stoltenberg believes Hewitt would get better but said they would work on his serve.

AAP

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hewitt reverts to strong points
By LEO SCHLINK
09jul02


AUSSIE Lleyton Hewitt remained faithful to the strengths that had carried him to great heights in his tennis career and another big reward was his first Wimbledon crown.

The feisty South Australian, renowned for unrivalled speed around the court, a blistering passing shot and a ruthless tenacity to scrap for every point, stubbornly resisted any changes to his grooved baseline game, banishing the convention that to succeed at Wimbledon he needed to be more attacking.

Hewitt's favourite ploy is to lure his opponent into error and, should the opportunity arise, lash out with a low-risk winner. It is the ultimate percentage tennis.

And his strategy worked spectacularly at Wimbledon where he won 21 of the 23 sets he contested to rise above a tournament of endless shocks.

"When I first came on, even after I won Adelaide that first year (1998), I started playing Queen's, just leading up to Wimbledon, I was actually trying to mix it up," he said.

"I think I was playing the wrong style of game -- come to the net, chip-charge -- it wasn't working.

"I went back. I said, 'The guys have got to play extremely well if they're going to beat me from the back of the court'.

"I returned well, used my passing shot, my strengths and my edge, my quickness around the court.

"Basically from that year on, I've gone into Queen's and just played my game.

"My serve has got me out of a lot of trouble the last few years in big tournaments. When you start winning Queen's a few years in a row, like I have now, then you start realising you're a real contender for the big one a couple weeks down the track."

He was virtually untroubled by leg-weary Argentine David Nalbandian, whose first and last service games ended with double faults. Hewitt won 101 of the 168 points, broke serve eight times to two, hit 30 winners to 12 and restricted himself to 25 unforced errors to Nalbandian's 41 as class told.

The suspicion this would be one match too far for 28th seed Nalbandian, who was playing his first senior grasscourt tournament, was confirmed three games into the match by which time he had already dropped serve twice. And there was no way back despite hints of a midmatch recovery.

Hewitt was characteristically ruthless, scrapping tenaciously for every point. Nalbandian was mentally destroyed and then physically punished.

"Lleyton is No. 1, he can make it perfect," Nalbandian said. "He is difficult, a very strong man. He's fast. He's difficult to do a mistake because if you do just one mistake, he take it."

Nalbandian predicted Hewitt could dominate Wimbledon in the vein of Bjorn Borg or Pete Sampras, such is his mental strength, ambition, fitness and outstanding skill -- a vastly underrated facet of his game lost on his detractors.

Hewitt, who begins preparations for a defence of the US Open next month, is not so convinced he will reign over the sport.

"Oh, I hope so, but I haven't really thought about it at the moment," he said. "If I can play this well for other grand slams, then I can't see why not. But at the moment, I don't really care."

He said he was again urged to victory by dual finalist Pat Rafter.

"He called me again this morning to wish me all the best. 'Go out there and do it for Australia'," Hewitt said. "It's a great thing to have. A guy who I have looked up to for so many years, been in awe of him, to go out of his way to give me a call the last couple of days.

"Hopefully he comes back."

Monday July 8, 12:04 PM
Wimbledon-Champion Hewitt euphoric after runaway victory
By Ossian Shine


LONDON (Reuters) - Euphoric champion Lleyton Hewitt has woken after a night of Wimbledon celebrations to declare "If I don't win another tournament again, it won't matter."

The Australian swapped his tracksuit for a tuxedo to celebrate his maiden grasscourt grand slam crown at the Wimbledon ball, just hours after crushing Argentine David Nalbandian 6-1 6-3 6-2 in the most one-sided final for 18 years.

The 21-year-old -- the first Australian to win Wimbledon since 1987 -- carried on partying at his south west London base with "a few mates and a few beers".

"I slept pretty well last night& for a couple of hours," he smiled as he glanced at newspaper headlines spread out before him at his breakfast table.

"It is starting to sink in now. Yesterday everything was a little bit unclear, it is a hard thing to describe.

"I've only just started believing it and realising it actually happened. You dream about winning this tournament. They don't come any bigger than Wimbledon.

"Pat Cash won it last in 1987. You don't know if you are going to get an opportunity to win it again. I am going to enjoy this for as long as I can.

"To be a member of the All England Club is great. I don't know if I will be wearing the club tie, though. I haven't worn a tie since I was at school.
"But now I will be able to come back here when I am 65 and sit in the members' stand and watch. It's great."

OVERWHELMED

The world number one, who does not return home until after the defence of his U.S. Open crown in September, spent the early hours on the phone to some friends and radio stations back home, and he is overwhelmed by the Australian reception.

"I haven't spoken to too many people, but the ones I have spoken to said the country has gone absolutely crazy.

"When you start your career you would love to win a grand slam, get to world number one and win the Davis Cup.

"Now I have won two grand slams and one is Wimbledon which is probably the biggest tournament in the world."

Although Hewitt says it would not be "the end of the world" if he does not win another tournament, that scenario is an extremely unlikely one as he threatens to dominate the sport for years to come.
Certainly that is something the young Australian would love.

"To dominate tennis like Tiger Woods has dominated golf would be amazing," he said, referring to his sporting hero.

"But what he has done it just incredible. Sure, I have some pressure and expectation on me but it's nothing compared to him.

"I thrive on the pressure, though, I'm certainly not shy of it."

Hewitt feels there is plenty of room for improvement, which is not good news for anyone with any designs on the majors in the next few years.

"I have won all these big tournaments now but I still feel there are areas I can work on. There are definitely areas I can make better and add another dimension to."

That, and his best friend's lucky shirt, should see Hewitt safe for the forseeable future.

Late last year Hewitt asked former school friend Haydn Eckerman to leave his job in his father's Adelaide property firm and travel the world with the tennis player.

"He didn't need much persuasion," smiled Hewitt. "Now he has got this shirt which he wore yesterday. He has worn it to 10 finals and I have won them all.

"He thinks it is a lucky shirt, although he says he may retire it now."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday July 8, 07:05 AM
Hewitt's past forgiven after Wimbledon triumph


SYDNEY (Reuters) - Lleyton Hewitt's past indiscretions and often fragile relationship with the Australian public and media were forgotten when he beat Argentina's David Nalbandian to win the Wimbledon men's singles title.

Pictures and reports of Hewitt's historic win on Sunday were plastered over the front pages of almost every major newspaper in the land while politicians, former players, and even his critics heaped praise on the feisty 21-year-old.

Australia's sports-loving Prime Minister John Howard took time out from his European tour to pay tribute to Hewitt while the South Australian Premier Mike Cann said the state's new sporting hero would be feted with a street parade.

In Hewitt's home town of Adelaide, the local newspaper's front page banner read: "Our champion Lleyton, you little ripper".

A similar headline in Sydney's Daily Telegraph read: "Lleyton slams his way to immortality".
Other major newspapers said Hewitt, who also won last year's U.S. Open title and is already the youngest man in history to hold the year-end world number one ranking, now deserved to be rated among the sport's greatest players.

"Lleyton Hewitt made the short trek down leafy Church Road before taking up residence alongside the Wimbledon Gods by completing an extraordinary tennis odyssey," said Brisbane's Courier-Mail.

YEARS OF ACRIMONY

The Sydney Morning Herald said Hewitt's triumph would help endear him to Australians after years of acrimony.

Under the headline "Bad boy turns legend...", the paper's lead story said: "Self-effacing, he is not. Neither is he obviously good-looking or witty. But for the myriad of things he isn't, the world of tennis, and Australia in general, has started to love Lleyton Hewitt, not so much for what he is but for what he promises to become."

Despite all his success, Hewitt's on-court antics have polarised many fans and he is not loved in the same way as many of the country's other tennis greats like Pat Rafter and John Newcombe.

Hewitt has never been far from controversy. He once described spectators in his home town as "stupid" after they cheered an opponent in 2000, and he was fined at the 2001 French Open for calling the chair umpire a "spastic".

He was also at the centre of a race row at the 2001 U.S. Open over a comment he made to a court official during a match against James Blake.

More recently, at this year's Italian Open, he had a point deducted for arguing a line call then throwing the ball at the umpire.

The Townsville Bulletin, in an article headlined "Will fist-pumping Lleyton ever really be loved?", wrote: "Hewitt has the attributes Australians love in their sportsmen -- a passionate desire to represent his country, tenacity and a lot of courage.

"But the apparent absence of traits such as humility and grace -- which made his predecessor Pat Rafter such a loved figure -- makes it difficult for them to universally like him."

The best is yet to come
July 9 2002


Amid the celebrations, those in the know claim Lleyton Hewitt has many more slams in him - but for now he really doesn't care, writes Linda Pearce in London.

Having waited 15 years for a Wimbledon champion, Australia now has a player capable of winning multiple titles. Lleyton Hewitt has won two of the past four grand slams, including the biggest tournament of all on a surface that is not his best. So how many majors can he win? How good can this 21-year-old be?

"He's on top of the mountain and you've got to figure out, where do I go from here?" Hewitt's coach, Jason Stoltenberg, said after Sunday's 6-1 6-3 6-2 victory over David Nalbandian, the most comprehensive result in a Wimbledon men's final since John McEnroe thrashed Jimmy Connors in 1984. "He's got a lot of grand slams to win, and that's what he can add to. He can't go any higher in the rankings, but now he's won another one. It's almost surreal."

Hewitt, understandably, had not thought about the prospect of further titles within a few hours of leaving the All England Club's famous centre court, but when asked whether he felt he had more majors within, admitted: "If I can play this well for other grand slams then I can't see why not. But, you know, at the moment I don't really care."

Celebrations, naturally enough, were next on the agenda after a long round of congratulations and media obligations. He had been greeted in the locker-room by some of the past flag bearers of Australian tennis, and was joined at Sunday night's Champions' Ball by new junior titleholder Todd Reid and another Sydneysider, doubles winner Todd Woodbridge.

Hewitt had proved that not only giants with booming serves and dominant net games can succeed at Wimbledon; that those supposed modern necessities are not as important as a ferocious determination complemented by a lifelong hatred of defeat and the game's best heart and legs.

So, how many can he win? Four to six, according to Woodbridge, who described Hewitt as "a freak, really, in a way. I mean, people like Lleyton come along every 15-20 years, one person like that".

"As many as he wants," said former Davis Cup captain Neale Fraser. "It just depends on his attitude and what he wants to do in life and all those sort of things. The world's his oyster. I think he could play on all surfaces. It seems to be that clay is his least favourite surface, but I find that hard to believe the way he scampers around the court."

Paul McNamee, the former doubles champion and now Australian Open chief executive, was more specific. "Two US Opens, two Australian Opens, one French and one or two Wimbledons. The real greats are above five slams but he can probably win all four, and that's the great thing about him. Probably the French will be the hardest for him."

Andre Agassi became the most recent of only five players in history to have won all four of the major titles when his set was completed at Roland Garros in 1999. Hewitt has never passed the quarter-finals there, for clay is where his lack of power has been most easily exploited and his counter-punching style least effective.

"He's a great player," said Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald. "That adjective is over-used in all sport, but he is truly a great player, and he could win all four majors, I think. You never really know, but there's no question he could win several more majors.

"How many it's impossible to know but I think it's a significant thing that he can still improve. He can certainly win the Australian Open, and I believe he can win the French as well. He has the style of game that can win on every surface. The French is going to be the hardest and that's more physical, but I think it's possible that he can do it. I'm not sure about next year, but I certainly believe he can win that in the near future."

Davis Cup coach Wally Masur pointed out that McEnroe won the last of his seven grand slam singles titles at the age of 24, while Fitzgerald conceded the risk of burnout could be a factor for a player who won his first ATP title at the age of 16, but used the examples of Agassi and Pete Sampras still playing into their 30s.

"Time decides that," he said. "Bjorn Borg started very early also and he stopped at 26. I hope Lleyton's around a lot longer than that, for all our sakes."

Another South Australian, Mark Woodforde, said the most sobering thought for many of Hewitt's rivals was the fact that he could win at Wimbledon without once having to serve and volley over seven rounds.

"It's got to inject so much confidence into him and a lot of fear into the others, and I just think it's going to add to the aura," Woodforde said. "Instead of it being maybe a couple of feet wide it's now 10 feet wide. So perhaps what Pete Sampras is losing Lleyton has just taken on board, and I think you'll find he'll win a lot of matches even before he's gone on the court.

"I mean, how do you beat him? Nalbandian, for example, does he stay on the baseline and try and out-hit him, which he can't do over five sets? It's just the mental effort of thinking how to beat Lleyton would be too much for some guys.

"He's always going to have a chance of winning the US Open again, the Australian sits nicely, and maybe the one that we all thought he would have the best chance of winning a few years ago is probably the hardest one for him. But being only 21, he's going to get stronger, bigger, he's going to learn more about the game and he'll probably get close to having a crack at the French, too."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Lleyton, patron saint of ex-brats
By Tony Stephens
July 9 2002


The best line to come out of Lleyton Hewitt's Wimbledon triumph was from his father, Glynn, after his son had taken a congratulatory call from the Prime Minister, a day after John Howard had met the Pope. "Does that mean we're blessed?" Glynn Hewitt asked.

Young Hewitt might well feel blessed today, blessed by the Prime Minister and the people of Australia, if not by the Pope.

Part of Hewitt's appeal lies in the contrast between the mature professionalism of his game and the artless innocence of the young. "I couldn't give a stuff about that," His Blessedness had said before the final, on the importance of being the world's number one player.

"I had no idea what I was going to do if I won," he said after the final. He suddenly decided to climb into the crowd, as Pat Cash had in 1987. "I went back to my chair and then thought, 'Stuff it, I'll go and do it.' It's been 15 years since an Aussie won so I thought I'd copy him out there."

Australian heroes are made of such deeds. Many Australians did not much like Hewitt until this week. Now they have turned to him. He has changed a good deal, in that his behaviour is more attractive. Perhaps we have changed, too.

Australia used to be one of those happy lands that, in the words of Bertolt Brecht, didn't need heroes. The only heroes accepted were sportspeople and soldiers, just as it is all right today to be an elite sportsperson or a member of the elite SAS Regiment, while certain academics and opinion leaders are sneered at as elites.

Howard Florey shared a 1945 Nobel Prize for purifying penicillin and developing its medical uses, and saved at least 50 million lives, but was never an Australian hero. Yet Florey and Hewitt share the qualities of champions - tenacity, dedication, discipline, self-trust and the belief that every point, or every life, is
precious. Hewitt's dedication began as a boy when he realised he would never be big enough to serve and volley like most champion Australian players. This was at a time, before Andre Agassi, when tennis writers were saying that only tall men would reach the top in future.

Tennis is a gladiatorial sport but Hewitt determined not to let his size get in his way. Having mastered the game's physical side, he set about the mental side.

He stumbled along the way but he is only 21 and his victories at the US Open and now at Wimbledon will ensure he is remembered for the way he played rather than the way he acted. He has realised that champions can be pleasant enough.

He had dreamed of this day for almost as long as he can remember.

He said his victory was "proof to every kid playing in the local club in Australia that dreams can come true. You've still got to put in a lot of hard work but it is possible."

Australians like that sort of thing. They like the way the kid has grown up. They are prepared to change their minds about him. And, in these unsettled times, they are happy to welcome another hero.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Winning over the critics
By SHAUN PHILLIPS, sports affairs reporter
09jul02


LLEYTON Hewitt is growing up and Australians are taking him to their hearts.

But Hewitt's camp yesterday hit out at critics who continue to qualify praise for the world No. 1 with concerns about his behaviour.

Supporters said Hewitt had matured greatly, but that many Australians refused to recognise the fact.

They said while the driven 21-year-old would never be as popular as the easy-going and universally admired Pat Rafter, it was time to give Hewitt a fair go.

Hewitt's coach, Jason Stoltenberg, said he couldn't understand the antipathy of many towards his famous charge.

"I'm not sure what's caused it or what's going to happen to improve it, I just wish people would sit back and appreciate the fight and the will to go out there and play for Australia every single time he has the chance," Stoltenberg said.

"In the heat of the moment people might say things or do things and if that's what's happened to him, that's a bit unjust.

"Just to sit back and enjoy the way he plays the game, that should be enough. Off court he's quiet and low-key and sticks to himself. On the court he's so feisty and it's just his natural fight that's inside him."

As debate raged about Hewitt's place in the hearts of Australians, experts declared there was no doubt he had taken a major step towards tennis greatness. "The tennis world has another superstar," former Australian champion John Alexander declared.

Australian Davis Cup selector Allan Stone said that just as Hewitt's game had developed, so had his behaviour.

"I think some people are judging him on what they remember of him a couple of years ago, not what they see today," Stone said.

"I heard one of most influential Melbourne broadcasters (Neil Mitchell) today expressing reservations about Lleyton.

"I think that's disappointing because there's no doubt Lleyton's behaviour has improved.

"Whether that's a conscious effort or maybe a maturity thing, I don't know. You do get smarter as you get older.

"He's always been super-competitive and allowed his emotions to come to the fore, but when he goes off, it's usually against himself.

"His volatility is one of the reasons he's great. You can't expect him to be totally subdued and meek and mild and get the results as well."

Controversy has been a constant companion on Hewitt's ride to the top.

Blow-ups include when he labelled an Adelaide crowd stupid for supporting his opponent in a 2000 match. At the 2001 French Open he called an umpire a "spastic".

Later that year, at the US Open, he was accused of racism after comments were taken to mean a black linesman was favouring a black opponent.

Hewitt certainly looks like a different player these days. Gone is the long hair and back-to-front cap. And the fist-pumping and ear-popping "c'mons" are less prevalent.

But it's hard to argue against the contention Hewitt is admired more than he is loved.
Rob Aivatoglou from Octagon, which manages Hewitt, said Hewitt was "a terrific ambassador and sportsman".

"It's very disappointing that some people look for the negative all the time," he said.

"Maybe he didn't do everything perfectly when he was younger, but how many of us can say that they have."

Mr Aivatoglou said prospective sponsors had recently conducted focus group tests on Hewitt.

"The findings are not in sync with the opinion that filters through some sections of the media," he said. "The feedback is that people like Lleyton Hewitt.

"Companies won't back someone who is unpopular in the community, and they are lining up to back Lleyton."

Asked to compare the public's response to Hewitt, as opposed to Rafter, Mr Aivatoglou said the comparison was unfair.

"But if you look at what Pat had achieved at age 21 against what Lleyton has achieved, I don't think there is a contest," he said.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hewitt's win: what they said

09jul02


Daily Telegraph

'I was very, very nervous. Luckily, he settles down pretty well, it doesn't bother him and he goes out there and does his job. It was great to see. It was unbelievable. We're very proud of him.'
Glynn Hewitt (father)

'That was fantastic and something Lleyton has always dreamt about. I couldn't be more happy for him. I think Lleyton would look at the Australian Open as his next Grand Slam achievement in preference to the French.'
John Newcombe (triple Wimbledon champion)

'Lleyton was his usual ruthless self. That was the title he really wanted to get and nothing was going to get in his way. He was the toughest player and the best all around player he could be. It was faultless really.'
Pat Cash (1987 Wimbledon champion)

'The sky is the limit for him. Now he has won Wimbledon there is the chance to win the other two. It's all about luck, keeping him healthy and the will to win.'
Jason Stoltenberg (coach)

'He put his stamp on the match and served big at the right time, hit the ball hard and came to the net today more than any other time in the tournament. Champagne was not the order of the day in the dressing room, the beer came out.'
Wally Masur (Davis Cup coach)

'Lleyton has the makings of a superstar and that is what tennis needs. The guy has ability and is only going to get better.'
Brad Gilbert (coach of Andre Agassi for eight years)

'There is a lot of work to be done, but Lleyton is just great to work with. He has almost got a boyish sort of figure, very lean and good muscle ratio which gives him his pace round the court.'
Andrea Bisaz (chiropractor-kinesiologist)

'He's a bit of a freak and is blessed with good genes. As the years go by there will be more body stress and it's up to me to keep his body strong so he doesn't break down. An elite athlete like Lleyton needs stimulus to keep his mind fresh and all this kind of work will be done between tournaments.'
Mark 'Muddy' Waters (physical trainer)

'His endorsements are headed in one direction up, up, up.'
Tom Ross (manager)

'It was unbelievable just being on centre court and Lleyton winning two Grand Slams at 21, and right now who knows where it's going to lead?'
Hayden Eckermann (best friend of nine years)

'This is a real ripper.'
Lleyton Hewitt

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

New champ kicks up his heels

By Leo Schlink
09jul02
Herald Sun


WITH the hard work over, Lleyton Hewitt lost his trademark intense look of concentration and replaced it with cheek-busting grins yesterday as he celebrated his victory and got used to being the newest Wimbledon champion.

Holding tight to his Belgian girlfriend Kim Clijsters – he scrambled up the stands to kiss her following his victory – Hewitt was obviously revelling in the glory of his first Wimbledon Championship at the formal victory dinner.

The South Australian, clad in a tuxedo, was the toast of the exclusive All-England Club as he celebrated his historic win with his parents Glynn and Cherilyn, and Clijsters, who dressed up in an ice-blue, beaded evening dress.

Hewitt, 21, and Clijsters, shared a table with women's champion Serena Williams, her mother Oracene, and four members of the toffy British tennis establishment at The Savoy, dining on smoked salmon and lamb at the dinner before the star made a short speech.

Hewitt thanked his support team – coach Jason Stoltenberg, his support staff of Mark Waters and Andrea Bizas, his parents, Clijsters and best friend and ex-schoolmate Hayden Eckermann.

Hewitt also took possession of what is now his most treasured tennis asset – the purple and green member's tie of the All-England Club, presented to him by club chairman Tim Phillips, and signifying his formal entrance into the most exclusive tennis preserve in the world.

Wimbledon has only 375 full members, plus honourary members such as championship winners. The champion also included a traditional celebratory cigar during the evening's proceedings.

The other star of the night, Serena Williams, also appeared to enjoy her time in the spotlight.
Proving that the sisters who play together also dress together, Serena and Venus Williams were both in white halter neck evening dresses – Serena crowning hers with a tiara to remind everyone who was the champion this year.

Before leaving for the Champions Ball, Hewitt managed to fit in a phone call to his grandparents in Adelaide, who had been up all night toasting their grandson's Wimbledon victory.

Max and Dawn Hewitt had been expecting Lleyton to call and share his success with his "Nans" and "Pop".

"It's a wonderful feeling,"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hewitt's strategy was key
By former Wimbledon champion BORIS BECKER
09jul02
The Australian


WITH the greatest of respect to David Nalbandian, of whom we will hear a lot more, Lleyton Hewitt's victory yesterday was also a victory for tennis. The sport needs a dominant figure, someone who is a clear-cut No.1, and no one can possibly doubt Hewitt's position in the sport.

He got the job done yesterday, regardless of his opponent's name or his relatively lowly position in the order. What amazes me about him is the level of professionalism he has for someone who is only 21. I am truly surprised by him, how he goes about his matches, the attitude he brings to the court for one so young.

He knows when to slow a match down, when he should get excited and even what levels of excitement will bring out the best in him. After the rain break at 3-3 in the second set, he knew he had to speed up the game because he didn't want to get into any more baseline rallies with a player who had shown he was starting to feel comfortable on the court and who wanted to extend him much more.

Hewitt does all the right things at the right time and that is remarkable. One of you out there might say I was 17 when I won my first Wimbledon, but so much of what I did was instinct. I'm not saying I didn't have a strategy, but the points were quicker, thoughts were faster, you did the first thing that came into your head and you lived or died by the consequences.

Hewitt has to spend a lot more time thinking on the court, and it is the clarity of his thoughts that is an inspiration. There were moments in the second and third sets yesterday when Nalbandian got a grip, started to look comfortable and almost played better than Hewitt. What did the little fella do? He went to the net; he wasn't going to let Nalbandian beat him up in 20 or 30-stroke baseline rallies, he was looking for the chance to finish him off. He knows when to step it up, when to slow it down. He sensed his opponent could have become really dangerous, but he wouldn't allow himself to be dictated to.

The way Hewitt plays reminds me so much of Bjorn Borg. He is a classic counter-puncher who is also able to win free points from his serve.

In his attitude, he is Jimmy Connors. He doesn't back down, he's a street-fighter, there isn't a timid bone in his body. It is quite a combination.

The bottom line is he is 21, and there is no reason why, in my mind, he cannot do what Borg did and win this title five times, maybe more. He can win five US Opens, too. He has set a benchmark that others have to live up to. He is young, but there is something of the veteran about him. He is lethal.

There were the inevitable highs and lows over Wimbledon fortnight. The high point was the build-up through the event to the Hewitt-Tim Henman semi-final.

The low points were the losses of Marat Safin, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras within one afternoon on the first Wednesday. Andre still has possibilities and why should Pete not come back and give Lleyton a run for his money? But it was important for tennis this year that Hewitt won Wimbledon.

Thomas Johansson is the Australian Open champion, Albert Costa won the French, and they are not what I would call real champions. To win a grand slam title you should be a class apart. That is Lleyton Hewitt.

The Times

Matured Hewitt up there with past champs
From AAP
July 08, 2002


LLEYTON HEWITT is attracting comparisons with two of the great past champions at the All England Club, Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors.

Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker compared Hewitt with Bjorn Borg, who won the championships in five consecutive years from 1976 to 1980. "He is the ultimate match performer, the ultimate fighter,'' Becker wrote in The Times.

"He is the best player currently on all surfaces - well maybe not clay, but everywhere else.
"He reminds me of Bjorn Borg, the way he plays, the way he wills himself to win and the way he falls to his knees and turns to his family and friends in the players' box.''

Tennis commentator and former Davis Cup stalwart John Alexander compared Hewitt with 1970s and 1980s great Jimmy Connors in temperament, noting that Connors calmed down as he matured.

"I think Lleyton is going through a process where he has been stunned by the amount of criticism he has received,'' Alexander said.

"He was very, very young when he started competing and I think he understands what the criticism has been about and he has tried to moderate his behaviour. "I think in Australia that's been appreciated. I haven't seen one thing during Wimbledon that you could complain about. I think he's trying very hard and he's improving his behaviour.

"I think the Australian public will warm to him in time.

"He's an intelligent young man and I think as he is more accepted he will become more friendly.''

Hewitt's first Wimbledon final fell on the 50th anniversary of Australian legend Frank Sedgman's win. Sedgman believes Hewitt has yet to reach his peak. "I think he still needs to refine his game a bit and I hope he remains injury-free,'' Sedgman told British newspaper The Independent.

"I admire the way he's a real go-getter. He's got a lot of heart and he's certainly got the determination to succeed.''

Last year's Australian Wimbledon finalist Pat Rafter has been a consistent supporter of the younger Hewitt. In an ABC Radio interview yesterday, Rafter said Hewitt was "a very strong-headed young man, he knows what he wants, is very committed and is an exceptional talent''.

"Sometimes he over-steps the mark ... that really hasn't happened and I really haven't seen a big issue of that happen in the last couple of years. He is learning all the time,'' Rafter said.

Australian Davis Cup coach Wally Masur's only concern about Hewitt is that his strenuous playing style could expose him to premature burn-out.
"He's so dynamic and players like that tend to get injured,'' Masur said.

"He's very young and he's had a few things obviously. That's always a possibility. Anyone who throws themselves around like that, problems can arise.''

But he said 21-year-old Hewitt's relatively small and light frame (180cm, 68kg) would be to his advantage, along with the expertise in his travelling entourage. "He's got a light frame and that helps. Big guys tend to take a bit of a pounding,'' Masur said.

"He's very fluid, he's a great natural athlete.

"He's got good people around him. He travels with a physio and a fitness trainer and I think they are doing their best to safeguard his longevity.''

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great Lleyton learns not to grate
By Richard Evans
July 08, 2002


AUSTRALIANS had better get used to Lleyton Hewitt: he is getting nicer and he's getting better, which is great for the game and terrifying for his opponents.

Twelve months ago the 21-year-old was a grunting, snarling rottweiler, with attitude. Driven by an Australian football player for a father and an equally competitive netballer for a mother, Hewitt thought winning necessitated behaving like a mongrel dog. "Competitive?'' laughs Roger Rashid, the Australian coach who knows him well. "The moment they cut the umbilical cord, Lleyton was trying to turn it into a net and screaming, 'give me a racket!'''

But Hewitt has toned his aggressive behaviour. A couple of kangaroo jumps and faint beating of the chest after he beat Tim Henman in the semi-finals hardly mirrored the kind of behaviour that had Alex Corretja mouthing off in such critical fashion before a Davis Cup final or prompted Hewitt to say it had been a pleasure to stick it up a guy who's been mouthing off all week after he beat Yevgeny Kafelnikov. There are two reasons for this. First, Hewitt is growing up, and that is always much harder to do under the spotlight of fame. Second, Henman is a mate. As is Patrick Rafter, which means he keeps pretty good company. Not to mention his Belgian girlfriend, Kim Clijsters, who is widely regarded as one of the nicest players on tour.
Hewitt has worshipped Rafter since the two-time US Open champion took the trouble to practise with him when a 16-year-old Hewitt was attached to the Davis Cup team as a water boy.

Generosity to opponents he respects is just one of the character traits he has picked up from Rafter.
Hewitt had long, consoling words for Sjeng Schalken as they spoke at the net after their marathon quarter-final. And this is what he had to say about Henman: "He does get an awful lot of pressure, but I think he blocks it out fantastic. You know, he's had an incredible run ... in any person's book. What is it, four semis and the round of 16 in the last six years? That's a great effort. But I think he deals with the pressure fine. In the locker rooms he always looks very relaxed. He's a really nice guy.''

Many experts have been prepared to look beyond Hewitt's punk demeanour. "I like this Aussie kid,'' John McEnroe said years ago. "I'm keeping an eye on him. He's got attitude, the kind you need if you're going to the very top.''

Hewitt got off on the wrong foot when he criticised his home-town crowd at the Adelaide tournament, where he won his first ATP title at the age of 16. The response of the Hewitt family was to circle the wagons. Darren Cahill, who had coached Hewitt from his early teens, did his best to broaden the young man's horizons, but lost patience when Hewitt's father Glynn stopped talking to him at the US Open last year and then put family travelling restrictions on the new contract.

It says a great deal about Hewitt's drive, talent and ability to focus that he was able to push this rift into the background and concentrate on becoming the youngest ever No.1.

Another blunder - the supposed racist remark he made about a line call while playing black American James Blake in the US Open - did not prevent him destroying Pete Sampras in the final to earn his first Grand Slam title. Even his father was surprised. "We thought it was too early for him,'' he said. "We didn't think he had the stamina to last seven matches.''

They were more prepared for Hewitt's next big step, when he beat Rafter in the Tennis Masters Cup in Sydney, a victory that assured him of that place at the top of the ATP rankings. Many experts were still scratching their heads as to exactly how he had achieved it.

Get used to him, Australia. Little Lleyton will be around for a while.
The Sunday Times

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, 8 July, 2002, 11:46 GMT 12:46 UK
Can Hewitt rule the world?


By Tom Fordyce
BBC Sport Online

Lleyton Hewitt woke up on Monday morning as world number one, Wimbledon champion and hot favourite to retain his US Open title in two month's time.

All this, at the tender age of 21? Comparisons are hastily being drawn with the other men who have taken Grand Slam titles in such style at a similar age.

Does Hewitt have it in him to go on to be one of the all-time greats?

Movement

Hewitt covers the court so well that, as Tim Henman found out in the semi-final, his opponent often has to win the point twice.

Henman hit two smashes in the first set which would have been written off as winners by most players.
Not Hewitt. Each time he sprinted and stretched to get the ball back, effort that was eventually rewarded by an exasperated Henman putting another smash out.

Not until the umpire has called the point does he stop scampering and chasing.

Some critics have pointed at the example of Michael Chang, who, aged just 17, took the 1989 French Open with similar tireless running.

Chang never won another Grand Slam tournament, his style taking a heavy toll on his body.

But Chang did not possess the other weapons that Hewitt has - and the Australian's physical condition is almost without parallel in the modern game.

Serve

Hewitt's first serve is not particularly big - he averaged 110mph in Sunday's final - and his second has sometimes been exploited by opponents.

Pre-Wimbledon there were those who felt it simply wasn't good enough to win on grass.

But the slower nature of both the balls and court surfaces this year evened up the balance between the boomers and the baseliners - and in any case Hewitt's serve continues to improve at a rapid rate.

It's not up there yet with Pete Sampras' for power, accuracy and consistency, and in all likelihood never will be.

It may yet leave him vulnerable if Wimbledon reverts to type next year and favours the natural serve-and-volleyers again.

But Hewitt matches Sampras in terms of competitiveness and is stronger in other areas. His serve will not prevent him taking other Grand Slam titles.

Mental strength

Hewitt's trump card. His concentration, for a 21-year-old, is a thing of wonder.

Come up against the man from Adelaide and you know he will be utterly focused on defeating you, seldom wavering until you are beaten.

Henman's focus comes and goes. His aggression is an occasional thing best summarised by that dreadfully awkward clenched fist.

Hewitt is at your throat from the shout of 'play' to the final point.

In that he carries echoes of Jimmy Connors at his peak. Daniel Nalbandian, nervous already, was taken apart in ruthless fashion.

Hewitt doesn't make as many mistakes as his rivals. Nalbandian made twice as many unforced errors in the final and it was the same story for Henman in their semi-final.

In contrast to Bjorn Borg, that concentration does not equal a lack of emotion on court. But did you really expect an Aussie to behave like a Swede?

Style

In brutal terms, Hewitt lacks a killer shot. He hits with accuracy and aggression rather than sheer power on either side.

Andre Agassi and Sampras shared the ability to blow an opponent off court. Hewitt prefers to wear his down with a series of attritional shots rather than one big one.

Both Agassi and Hewitt are natural baseliners. But whereas the American goes for broke whenever he can, Hewitt is happy to hit heavy topspins, much like Borg, and bide his time.

Try to counter that by coming to the net and he'll sense a chance to unleash one of those punched passing-shots.

Stay back, and you're likely to be ground down, out-run and more likely to crack first and make a mistake.

Age

Boris Becker was 17 when he won Wimbledon for the first time; Borg 20, Sampras 21 and Agassi 22.
At 21, Hewitt has made his breakthrough at the right time. Talent and determination have taken him to the top; now, like Sampras after he won his first Wimbledon in 1993, he can develop a game to suit the surface.

Hewitt has already become the youngest man to top the world rankings since the system came into being.

With at least 10 years to go in his career, injuries permitting, he has a chance of equalling Sampras' record 286 weeks at the top of the pile.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, 8 July, 2002, 02:06 GMT 03:06 UK
McEnroe delighted for Hewitt


McEnroe wants Safin and Federer to learn from Hewitt

Former champion turned BBC commentator John McEnroe gave his verdict on Lleyton Hewitt's first Wimbledon title.

What we've got with Hewitt is a worthy champion.
We all thought he could win it, but maybe not this fast as he's only 21 now, and I thought it would take a little longer for him on these grass courts for him to pull it off.

But when I saw him playing his first-round match, I saw that he believed he could win the thing, and he did have a nice draw too.

When he needed to pick it up in certain games that's what he did.

It got a little scary for him against Schalken, but once he pulled out of that you could sense he thought he could get through.

As for the final - Nalbandian was overwhelmed at the beginning, and that was to be expected.

If you put the first set aside, he played a great second game in the second set, but then the rain came.

He must have known, or at least his coach Gabriel Marcus must have told him in the locker room that you've got to come out here - don't let Hewitt take the initiative.

It just looked like he tightened up a bit, and that gave Hewitt a chance to regroup.

Nalbandian got it together temporarily again, but it was too late, because he was down by two sets.
You could see that he hasn't played many five setters, and I know he's 20, but mentally and physically he looked a bit spent.

Give credit to Hewitt though, he knew Nalbandian had never set foot on Centre court - and that made a difference.

I love the way Hewitt plays - we need more guys like this.

But as for winning more championships here - if he remains a baseline player then he'll have to pay off the groundsman to keep it this slow.

I never imagined that I'd see a match like this at Wimbledon - some of it was classic moonballing in the clay court sense, but maybe that's the future.
As for Britain's hope Tim Henman, I thought he had a great chance to win it this year.

You just get the feeling that the sands of time are slipping away from him - to me, his lot isn't going to get any easier.

The guy who is better at net always has the better chance - had Tim done all those things better who knows?

This was the baseliner's tournament, but don't count the serve and volleyers out yet.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Often out of line but you've come a long way, baby

July 09, 2002


LLEYTON Hewitt was born on February 24, 1981. He played his first cross-court forehand two hours later. He clenched his fist, turned to the maternity nurse and screamed.

He is now 21. But Little Lleyton only started growing up on the final day of August last year.
That's when he was fighting for his life in the US Open. It was a second-round match, his opponent was James Blake, a black American. A baseline judge was a black American, too.

Down 1-2 in the third set and foot-faulted for a second time by the black linesman, Hewitt approached umpire Andreas Egli and made that infamous stupid claim: "Look at him, mate," Hewitt said, referring to the linesman. "Look at him. You tell me what the similarity is."

He said afterwards he was referring to the fact that the same linesman had made the two foot-fault calls.

Interviewed immediately after the game, Blake thought differently. He said he believed the comment was racially driven and meant to suggest the black linesman was favouring the black player.
After speaking with him in the locker-room, Blake gave the Australian the benefit of the doubt and said later he did not have a problem with his remarks. At that moment, he saved Little Lleyton's scrawny white hide.

Still, for the next three days, he was questioned fiercely over the incident. But without Blake's indignation, Little Lleyton had breathing space. He held his line and held his nerve. He apologised if the comments were taken the wrong way. And Little Lleyton has apologised very few times in life. No one close to him has dared seek one.

But as the furore at the US Open showed no sign of lessening, he said: "I've made mistakes on and off the court and if I'm going to be a better player on and off the court, I've got to learn from that. I've been through this now for three straight days. It had nothing to do with his race."

Finally, the media backed off, not so much because they believed him, but more that the 20-year-old Australian boy would not break. The media found out what it must be like to play a five-setter against him.

This match against Blake and its aftermath, though, was the turning point in Little Lleyton's career. The boy in the crib with the tennis racquet started growing. Suddenly he sensed unbreachable boundaries where he once saw nothing but green lights; limitations where he once saw opportunities; sensitivities where he once saw softness.

More importantly, those who surrounded him and advised him decided that to continue to indulge him was not to help him – it was to weaken him.

Broadly, they continue to cocoon him, pick and choose the sycophants in the media he can talk to, paint critics as devils who seek to destroy him, stoke him to seethe against the world that won't fall at his feet. They have not reset their goals for him, merely the manner they will be and can only be achieved. Some basic standards have been put in place.

He doesn't call umpires spastics any more, or cast the crowds that come to see him play as silly or stupid. Here and there he loses his way – he was penalised in May for unsportsmanlike behaviour when he lobbed a ball back that struck the umpire during the Rome Masters tournament.

So here he is now. Wimbledon champion, US Open champion and Davis Cup hero. He is a better player already than Patrick Rafter and Pat Cash. He has won Grand Slams on grass and on hard court. He will get the better of clay soon enough, and the only thing that he can't beat on the Rebound Ace of the Australian Open is chicken pox.

He deserves all of this. He dreamed like few other kids of becoming a champion. He wanted to be Cash, he wanted to be Rafter. He has worked until his hands blistered, his muscles burnt raw and his mind boiled over.

It was wonderful to see him make his climb to his family and friends up the centre court wall. Great to see the kid happy, barely believing his luck. He is the best player in the world and he deserves to be.

Little Lleyton has always got balls back that the SAS wouldn't go after. But he has improved his serve so much it is now a weapon that can wound opponents and his return-of-serve finishes them off.

Little Lleyton has a wonderful smile. He is getting easier to like. He is impossible not to admire. And to think he is only 11 months old.

 

from the media...

TR.NET TOP 10 MEN: MONDAY, JULY 8

All hail Lleyton


By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

1. Lleyton Hewitt: The Wimby champ is an early 1990s Jim Courier with quicker feet and a better all-around game.

2. Tim Henman: Had he reached the Wimbledon final, Henman may have taken a set from Hewitt. Scratch that, this smalltime player would have been routed.

3. David Nalbandian: The most unlikely Wimby finalist since Chris Lewis played tentatively against Lleyton, but showed a powerful, accurate ground game during the rest of the fortnight and will be a force to be reckoned with.

4. Xavier Malisse: Super-talent looked like a lock to reach the final after beating Rusedski but his physical conditioning is still suspect.

5. Albert Costa: Stays in top five because he decided to honeymoon rather play Wimbles. With a good draw, could jumped on enough backhands to have reached the second week.

6. Marat Safin: Should we excuse the giant Russian for imitating a tanked Lilliputian in his loss to Olivier Rochus at Wimby? No, he needs to get serious again.

7. Andre Agassi: Loss to Srichaphan at the AELTC was his worst Slam defeat in more than two years. Trouble afoot?

8. Juan Carlos Ferrero: Give him credit for being the only notable Spaniard to compete on grass. Expect a hot summer.

9. Tommy Haas: The German would likely have been a factor in England if he didn't have to withdraw due to his parents motorcycle accident. Godspeed.

10. Nicholas Lapentti: It was nice to see the delightful Nico do some damage at a Slam again. Now, can he bring the same attitude to the hardcourts?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sports Network's Men's Tennis Rankings
By Scott Riley
Tennis Editor


Player Previous Rank

1. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 1
The reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion.

2. Tim Henman (GBR) 8
Lost to Hewitt in Wimbledon semis.

3. Andre Agassi (USA) 2
Unable to get past second round at the All England Club.

4. Marat Safin (RUS) 3
Still titleless this season.

5. Andy Roddick (USA) 5
Teen has been inconsistent lately.

6. Albert Costa (ESP) 6
Skipped Wimbledon in order to honeymoon?

7. David Nalbandian (ARG) NR
Clay-courter was a stunning Wimbledon finalist.

8. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 7
Was not a factor on the grass courts at SW19.

9. Sjeng Schalken (NED) NR
Den Bosch title and Wimbledon quarters in successive tournaments.

10. Roger Federer (SUI) 4
Back-to-back first-round losses at French and Wimbledon?

As of July 8, 2002, at 11:23 AM ET

------------------------------------------------------------------------

TR.NET TOP 10 WOMEN: MONDAY, JULY 8

Serena stays on top

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

1. Serena Williams: In the past six months, has proved to be better than Venus in nearly every aspect of the game. The Wimby champ is the clear-cut No. 1.

2. Venus Williams: It's back to the drawing board for the once vivacious V, who played scared in the second set of the final.

3. Justine Henin: By all rights, should have pushed Venus to the wall in the semis but couldn't work her way into the match. She needs to find a consistent game plan.

4. Amelie Mauresmo: It was great to see Amelie use her athleticism in downing JCap, but went back to her old non-inventive self against Serena.

5. Daniela Hantuchova: Her first set against Serena showed that Dani Girl may just be a year away from being a truly elite player.

6. Jennifer Capriati: Where her career is going, nobody knows. Jennifer needs to add a few new elements to her game or she's going to spend the rest of her days looking up at the Williamses.

7. Elena Dementieva: So close to breaking though again and then plays scared in a two tiebreaker loss to Henin. At least she's back to moving like an Olympic gymnast.

8. Chanda Rubin: Chanda has always been an excellent first-week player at the Slams but is still a step below the big girls.

9. Monica Seles: If Seles doesn't do major damage this summer, retirement in the off-season isn't completely out of the question, whether she'll admit it publicly or not.

10: Jelena Dokic: Is there a more disappointing super-talent than Dokic? Possibly Dementieva, but at least she pushed Henin, while Jelena was bullied by Hantuchova.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sports Network's Women's Tennis Rankings
By Scott Riley
Tennis Editor


Player Previous Rank

1. Serena Williams (USA) 1
Captured French Open and Wimbledon in the past month.

2. Venus Williams (USA) 2
Younger sister ended her two-year reign at the All England Club.

3. Justine Henin (BEL) 4
She's the best player outside the U.S.

4. Jennifer Capriati (USA) 3
Whipped by Mauresmo in Wimbledon quarters.

5. Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) 9
Unable to get past powerful Serena at SW19.

6. Monica Seles (USA) 6
Her Slam-winning days appear to be over.

7. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 10
Could challenge for a top-5 spot by year's end.

8. Jelena Dokic (YUG) 7
Needs to develop a service game and some type of net game.

9. Kim Clijsters (BEL) 5
Not progressing this season.

10. Elena Dementieva (RUS) NR
Do you have a better player at this spot?

As of July 8, 2002, at 11:37 AM ET

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hewitt to play for Crows
By LEO SCHLINK
July 10, 2002


FRESH from his Wimbledon triumph, Lleyton Hewitt hopes to fulfil another sporting ambition in September when he plays for his beloved Adelaide Crows.

Hewitt is aiming to face Port Adelaide in the annual star-studded "SlowDown" charity match, which raises money for the McDermott-McGuinness Foundation, a charity run by former Crows captains Chris McDermott and Tony McGuinness.

The world No. 1, Wimbledon and US Open champion has been given permission by Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald to live out a sporting fantasy on one condition -- that Australia holds an impregnable 3-0 lead against India in the World Group promotion-relegation tie at Memorial Drive.

Hewitt, an outstanding junior footballer while attending Adelaide's Immanuel College, will lead the Australian attack against the Indians for the September 20-22 tie.

The world champion follows Adelaide's fortunes religiously when on tour and attends Crows matches whenever possible.

He also monitors Port Adelaide's progress and enjoys a close relationship with Power coach Mark Williams, who faxed Hewitt a good luck message from the club before Sunday's final.

The yearly Slowdown match draws out of retirement some of the big names associated with Adelaide's two AFL teams.

Hewitt's father Glynn, a former Richmond, South Adelaide, West Adelaide and Woodville forward, will watch the hottest player in tennis switch sports with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity.

"He's got the Davis Cup coming up, then he's supposed to be playing this SlowDown on the Sunday," Hewitt Sr said.

"As soon as David Tucker from Nike arrived at Wimbledon the other day, the first thing he (Lleyton) asked him was, 'Where are the boots, ready for the SlowDown competition?'

"Yeah, it's a worry. I'm not sure his build is going to hold him up in good stead for the footy of today, but he's quick enough, he'll get the ball and he's skilful enough. It will be interesting to see how he goes."

Hewitt regularly uses a football in training before his matches to build fitness.

The South Australian is taking a well-earned break in Belgium with his girlfriend Kim Clijsters before returning to the tour in Los Angeles from July 22 for the Mercedes-Benz Cup.

He will resume to increased expectation after Boris Becker's prediction Hewitt can emulate Bjorn Borg's feat of winning Wimbledon five times, as well as also dominating the US Open.

"The bottom line is, he is 21 years old and there is no reason why, in my mind, he cannot do what Borg did and win this title five times, maybe more," triple Wimbledon champion Becker said. "He can win five US Opens, too. He has set a benchmark that others have to live up to.

"He is young, but there is something about him. He is lethal.

"The way he plays reminds me so much of Bjorn Borg. In his attitude, he is Jimmy Connors.

"He does not back down. There is not a timid bone in his body. It is quite a combination."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The Advertiser

Lleyton's next target – to play Slowdown
By LEE JELOSCEK and LEO SCHLINK
10jul02


HE'S won Wimbledon so now Lleyton Hewitt wants to gets his kicks playing football.

He has told organisers of the annual McGuinness-McDermott Foundation Slowdown match that he is interested in donning a guernsey for the Slowdown fundraiser at Adelaide Oval.
Featuring former Crows and Port Adelaide players, the match is scheduled for the same day as the final day of Australia's Davis Cup tie against India at nearby Memorial Drive – September 22.

Foundation project manager Mark McGill said yesterday that if Hewitt was cleared to play by his management group, Octagon, he would be in a forward pocket next to childhood heroes Darren Jarman and Tony Modra.

"He is leaping out of his skin to play," Mr McGill said.

"I spoke to (Lleyton's father) Glynn and Lleyton, and Lleyton was terrific – he can't wait." Mr McGill said if Hewitt was unable to play he would at least assist in the marketing of the event. Last year he donated $17,700 to the foundation after a tournament win and has also provided some of his memorabilia for auctions.

The world No. 1 has been given permission by Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald to live out a sporting fantasy on one condition – that Australia holds an unbeatable 3-0 lead over India in the World Group promotion tie on the Sunday.

Hewitt, a former standout junior footballer at primary school, will lead the Australian attack against the Indians for the September 20-22 tie.

Hewitt tracks the Crows' fortunes religiously when on tour and attends their matches whenever possible. He also monitors Port Adelaide's progress and enjoys a close relationship with coach Mark Williams, who faxed Hewitt a good luck message from the club before Sunday's final.

Glynn Hewitt, a former league footballer, said: "He's (Lleyton's) got the Davis Cup coming up, then he's supposed to be playing this Slowdown on the Sunday.

"As soon as David Tucker from Nike arrived at Wimbledon the other day, the first thing he (Lleyton) asked him was `Where are the boots, ready for the Slowdown competition?'

"Yeah, it's a worry. I'm not sure his build is going to hold him up in good stead for the footy of today, but he's quick enough, he'll get the ball and he's skilful enough, it will be interesting to see how he goes on that day."

As Hewitt and girlfriend Kim Clijsters left London yesterday for a break with her parents, he was criticised by anti-smoking groups over photos showing him celebrating by smoking a cigar.

The Queensland Cancer Fund said Hewitt had sent "a terrible message" to all children.

"We're dealing with very impressionable young people here," the fund's acting executive director, Alan Hooper, said.

"We're dealing with people who see a sporting hero, someone they admire and look up to and in most cases would like to emulate."

Quit Victoria also called on Hewitt to set a better example.

"Lleyton certainly earned the right to celebrate his well-deserved win but it is disappointing to see him posing with a cigar," Quit Victoria executive director Todd Harper said.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Australian
Patrick Smith

Let's get excited by Lleyton and give the little bloke a cigar


July 10, 2002

LITTLE Lleyton Hewitt wins Wimbledon, confirms his position as the outstanding male tennis player in the world and he is a hero to a nation.

Newspapers find – and worse publish – an indescribably bad poem he wrote as a child to his grandparents. Everything about the bloke is suddenly so wonderful.

After taking his second grand slam prize, Little Lleyton then dresses up in his tux, parties on and is pictured with a cigar in his mouth. The picture bobs up all over Australia. In one puff Little Lleyton goes from hero to horror child again.

The anti-smoking lobby has been outraged by the apparent message the picture is sending. The Quit organisation says it is legitimising smoking. Little Lleyton has let the side down, rumbles the Quit spokesman on talkback radio.

Being any good at sport is a tough gig but managing the technique, fitness and mental application are the easy bits. Keeping yourself nice in public is the hard bit. Little Lleyton has mucked up in the past and banning an Australian journalist from his Wimbledon celebrations suggests his return of serve is not limited to the court.

However, he is entitled to be mystified by the concern that the image of him with the cigar, clenched between his teeth, has caused. Really, it is harmless and a bit of fun.

It is very different to a cricketer pictured smoking while he is waiting his turn to bat, for example. That image suggests smoking is a lifestyle decision. It is very different, as well, from Shane Warne pictured puffing. Warne was said to have been paid a large sum to help promote giving up the rotten things. A cigar is the traditional symbol of celebration, not a habit.

And it is not to shy away from the responsibility that sportspeople have because of their power to influence the market place. That is a very real and heavy accountability that goes with the fame and fortune.

But if the anti-smoking lobby is really suggesting that Little Lleyton's celebration puff has set back their cause, then that is plain nonsense. It would appear the young Australian has devoted his whole life to honing his body and mind to become the best tennis player in the world.

There is no mixed message with this young man. Success can only be obtained by devoting your life utterly to your ambition. His lifestyle, his behaviour screams it. He would do nothing to compromise that goal. It is an image that comprehensively outweighs any potential damage the cigar picture could possibly do.

Little Lleyton's efforts this week will have sent thousands of kids to the local tennis courts and not one to the tobacco shop. Be certain of that.

Not that any of this will worry the Australian. He has proved conclusively that he is more concerned about success than any of the niceties of image.

It is interesting, though, that despite their triumphs this is no easy time for the world's top tennis players. Little Lleyton and the Williams sisters have failed to warm their public. In all three cases the world appeared uncomfortable with their raw energy and ambition. Now, it is their success.

Justine Henin and Amelie Mauresmo, beaten up by the Williams women in the semi-finals of Wimbledon, both say the Americans' domination will not be good for tennis. People are going to get bored about it, Mauresmo said.

Now, it might get boring for the Frenchwoman if she is not prepared to look for, or cannot find, ways of beating the Williams sisters but their reign promises to be as exciting an era as any before it in the sport.

If they can ever overcome the tensions and distractions inherent in sister playing sister then we will see the women's game played like it never has before. If the Williams dominance forces opponents to reinvent their games, then the sport can only stride forward.

Superiority does not necessarily mean predictability. Nor does it necessarily mean lack of interest. Think back to Tiger Woods and his emergence in golf. Michael Jordan in basketball. Carl Lewis in athletics. Sir Donald Bradman in cricket. Ian Thorpe in swimming.

It was feared Woods would dominate golf so much that no-one would be interested in the sport. Golf would become a yawn. Yet we have become transfixed by Woods as he gathered four majors in a row and we now hold our breath as he chases four majors in a calendar year.

Much the same can be said of Bradman, Thorpe, Lewis and Jordan. Or any other sportsman or woman who rule their domain. They take us to places we have never been before.

Now another little bloke from Adelaide threatens to do something similar. The Williams women surely will.

Hey, let's get excited.

Patrick Smith can be heard on Melbourne radio Sport927 weekdays from 7.15am

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sporting Life - theage.com.au
Geoff McClure
excerpt from July 10, 2002


I want to be like Tiger


With a Wimbledon title under his belt and the No. 1 world ranking seemingly his for months, if not years, ahead, it seems Lleyton Hewitt has now decided it's time to raise the bar - now he wants to be as invincible as Tiger Woods.

As Hewitt prepared to fly out of London yesterday, he said his new aim was to try to emulate the golf superstar.

"He conducts himself so well," said Hewitt.

"He is so professional and he looks like he enjoys it out there. I would just love to dominate like he has."

In the meantime, though, Hewitt has one other ambition regarding Woods - just to meet him face to face (which so far he has never done).

He's history

And as Hewitt celebrates his first Wimbledon title, it seems the curtain is slowly coming down on the career of the man who dominated world tennis for so long, seven-times Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras.

All of which prompted this line from American sportswriter Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News: "Sam pras used to be tense," said Kawakami. "Now, it looks as if he's past tense."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Herald Sun

Team Hewitt's winning formula
By LEO SCHLINK in London
10jul02


LLEYTON Hewitt did not win Wimbledon just because of his grinding baseline attack. Nor were his big heart and relentless persistence the key to his emphatic triumph.

Team Hewitt is the winning secret of his success.
Closest to Hewitt, 21, are his mum and dad, his tennis girlfriend, his best mate, a tennis coach and a wily fitness adviser.

And despite a jet-setting lifestyle, the world No. 1 follows a simple routine to be a winner.

Hewitt, a devoted Adelaide Crows fan, trains with a footy to keep him quick on his toes.

His refuels his 68kg frame with an egg, lettuce and mayonnaise roll or sandwich.

And it's early to bed no later than 10.30 at night and up again at 8.30am for breakfast with his parents and partner.

This routine helped Hewitt recover after a gruelling quarter-final for his clash with crowd favourite Tim Henman.

Henman appeared physically fresher while Hewitt looked out on his feet after a draining slog against Sjeng Schalken.

But Mark "Muddy" Waters, a sports science consultant with decades of experience with elite athletes, knew exactly what to do and calmly launched Operation Recovery.

Apart from the customary warm-down in the gymnasium, Waters ordered Hewitt to have an alternating warm and cold shower.

"Lleyton had to play Henman the next day and the warm and cold showers or baths are designed to help recovery by shifting the body's waste products," Mr Waters said.

"The cold water flushes the waste products into centre of the body and the warm water flushes it out. It takes about five minutes, but it's something I've found that's worked in the past with Pat Rafter.

"We did it with him in the 1998 US Open after a long match against Pete Sampras when he had to play Mark Philippoussis in the final the next day.

"He came out and won the final the next day in four sets. Lleyton did it and recovered pretty well for Henman, too."

Hewitt destroyed Henman in straight sets before lashing David Nalbandian.

He had been perfectly honed to push for victory.

Routine was the key to Hewitt's success.

His father, Glynn, described Hewitt's daily program as "pretty uncomplicated".

"On match days, Andrea will come over and give a rub, he'll go to the courts early, do some stretching, have a hit and get ready to go out and play," he said. "Once he's played, he'll do his stretches, have something to eat, do the media stuff and come home."

That is precisely what Hewitt did on Sunday.

He maintained his routine at their rented house which was a five-minute walk from Wimbledon.

Then Hewitt would either hit for 45 minutes if it was a rest day or 20-25 minutes on match days.

Then he would return home and decide whether to eat at home, at the nearby mansion hired by his management company Octagon, or in Wimbledon village.

To relax, Hewitt watched a video of the 2001 Wimbledon highlights, or surfed the internet for news on the Adelaide Crows or played table tennis with girlfriend Kim Clijsters.

Mother Cherilyn said her son's food preferences include chicken, pasta, and Chinese or Indian dishes.

Waters and Swiss chiropractor Andreas Bisaz were integral to the planning. Waters, a former Essendon, Footscray and Collingwood rover, joined the Hewitt camp 11 weeks ago.

Working with coach Jason Stoltenberg and Bisaz, Hewitt took Grand Slam victory-planning to a new plane.

Waters concentrated on stamina and cardio-vascular training.

"There's only so much of that you can do because once he's in a match

situation that big heart takes over," Waters said.

"But we needed to vary his training and do interval training, so I brought the football out and throw it around. He'd chase that like a sheepdog all day.

"There was some agility work, mostly working on changing direction."

The other part was to monitor his recovery.

After every match at Wimbledon, Waters would take over.

The pair would start with a brief warm down that involved walking, jogging or cycling.

Hewitt would then shower before eating his favourite egg, lettuce and mayonnaise roll or sandwich.

After eating, Hewitt would stretch on the gym mats for 20-30 minutes before doing interviews for up to 45 minutes. On Hewitt's return to the locker-room, Waters would weigh him and decide whether he needed more fluids.

On the morning of the final, Hewitt had his usual breakfast of cereal and toast before arriving at the courts for a 20-minute hit with Stoltenberg.

He then had to wait about 90 minutes before being summoned to centre court.

Before the match, John Newcombe, a former world No. 1 and multiple Grand Slam event winner, counselled Hewitt on what to expect.

Within hours, the Wimbledon trophy was back in Australian hands for the first time since 1987.

The tournament of shocks had ended with the best player in the world dismissing an outclassed challenger.

Team Hewitt were toasting a triumph sealed by immaculate planning, fulfilling the potential of a terrier baseliner whose ascent of the sport's highest peak began on a suburban court in Adelaide.

Sunday, 7 July, 2002, 04:25 GMT 05:25 UK
Hewitt faces the unknown

By Piers Newbery
BBC Sport Online at Wimbledon



The men's final starts at 1400 BST, Sunday 7 July - full coverage on BBC 1, Radio Five Live and BBC Sport Online.

Lleyton Hewitt goes into Sunday's Wimbledon final an overwhelming favourite to beat Argentine newcomer David Nalbandian.

The world number one cruised past Tim Henman on Friday in what was widely predicted to be the toughest test he would face at this year's championships.

And Nalbandian has been the underdog in every match he has played on his way to becoming the first man in the Open era to make the final on his Wimbledon debut.

But Hewitt could be in for a shock if he believes the hard work has been done.

Nalbandian will not give the Australian the target he likes at the net and will be the heavier hitter of the two from the baseline.

And like all outsiders, the 20-year-old Argentine goes into the match unburdened by expectation.

"I think the match is going to be very tough," said Nalbandian. "He's playing very, very good but we both have the same chance to win the tournament."

The pair have met only once, on the clay of Barcelona in April, and despite the surface favouring Nalbandian it was Hewitt who ran out a comfortable 6-2 6-4 winner.

There is certainly good reason to believe Hewitt will become the first Australian to win Wimbledon since Pat Cash in 1987.

He has already experienced winning a Grand Slam at the US Open last September and has been in devastating form on grass this year, winning at Queen's and dropping just two sets at the All England Club.

And while Nalbandian is getting used to the idea of making his first Grand Slam final appearance, Hewitt has already set his sights on joining the great names of the sport.

"It's an incredible feeling to see so many great champions up on the board that have held the trophy," said Hewitt.

"It's what kids dreamt of sitting back at home watching Pat Cash win Wimbledon 15 years ago."

This year's championships have seen a changing of the guard with the early exits of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, and the success of the likes of Nalbandian and Xavier Malisse.

And it is not just the names that have changed.

For the first time since Bjorn Borg beat Jimmy Connors in 1978, the men's singles final will be played out by two baseliners, with volleying used as an occasional surprise tactic.

Nalbandian has been hitting his groundstrokes - and particularly the cross-court forehand - with ferocious power on the firmer than usual grass.

But in Hewitt he faces the one man who is capable of chasing down almost anything.

The key to the match may well be how well Nalbandian can hold serve, as it is something he has struggled with in his last two matches.

And there is nobody better in the game at punishing the second serve than Hewitt, as Henman found out to his cost on Friday.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Top seed should fear the unknown

Argentine is first Open-era player to reach final on his Wimbledon debut

Kaz Mochlinski
Sunday July 7, 2002
The Observer


David Nalbandian cannot remember where he was one year ago when the last Wimbledon final was played, but there is no doubt that he will never forget stepping out on Centre Court today to become Argentina's first men's singles finalist at the All England Club - and the first Wimbledon debutant to get so far in the professional era.
Argentina had only ever provided one quarter-finalist at Wimbledon, Guillermo Vilas in 1975 and 76, before the unexpected progress of Nalbandian, a 20-year-old from Unquillo in the Corboda province, who is only his country's fourth ranking player behind Guillermo Canas, Juan Ignacio Chela and Gaston Gaudio.

Ranked thirty-second in the world, and seeded twenty-eighth for his first senior grass-court tournament, Nalbandian has until now won just one ATP tour event, in Estoril early this year. Remarkably, he remains unbeaten on the lawns of SW19.

As a junior in 1999, Nalbandian triumphed at Wimbledon in the boys' doubles with his countryman Guillermo Coria but was disqualified from the semi-finals of the boys' singles for arriving late on court. Little wonder that he has vowed not to repeat the error this time, saying: 'If necessary, I'll sleep here.'

Even the disarmingly charming Nalbandian admits that he himself was not quite sure how he has made it through to the Wimbledon final, so it is not surprising that in Unquillo they can hardly believe the exploits of the little blond-haired kid whose older brothers used tennis to escape from playing with him.

At the age of four, David Nalbandian finally got fed up of being left alone by Javier and Dario, so he proceeded to steal one of their rackets and refused to hand it back until they let him join in their tennis matches. Bizarrely, it was to be David who has gone on to make the greatest impact on the sport.

As Argentine television was showing Boris Becker's thrilling victories at Wimbledon, Centre Court quickly became the focus of Nalbandian's early ambitions. Even now, in the way the Argentine fearlessly throws himself about the court to reach and make near impossible shots, there is more than a hint of the young Becker.

The Nalbandian family, who come from humble origins - David's paternal grandfather was an Armenian emigré - were fortunate that in the mid-Eighties the first tennis court had just been laid in their small town of just 20,000 inhabitants. It was made of concrete and so playing on it sometimes felt like playing in a carport, with the conditions as far removed from those at the All England Club as found anywhere.

Nevertheless, David showed such promise at tennis that even his initially doubting school friends would give him an easy time in their football matches so that he would not pick up an unnecessary injury from a bad tackle, and in due course he started travelling the nine miles to Argentina's second city to start playing his chosen racket sport at the more upmarket Cordoba Lawn Tennis Club.

Despite its name, there were no grass courts for him to try his hand on there, as they had fallen into disrepair through lack of use.

Even last month, to prepare for Wimbledon, Nalbandian had to travel to the Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires, where he says: 'The first matches I lose with everyone, actually. At the end I was starting to play a little better. I was still losing but in the tie break. And now I am here in the Wimbledon final.'

His first success came with Coria representing Argentina in the 14 and under age group of the World Junior Tennis Championships in 1996, and his gradual improvement led to him being picked by the Argentine tennis federation for an elite junior squad of four, along with Coria, the world junior boys' number two in 1999, Maria Emilia Salerni, the world junior girls' number one in 2000, and Clarissa Fernadez, the Roland Garros semi-finalist a month ago.

Despite winning the US Open junior title in 1998, Nalbandian struggled to make the transition to the seniors at first, partly as a result of being coached by his brother, Javier, a partnership that did not work to the pair's expectations. It was only after David's coaching was taken over a year and a half ago by Gabriel Markus, an Argentine former professional whose own promising career was cut short by injury in his early twenties, that the foundations of his current Wimbledon achievement were laid.

Both David's brothers continue to work as tennis coaches and remain immensely supportive of their younger sibling, joining together with the rest of the family at their home last week to follow their new hero's exploits together.

Ironically, considering that David was exchanging emails with friends at the time of his Wimbledon junior disqualification, the family had to monitor his quarter-final via the internet as the live television pictures promised by the rights holding broadcaster for Argentina, ESPN+, failed to materialise when Nalbandian's last-eight match with Nicolas Lapentti was moved to the outside courts.

By the time of the semi-final, there was no chance of the match not being shown live and there were numerous friends and journalists camped out at the family home, with a neighbour across the street bringing his television outside into the street for those who could not get into the Nalbandian house. He has promised to erect a giant screen for the final for all those who cannot get cable TV locally.

There are only three journalists from Argentina at Wimbledon this year, reporting on one of the greatest moments in their nation's tennis history, but the major newspapers like Clarin and La Nacion have had front pages dominated completely by Argentina's financial problems (which have prevented any members of his family from joining Nalbandian and his girlfriend Virginia, in London so far) and this latest tennis success - which at least in Cordoba has produced scenes of celebration that are reported to be no less exuberant than those that greeted the 1986 World Cup by Diego Maradona's football team.

'For Argentina this is not a very good moment right now and so I think that my matches have become more important because I can help give the country different things to think about and enjoy,' said Nalbandian. That will certainly be the case when he enters Centre Court for the first time today.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hewitt - the man who would be King

Feisty Aussie strives to assume mantle

Will Buckley
Sunday July 7, 2002
The Observer


Tennis writers, like royal watchers, become twitchy when confronted by an interregnum. The King is Dead, Long Live the King, any old king, just fill that throne fast before people start thinking republican ideas. It is understandable, therefore, after a Wimbledon that has marked the abdication of Sampras, Agassi, Krajicek - who along with the ageing Ivanisevic have won the past 10 championships - and with the sense that home favourites Henman and Rusedski will never ascend to the throne, there has been a rush to find a successor.
Natural, too, that Lleyton Hewitt who plays David Nalbandian this afternoon, should be the anointed one. When, aged 16, he won a tournament in Adelaide he was the lowest-ranked player, at 550, to do so. When he became the first Australian to be world number one last November he was, at the age of 20 years and 10 months, the youngest player ever to be so. When he won his first grand slam, the US Open, he did so in emphatic fashion, demolishing Kafelnikov 6-1 6-2 6-1 in the semi-final and Sampras 7-6 6-1 6-1 in the final. This afternoon he is expected to win his first Wimbledon in an equally rapid three sets. And go on to win many more Wimbledons.

Perhaps he will. But there is a sense that his game hasn't truly been tested during a fairly comfortable run to the final. In his past three Wimbledons he has been beaten by Boris Becker in the third round, Jan-Michael Gambill in the first round and Nicolas Escude in the fourth round - a trio of serve-volleyers with the oomph to blow little Lleyton off the court. This year the only player he has encountered who has been even close to a power player was Gregory Carraz, the French qualifier, in the second round, and if Carraz had not missed an easy high volley during the second set tie break that match would have been much closer. Afterwards, Hewitt admitted to having been troubled by the Frenchman's big serve.

In the quarter-finals he struggled against Schalken when the Dutchman started to slow-ball him from the back of the court. This time Hewitt didn't possess sufficient power to win points from the back. Faced by an opponent from either end of the spectrum Hewitt had difficulties.

He is a counterpuncher who lacks either Andre Agassi's ability to win from the back of the court or Jimmy Connors talent for defusing the big servers. His best shot is the passing shot but, if a player either denies him the chance to play it by staying back or removes it from the equation by serve-volleying him out of the game, he is vulnerable. Nalbandian does not have the game for the latter but would be well advised to try the former. If he does, a third consecutive underdog might prevail in a grand slam following on from Thomas Johansson defeating Marat Safin in the Australian Open and Albert Costa beating Juan Carlos Ferrero in the French.

Certainly, a placid approach is more likely to succeed than an intimidatory one. Peter Smith, who coached Hewitt when he was six, says: 'He was little to start with, and then he was always playing at least two years out of his age group. People used to try to intimidate him, but it's the worst thing you can do with Lleyton Hewitt.'

His father, uncle and grandfather were all Aussie Rules professional footballers and his mother a state representative netball player. His greatest asset is his competitiveness, his tenacity, his balls. In the match against Henman when he surprisingly lost his service to love in the first set he just went out and broke right back. He is more Tiggerish and Tigerish than our dear Tim.

Earlier in the week Henman said 'apologies again if I'm showing too much emotion on the court', rather in the manner of someone you can't even remember being at a party approaching you the next morning to talk about a minor indiscretion near the fruit cup. If Hewitt ever felt the need to apologise for his behaviour at a party you sense you'd remember what he had done.

In his book, John McEnroe described Connors as the most blue-collar man to have played the professional game, Hewitt is his natural successor. He even has the tennis-babe girlfriend - for Chris Evert read Kim Clijsters.

This hyper-competitive approach has led to a few run-ins with peers and press. Brad Gilbert has expressed surprise that given the way Hewitt carries on no one in the locker room has 'whacked' him. Alex Corretja has said: 'Hewitt is an unfriendly guy and he thinks he's a know-all when he's on court.' He fell out with the Australian press when they dared to criticise him after he described his home crowd in Adelaide as stupid for daring to support his unfancied opponent.

There is a brattishness to his character, which is probably inevitable given the high-octane nature of his speedy game. But he hasn't reached the dizzy heights of brattishness achieved by McEnroe. 'They are chalk and cheese,' John Newcombe said.

The 21-year-old is still a kid capable of innocent wonder. When he became the first Australian player to appear on a postage stamp, a 45-cent affair featuring his face, he said: 'Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be seeing my image on a stamp - it's hard to believe my face could be on envelopes all over the world.'

He will be yet more famous if he wins today against the Argentine playing his first grass tournament and who is the first Wimbledon debutant to make the final since Dick Savitt 51 years ago. After defeating Xavier Malisse, Nalbandian looked forward to today: 'I think the match is going to be very tough. He's playing very, very good. But I think all the players that I've played, except [Wayne] Arthurs, all the players were baseline players.'

He didn't expect to progress so far. 'When we arrive with my coach, we say: "OK, we are going to win two or three matches, and that's going to be a great tournament for me, my first time here." I say to my Mum: "OK, I'm going to be next week in home." And I'm in the final right now.'

As a junior he played once at Wimbledon and defaulted in the semi-finals. 'I play quarters in the morning, then semis. In the locker room, the guy say: 'You play at three o'clock, or 3.30 or something." Then I go to eat, I don't know where, and I come back. And they say, "No, the match was 2.30.' I say, "Oh, 2.30".'

The default means he has never been defeated at Wimbledon. A run that should come to an end this afternoon against the man who would be king.

Wimbledon - The Thirteenth Day

Ronald Atkin

Saturday, July 6, 2002


Things haven't exactly been tickety-boo for Argentina of late, what with the economy on the blink and the football team making an early departure from the World Cup. If ever a country needed a boost, it's Argentina. So a big round of applause, please, for David Nalbandian, who has set his nation's hearts and flags fluttering by marching unheralded into this afternoon's Men's Final of the 116th Championships. He is the first from Argentina to get this far at Wimbledon, farther even than the Argentina icon, Guillermo Vilas, ever managed.

Nalbandian has booked himself a ride on what many consider Mission Impossible, attempting to overthrow the top seed and world number one, Lleyton Hewitt, for the first prize of £525,000. In much the same fashion that Goran Ivanisevic walked hand-in-hand with destiny to the title last year, Hewitt's face and his bearing have indicated something similar. Only once, in the quarter-final against Sjeng Schalken, did he stumble, dropping two sets. For the rest it was roses, or aces and winners, all the way. Lleyton will walk on to Centre Court this afternoon having won 18 sets and dropped just those two to Schalken and having won 121 games against 72 lost. Nalbandian's totals are 18-6 in sets and 131-109 in games, not quite so good but certainly not dusty.

Their totals in years are a record. This will be the youngest final in the Open era. Nalbandian is 20 years, six months and six days old, while Hewitt looks down on him from the heights of 21 years, four months and 13 days. This combination, we are assured by the people who know about such things, is one year, one month and 11 days fewer than Andre Agassi and Ivanisevic could muster in the 1992 Final.

Hewitt, utterly dominant currently, will be attempting to add this crown to the US Open Championship he won last September, and also trying to erase the sour memories of the two Grand Slams in which he has competed inbetween - the Australian Open, where he went out in the first round suffering the after-effects of chicken pox, and the French Open's fourth round exit against Guillermo Canas: another Argentine, it should be noted.

Hewitt has swept the grass clean this year. He is now 13 and zero (as our cousins from across the pond say) in grass court competition, if you exclude his withdrawal because of illness from the quarter-finals of the tournament in Holland. He won Queen's, for the third straight year, the first to do so since John McEnroe more than 20 years back.

The manner of his dismantling of Tim Henman in Friday's semi-final means that support, as well as much money, has probably switched to him. Which will not bother him any more than the praise, and occasional criticism, he receives. Here is someone utterly dedicated to the job in hand, winning tennis matches. And he is doing that in some style.

Everyone, or most people anyway, think he is on the brink of grass court victory number 14. But Nalbandian certainly doesn't think so. After all, here is someone undefeated at Wimbledon, which is more than Hewitt can boast. He came here to compete in the 1999 junior event, got to the semi-finals and suffered the mortification of default because he had been told the wrong time to be on court and was having a bite of lunch when he should have been delivering the first serve.

Nalbandian, who hails from the mountain town of Urquillo in the province of Cordoba, was a member of the Argentine junior squad under Tito Vasquez, a former Davis Cup captain of his nation who is currently working for the Lawn Tennis Association in Britain as coach to the intermediate squad of youngsters. But it is since he began working with a former touring pro, Gabriel Markus, 18 months ago that Nalbandian's career has blossomed.

Markus, an Argentine who holds a German passport and cherishes the record of being the only one from his country ever to defeat Pete Sampras (in Nice 10 years ago), has instilled Teutonic discipline into his man and it has showed in the five-set victories Nalbandian has ground out at these Championships.

Nalbandian is bidding to become the first to win the Wimbledon men's crown on his debut here since Dick Savitt of the United States back in 1951. No South American player has picked up the Wimbledon title for 43 years, when Alex Olmedo, a Peruvian who not only lived in the United States but played Davis Cup for them, squashed Rod Laver in straight sets back in 1959. There is a long way for this grandson of an Armenian immigrant to go before earning comparison with Vilas, who played eight Grand Slam finals, winning four and losing four. Two of the victories, at the Australian Open, were on grass in those days, but the Poet from La Plata never managed more than a quarter-final spot here.

Nalbandian also owes cricket a small debt for his place in today's final. The exclusive Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires, founded by the English as its name indicates, is the only place in the country boasting grass courts. All had been dug up for the Argentine winter months, so in order to get practise on grass it was necessary to persuade the club to mark out a tennis court on its cricket pitch. And should Nalbandian defy odds and everything else to win today, it could be because he learned how to hit a mean ball from the pavilion end.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Australians on Final Sunday

David Bates

Sunday, July 7, 2002


This morning, for one last time, the air was filled with "Purple and Green" - the Wimbledon theme tune - as ticket holders entered the Grounds at that magical moment of 10.30am. Whether rain or shine, "Purple and Green" has been played by a variety of brass bands throughout The Championships but its melody is particularly poignant today, the final day of the Fortnight.

An ambigious atmosphere of anticipation and sadness decends upon the Club on the second Sunday of The Championships as not only does today see the climax of the Wimbledon Fortnight, but it is also the climax of a year's planning and preparation.

By tonight, Wimbledon will be over and the last fans will have departed and the attention of the world's sporting media will no longer be focused on this tiny enclave of SW19. Tomorrow, the clean-up operation begins and within a couple of weeks or so, the All England Club will return to the quiet slumber it enjoys for the vast majority of the year.

Before then, though, the Club will host the 116th Championships and it is fitting that Australians will be competing in two of today's finals.

Australia enjoys a proud record at Wimbledon, with finalists in at least one of the five main finals at nearly every year in the post-war period. In the the three doubles events, for instance, an Australian has appeared in 53 finals in the 57 Championships since World War II. Although there have been a number of fine Australian ladies' players through the years, it has been in the men's game that they have consistently excelled.

The 1950s and 1960s were areas of particular domination by Australia, with only two years between 1950 and 1971 when there was not an Australian appearing in the men's final. Australia won 14 men's titles in that time and contested in 10 all-Australian finals. Unlike other eras of domination (such as the US grip of the ladies' event in the late 1970s and 1980s through Navratilova and Evert), what is remarkable was the astonishing strength in depth at the time. Eleven different Australian players played in at least one final, with seven of them winning the title.

Today will see Lleyton Hewitt attempting to join the lengthy pantheon of Australian players to have lifted the Challenge Cup for the Gentlemen's Singles title. Some have been present during these Championships as players (John Newcombe in the 45 & Over event) or commentators (Pat Cash for BBC), while others, such as 1952 Champion Frank Sedgman, have attended as special guests of the Chairman.

However, Hewitt will be aware that Pat Cash's victory in 1987 is Australia's only Champion in the singles' event since 1971, with Ken Rosewall's final loss to Jimmy Connors in 1974 and Pat Rafter's twin finals defeats in 2000 and 2001 the closest they have come to winning the event. As the number one seed and heavy favourite, Hewitt has the full expectation of a nation willing him to win. Whether this burden will be too much for the 21 year old will have to be seen.

In contrast, Todd Woodbridge - who will be competing in the Men's Doubles today - will have no such burden on his shoulders. There have been some superb Australian doubles champions players present at these Championships in the veterans' events, such as Peter McNamara and Paul McNamee, and Australia has been consistently successful in the Men's Doubles for many years.

Woodbridge himself is much of the reason for recent successes. Having won the event six times with Mark Woodforde, he will be looking for his seventh Doubles Championship today with Jonas Bjorkman. If he wins, he will be only one victory behind the Doherty brothers, Laurie and Reggie, who won the doubles title eight times at the turn of the century, along with nine singles titles between them.

The Doherty name still lingers at Wimbledon through the wrought-iron Doherty Memorial Gates, situated at the main Church Road entrance to the Club. However, Woodbridge's success at The Championships and that of his countrymen throughout the years will mean that a corner of the All England Club that will be forever Australian.

Tennis-Wimbledon-Quotes from the 116th championships

LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) - Memorable quotes from the 116th Wimbledon tennis championships:


- - - -

"Maybe they are still upset we beat them in the Davis Cup a couple of years ago" - Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti on the organisers decision to play his singles quarter-final on court two.

- - - -

"I think I am going to sleep here." - Men's singles finalist David Nalbandian on his plans for getting to his semi-final on time. He was once defaulted from a Wimbledon boy's singles match for arriving late.

- - - -

"I must have had about 500 break points in the third set." - Top seed Lleyton Hewitt on not taking his chances to win his quarter-final against Sjeng Schalken earlier. The match went to five sets.

- - - -

"Normally I went to tournaments to work hard, but now I actually use tournaments as a rest." - Richard Krajicek describes the differences now that he has a young family at home.

- - - -

"Russian pilot, NASA technology, no lift-off." - A poster for a sports bra endorsed by Anna Kournikova proved prophetic -- the Russian lost in the first round of the women's singles.

- - - -

"I am sure I will still be skydiving at the age of 50." - Mark Philippoussis on whether he worried that his injured knee would trouble him in later life.

- - - -

"If Tim Henman wins Wimbledon, I'll do this show in one of Sue Barker's dresses." - Former champion Pat Cash, speaking on television about Henman's title chances. Fellow Australian Lleyton Hewitt saved his blushes by beating Henman in the semi-finals.

- - - -

"The wind was blowing, the dogs were barking, something got in my eye." - Andy Roddick searching for a way to explain his defeat to Greg Rusedski.

- - - -

"I cannot play. If Brazil plays the World Cup at the same time, I cannot. It is impossible." - Brazilian Flavio Saretta on a possible scheduling clash with Brazil's World Cup semi-final against Turkey.

- - - -

"If I can keep the matches of that nature, she will appreciate it." - Tim Henman outlines the benefits of a straight-sets victory for his pregnant wife Lucy.

- - - -

"I am not as strong as I seem ... off the court I am a real baby ... I am the first to cry in the movies." - Serena Williams reveals her emotional side.

- - - -

"I'm not a top player right now ... Maybe it's because I'm not cocky enough." - Anna Kournikova responds to former champion John McEnroe's comment that top players need to be cocky.

- - - -

"Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise. You can never have too many accessories." - Serena Williams on her shopping habits.

- - - -

"I think it's really solid." - Venus Williams comments on her mother Oracene's new orange afro hairstyle.

- - - -

"He was too good for me, it is as simple as that." - British number one Tim Henman makes no excuses after losing to Lleyton Hewitt, his fourth semi-final defeat in five years at Wimbledon.

- - - -

"I sure am worth major bank, I definitely am. I'm really exciting, I smile a lot, I win a lot and I am really sexy." - Serena Williams on the prospects of new sponsorship deals after winning the women's singles title.

- - - -

"It's a real ripper." - Lleyton Hewitt after winning his first Wimbledon singles title.

 

back to Wimbledon 2002 main page