L. Hewitt - Day 11
Friday, July 1, 2005

 

Q. What was the key point for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. You know ‑‑ you know, the longer the match went, the better I felt I hit the ball and got into the match. Yeah, in the first set, I just lost my serve obviously early, but then broke back. I had a couple of Love‑15 chances, and I just didn't quite go after it maybe enough on those small opportunities that you get.

But, yeah, he served so well into the corners and gets a lot of lines out there on his first serve that, you know, it always makes it tough. So, yeah, he was able to break pretty early in the second set and get that set‑and‑a‑break lead, and I didn't really have a look in on any of his service games in the second set.

Q. Did he out‑psych you or out‑play you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: What do you mean "out‑psych"?

Q. He seemed to be playing so well, it must be intimidating to play against someone who plays that well. Even when he makes a mistake, he just appears so cool and relaxed. Was it a psychological loss do you think or you just didn't make the shots you wanted to make?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's no doubt he was a better player. I don't think psychologically it had much to do with the match. You know, he served better than me today. He dictated play better than me. That's basically where he got the win.

Q. Did you sense improvement in your game? You came up to the net more than we've seen you do. You've done well there.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I felt like I hit the ball pretty well today. I didn't serve maybe as well as I would have liked. But he puts a lot of pressure on your service games, as well. He gives you have he few points. I think that's been the biggest turnaround in his game over the last couple of years. That's why he's really gone up a couple of notches because he used to give you a lot more cheap points on your service games, and you just don't get those any more.

On his service games, he can rely on getting out of trouble if he's 15‑30 down or Love‑30 with big first serves. That's why he's the best player going around.

Q. Is it sort of hard being one of the best players in the world when like a freak like Roger comes along?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's a little bit, but you've just got to bide your time, keep grinding away, you know, try and look for answers, I guess.

But it's not easy. I felt like I've lifted my game the last 18 months or so. I've got no doubt that I feel like I'm the second best player going around right at the moment. It's just that the best player going around is pretty bloody good.

Q. You play a match against him, then you go back and come up with another plan, that plan doesn't work? Is it hard to keep trying find ways to beat him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's not like I've gone out there with absolute extreme game plans against him. At the end of the day I've still got to play my strengths. And I've got to back my serves and my strengths. There's very small changes that you try and make out there. But it's not something that I'm capable of going and serve‑volleying every point out there. You know, it would be stupid.

For me, there's slight opportunities out there that you've got to take advantage of it. Yeah, he's got very few weaknesses out there.

Q. Is there anything more you can add to your game to match him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. You're always looking for ways to improve. I've got no doubt that I can improve ‑‑ keep improving my game, otherwise there's no point in keep playing. You know, as long as I've got small areas there that I can work on, it's got to be a positive. But, you know, obviously I don't know what he's got to really work on.

Q. You don't get into many semis, a lot of players don't. How disappointing is it to lose?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's always disappointing to lose, first round or semifinal.

Q. You've seen and played a lot of the great players over time. Is he the best you've seen?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. You know, when Pete was probably at his best, it was probably just before I got on the Tour and was competitive against those top guys, so it's hard to say. Because when I'm playing at my best now, obviously Roger is one of the best players that I've ever seen.

Andre Agassi at his best, he was great as well. Totally different players, though. You know, obviously since Roger's been playing his best tennis the last couple of years, Andre hasn't quite been what he was maybe five years ago.

It's hard to pinpoint, but there's no doubt he's in the top few with the greats.

Q. I know you're going to fight to the end no matter what it is. When you're two sets down against this guy, is there a sense of inevitability?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I actually felt like I had more opportunities in the third set. It's not like if you sit back now and you think, "Shit, I was two‑sets‑to‑love down," it does seem like a long way to come back. But when you're actually out there and just focusing on trying to somehow get that third set. I came close at 6‑5. I saved breakpoints throughout the third set. At 6‑5 I had Love‑30, that was my biggest chance of the match. If I could have squeezed out the third set, then you start fresh for the fourth set again.

That's the way I was looking at it right now. Obviously anyone on the outside, yeah, sure, it's a long way to come back against anyone.

Q. Is it demoralizing coming up against that or do you see it as a challenge, looking for those extras that you can improve to try and beat him the next time?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's definitely a challenge.

In some ways, it's a huge positive that I can keep putting myself in these positions. I can't really remember the last time in the last 18 months or so that I've lost a bad match to an average player. So in that way, that's a huge positive. But, of course, when you get to a semifinal, final of Slams, you want to try and take that next step and hold up the trophy. Anyone does.

I'm obviously doing something right. But, you know, to come awfully close so many times now...

Q. I'm not sure if you watched last year's final or not, but what would you make of a Federer/Roddick rematch?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to go past Rodge. He's the best player in the world. Yeah, it would be very hard to go against him.

Q. Do you think your match with Federer should have been the final?

LLEYTON HEWITT: On paper it should have been.

Q. Looking ahead to the Davis Cup, with Todd's retirement the other day, injury to Mark, Australia up against it now against Argentina?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's always going to be a tough tie, no matter who is in the team, I think, just because it's on grass. They've got obviously Nalbandian, Coria. He's won matches here, made the fourth round. You know, it's not going to be easy at all for any of our guys.

It's going to be another challenge.

Q. Looks like perhaps it will be you and Wayne in the doubles, playing the whole tie yourself.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I haven't even thought about it so far. That's something I'm not going to dwell on till I get there, see how I'm feeling, play it by ear.

Q. How do you stay so relentlessly positive? A lot of times if they lost to Federer eight times in a row, they might be a lot more disconsolate than you are right now. Where does that come from?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. That's probably why I'm sitting here and you're sitting there.

quarterfinal defeated Feliciano Lopez
Wednesday, June 29, 2005

 

Q. Do you feel you went up a few notches today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I did. I felt like I played pretty well all around today. My whole game came together well. You know, I needed it to. He's a dangerous opponent, especially on this surface with a big lefty serve.

Yeah, I had to try to dictate play as much as possible and I was able to do that.

Q. John McEnroe is full of praise for your performance, said it was the best he's ever seen you play. Would you agree with that? How would you react to that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I didn't put too many feet wrong today. I went out there with a game plan and I stuck to it the whole time. The guy's got a great serve. There's going to be games when you're not going to get a racquet on the ball. Yeah, you've just got to accept that and move on.

I felt like when I got broken, early in the first set I played a couple loose points early, but from then on I played a good game and he got a net cord to break me. I didn't let that affect me. I felt like I still kept hanging in there and waiting for my opportunities.

Yeah, in the end I started seeing the ball really well and I was on his serve pretty much every game.

Q. How much did your greater experience help you today?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm sure it helped a little bit. Yeah, he came out and didn't look nervous from the way he played and the way he started. Maybe end of sets, he didn't get enough first serves in on the key points. But, you know, I thought he handled the situation pretty well. You know, at the start he was aggressive. He was serving big right from the word "go."

Q. What is the key to beating Roger Federer? What has turned the series around against him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure what the key is. I haven't won the last few. Have to try and find something in the next couple of days.

Yeah, he's obviously the best player in the world for a reason. Yeah, he's really taken his game to another level in the last couple of years. Obviously I've lost to him the last couple of years, last six or seven times, but it's all been in the last two years or so when he's really dominated pretty much everyone.

You know, obviously he's got to be very confident against anyone, and especially in Centre Court here where the last two years he's pretty much made his own.

Q. To what degree is there the feeling that he needs to be off his regular game or his best game for somebody to have a chance to beat him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, I don't know. I think when he plays ‑‑ you know, he's played some of his best tennis, he's nearly been unbeatable in certain matches. You still got to go out there and try and make him not play his best tennis. You know, you've got to look for it. He doesn't have a lot of big weaknesses out there, but you've got to try and pin something down. Even then, he can still find ways to win when he's not hitting the ball great either.

It's an (indiscernible). You got to go out there, clean your service games up, wait for your opportunities. You're not going to get a whole heap. That's where he's really gone up the last couple years, I think he's playing the big points really well.

Q. The last time you beat him was in the Davis Cup match. Have you noticed since then he's been more confident or intense against you? Anything that changed after that match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I think he in general as a player is a lot more confident than he was. He just won Wimbledon before we played that tie for the first time. Yeah, next time we played was in the Australian Open Round of 16. I won the first set and had an opportunity to go up a set and a break in that match.

Since then, he's been pretty dominant against everyone. Yeah, he has been the supreme player, especially on this surface.

Q. When you stand across the net from somebody like that, somebody who is nearly unbeatable, where do you get your confidence from?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, from the way I'm hitting the ball. You know, little areas that I think I might have a slight advantage. And you've got to believe in yourself. And I think, you know, I believe I'm capable of winning the match. It's not going to be easy, and I've got to play one of my best matches that I've got.

But, you know, I believe that I can do it.

Q. Where do you feel like you have those advantages?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I won't be telling you.

Q. You believe in yourself. You pump yourself up. Are there times during a match against Roger those doubts come into your mind?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. You know, if he's serving for the match and stuff sometimes, when he's winning pretty comfortably. Apart from that, I've had small opportunities in my match here 12 months ago. I had a lot of small chances and wasn't just quite able to take them. Even late in the fourth set, I was up a break to take it into a fifth set, and I just didn't quite play the big points as well as he did on the day. That's the reason he's won here the last two years, though.

Q. If you play your best tennis, in your own mind you can beat him?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Mate, it all depends on the match‑up out there. You can't go out there ‑‑ you only can play as well as your opponent lets you, as well. There's a lot of different scenarios out there, tactics and stuff that come into play. You can't say him at his best, him at his best. There's different weaknesses and different areas of the game that you're going to try to exploit.

Q. What are the challenges to playing him on grass?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, he can just mix it up so well. You know, he's got a great slice, great forehand, a great serve, and he moves extremely well, which is a key on this surface. But he's got a lot of variety to his game, as well: he can serve‑volley, he can stay back. I think that's why he's had such a good record on grass.

Q. Are you any more angry about the seeding at these championships?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not really. It's a bit strange playing in a semifinal, the No. 1 and 2 player in the world.

Q. Of all the people you've ever faced, when it comes to the biggest points in a match, how would you compare Roger with all those other players?

LLEYTON HEWITT: When I've played him in big matches, he's been as good as anyone. Andre Agassi's been great at that, as well, playing the big points well. And obviously Pete Sampras at his peak was, you know, unbelievable at doing that.

He's definitely up there in that category, though.

Q. Roger, now he's basically a baseliner. Which way would you rather play him, coming in or staying back?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Doesn't worry me either way. I think his serve, he doesn't have such a big serve as a Sampras or an Ivanisevic, these kind of guys. He uses his serve extremely well for his game, though. He gets a high percentage in. He works the angles and makes you hit back where he wants that first hit to go. Then he feels more comfortable a lot of the time coming in on his terms after the first hit rather than coming in, serve‑volleying.

It just all depends on I guess where he's confident and what he's doing. He's a great serve and volleyer if he did that the whole times a well. It's hard to say which is better for it.

Q. As a rule, would you rather play a baseliner or a serve and volleyer?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Doesn't bother me. Everyone's different.

Q. Do you think this is what most tennis fans would want to be the final?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I would definitely like it to have been the final, obviously. But, you know, for me it would be like playing a final, going out there. If you knock the best player off out there, then you've obviously got to be pretty confident going into the final Sunday.

But, you know, it's a strange situation. I don't know how many times it would have happened that the top two ranked players would be playing in a semifinal in a Slam.

Q. Would have been worthy of a final?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, yeah, I've been playing pretty well at the moment. Obviously, coming off a layoff, there were a few question marks. I didn't have too many doubts in my mind.

Q. When you come here, do you relish a shot at Roger? Do you look forward to meeting him, whether it's in the semis, finals, and a chance at knocking him off?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's not something that I've thought about up till now. Obviously now it's a huge opportunity, though. I do like playing the big matches when there's a lot of emotion out there, a great atmosphere. Come Friday, it's going to be no different.

Q. López was saying he was surprised at how well you served. If you go on to win, how important has your improved serve been to you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I served extremely well today. It's been a little bit patchy. I didn't serve that great against Dent I didn't feel for the whole match. It was probably one of my worst serving days. I knew it was something I had to pick up today against López, and I was able to do that.

But, you know, it's something that over the last 18 months or so I've really served pretty well in general. You know, just makes the game that much easier if you're getting some cheap points off your first serve.

Q. How do you improve your serve over the last 18 months? If you're the No. 1 player in the world, how do you make a stroke like that better?

LLEYTON HEWITT: For me it was more Rash and I sat down looking at percentages, trying to get cheap points off my first serve. Obviously, when we get in a rally, I'm feeling pretty confident against most players, regardless. Over five sets, it makes it a lot easier to go out there. You're getting a high percentage of first serves in and also going out there and getting some cheaper points. It just makes it that much easier to sustain that through seven best‑of‑five set matches.

L. Hewitt - Day 7 defeated Taylor Dent
Monday, June 27, 2005

 

Q. The first set, first four games, was that as good as you've played in a while?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit. He started out a little tentative, though. First game, he hit two double‑faults for me to break serve. But, you know, you don't get that many opportunities to break his serve, so when you get those half chances, you really have to take them.

So in that sense, I was happy with the way I started. But, you know, I didn't ‑‑ it was only going to be the first set. I felt playing Taylor, you know, a guy like Taylor, the first set was going to be pretty big out there today. You know, it was good to get that one under my belt. From then on, I felt like I was in control of the match, you know, getting my opportunities now and then as well.

Q. How much will you take out of the US Open last year against Lopez?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit, I guess. A big court. You know, I played really well, especially at the start of the match. I came out of the blocks firing. You know, I was seeing the ball like a football that night. In a big situation.

He's obviously playing well, though. And he's dangerous, you know, especially on a quicker hard court or a grass court, you know, with that big left‑handed serve. He's had two very good wins in his last two matches. He's no easy beat.

Q. You're in a string of winning matches against the Spaniards. You beat the Spaniards maybe 11 times in a row.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Lucky I missed the clay court season (smiling).

Q. What can you expect with Lopez? He's not the typical Spanish player.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, he's not. He's very different, and that's why one reason he's succeeded so well on a grass court.

You know, I didn't have a clue of that. I won't be thinking about that going into playing another Spaniard. I'll just be looking at Lopez' game, how that matches up with mine, areas of his game that maybe I can exploit a little bit more. Obviously his serve and his forehand are his two big weapons. He's got a good slice backhand as well and he moves pretty well for a big guy. So, you know, he can mix it up, serve‑volley, stay back. In terms of that, he is a lot different to the traditional Spanish players.

Q. How is your form in comparison to when you won the title?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. You know, a lot depends on the opponents that you play. I feel like I'm hitting the ball well. I think I went up another notch or two today, which I needed to. So in terms of that, you know, Taylor Dent's a dangerous player. I knew it was going to be a dangerous match out there today. Felt like I went up a notch or two when I needed to.

Q. There were a lot of overrules out there today. Is that something that puts you off? Do you lose faith and confidence in the linesmen when there's so many overrules?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a fair bit. They're been a few, though, all last week as well. You know, I can only speak in my matches.

Q. Is that an issue? Is there something wrong with the level of umpiring and linesmen?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, everyone's human. You know, you're going to make mistakes. Some matches you go through a match without an overrule, and then there's others where you'll go through a tournament where you'll have two or three in every match.

I think sometimes, depending on the chair umpire that you have, occasionally there's a few chair umpires out there that overrule a lot more than some other guys and are probably open to overrule a little bit more.

You know, it's very hard if ‑‑ anything on the far side of the court, you know, especially serves or whatever going so fast, it's very hard for any chair umpire to overrule those.

Q. Taylor suggested you put pressure on them, even intimidate umpires, even if you're not doing it deliberately. Do you think that's a factor?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think so, no.

Q. You're so emotional and intense out there. Could you reflect on there are so few others at your level in terms of outward emotion like the old days when there were so many.

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's probably more now, I guess. A lot of the younger guys out there. You look at guys like Nadal coming up.

Q. Excuse me for interrupting. Nadal is very emotional about the points, but less so about lines calls and the like. That's what I was referring to more than just getting pumped up about a winner.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, well, only questioned couple line calls today.

Q. Do you think the way you question the calls can put pressure on umpires or not?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. You know, Taylor questioned calls as well out there today, so it's the same for both ends. There's a lot of calls out there you don't question either.

Q. Are you getting sneakily confident about your chances here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Is that funny?

Q. I thought it was funny.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Good (smiling).

I still feel ‑‑ obviously, it was a little bit of a question mark purely because I hadn't played that many matches coming into this tournament ‑ and in such a big tournament. But, you know, the first week was especially, you know, important for me to get through and just find a way to get through those matches.

Now you come up against the name players, the real chances ‑‑ challengers for the title. That's when you've got to play your best tennis. I felt like I went up a notch today. But, you know, I'm still a long way from holding up the trophy.

Q. Going into the fourth round, you're ninth in aces. How important do you think that is or how telling a statistic is that to success on grass or not?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, you know, it is telling I think for my game purely because I'm going to get so many opportunities to break serve now and then on grass, even as good as some of the servers are out there ‑ a Taylor Dent or Justin Gimelstob. I'm going to get opportunities.

If I can hold my service games a little bit more comfortably and go out there and clean up my service games, then obviously that's going to help me, especially on this surface.

Q. Is it aces that tells you you're holding your serve?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I don't go out there and try to hit a lot of aces. It's a lot about setting up the point for my game.

Q. If you're hitting a lot of aces, do you feel like you're playing well? You don't look at that as a statistic?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't look at that as a statistic, for me in particularly. It's more about trying to get as many cheap points off my first serve, first‑serve percentage, those kinds of things for me.

Q. Do you think London would be a good place to stage the Olympics? Do you think Wimbledon in particular would be a good place? How would you feel about playing in a tennis tournament, an Olympic tennis tournament, here at Wimbledon? Do you think the British people warm to international players?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, I'm sure they would. A big city like London, I'm sure it would stage an awesome Olympics. Then again, I haven't seen all the facilities. A bit hard for me to comment apart from just the tennis facilities. And we all know how popular Wimbledon is, what an arena it is, as well.

There's a lot of traditions with Wimbledon and the tournament itself. Whether they want to even cross over that bridge into the Olympics, I don't know.

Q. Do you think the courts are really slowing down, like many players have said?

LLEYTON HEWITT: At the start the tournament I think they were quite slow for a grass court. They've quickened up. Obviously, you know, you have good days. Weather like we've had throughout this tournament, we've been fortunate. You know, they're quickening up every day.

Q. Would you consider anything but winning The Championships here a successful fortnight for you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: What's that?

Q. Would you consider anything but winning The Championships a successful run here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, of course. You know, you can go out there and every match is a tough one to win. I go out there and I expect to win. I go out there and I play to win. But you know that any opponent's tough to play out there.

So obviously I'd love to hold the trophy up. But there's still three matches before I can do that. The names get tougher and tougher, you know, the further you go in the tournament.

So, "succeed," you know, it's a tough word. What is success and failure, where do you draw the line? If you go out there and give a hundred percent, leave it all out on the court, for me, that's a success.

Q. Given that Lopez hasn't been through this situation, hasn't come through in these types of matches, what are the ways in which you can exploit that difference in experience?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't think there's ways of me exploiting that. You know, it's more him holding his nerve, I think, in terms of the big situation and being on a big show court and playing big matches. He's come through and beaten two of the big danger men in the tournament in Safin and Ancic ‑ both in straight sets. So he's obviously hardened his nerve pretty well at the moment.

For me, it's purely ‑‑ I'm not worrying about his inexperience in big matches. He's played Davis Cup enough to know situations in the big time. I've basically got to play him on my game against his out there and work on the weaknesses of his game and try and exploit that.

Q. Another thing Taylor said about the dispute in the line calls was that a lot of the members of public actually warm to that, actually like players to show a bit more emotion. Do you agree with that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know about crowds warming to it. Yeah, in the heat of the battle, obviously if we disagree with an overrule or want to question something, then obviously the crowd's going to get involved a little bit with that. Whether all crowds warm to players challenging umpires all the time, I don't know if that's the case in every tournament, every situation.

Q. Does it ever inspire you to play better or affect your game negatively or positively?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, it can over time. Sure, there's matches where it's worked a positive and sometimes it's worked a negative. But today I felt like I was able to block it out extremely well and concentrate on the job at hand, what I had to do, didn't let it affect me at all. I knew that, obviously, I was a set and a break up, trying to consolidate that break in the second set. You know, I just really didn't want to let anything interrupt me.

Q. You've got a strong support group around you. I notice Kieran Perkins. Do you sit back and inspire each other before you go out?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I heard he was coming today, but I haven't seen him or spoken to him.

Q. Is he a close friend of yours?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I don't know Kieran that well. I've only met him a couple of times. Obviously, he's a huge hero of mine, though, for what he's done in the pool and over the years in big situations. But I don't know about me for him.

Q. The foot‑faults today, have you had any in previous matches leading into this? I think you had seven.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I had a couple in one of my previous matches. Yeah, today was more weird timing than anything. It was all happening up one end and not up the other. That's what my question was to the umpire at one stage.

Q. Can you explain what you're saying making sure the red mist doesn't affect your game. Are you talking about that or is it automatically that it doesn't affect you at all?>

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, today I was actually conscious of trying to not let anything affect me basically, and just think, "All right, well, that's out of the way. It's out of my control now. Why dwell on it?" I think I handled that situation pretty well today.

Q. There was a specific moment in the fourth set, an overrule, Taylor said he felt that you intimidated the official there, the official backed down.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No. The overrule came and Taylor actually walked to the other side of the court. It was sort of Taylor's fault.

Day 5 Rd 3 defeated Justin Gimelstob
Friday, June 24, 2005

 

Q. What did you think of Gimelstob's diving?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Spent more time on the ground than he did standing up, didn't he? Yeah, some of them, you know, I guess were pretty spectacular, but there were others he probably dived a little bit when he could have stood up and made a volley, I guess.

Gets the crowd involved. That's the kind of tennis that Justin likes to play. He likes to play high‑energy tennis and get the crowd involved. In those situations, you know, you got to take your hat off to the guy who is throwing himself all around the place.

Q. How do you (indiscernible) this match with the next match against Dent?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, very similar. Taylor's going to be the same sort of player. You know, Justin served extremely well today. That at least gave me a look at what I'm going to face on Monday. You know, I've just got to get mentally right to return well and go out there and believe in my passing shots and play a solid match from the back of the court, as well.

Q. How pleased are you so far with your form? Is it coming along nicely?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I can definitely still play. It's nice to be in the fourth round now. Especially the last two matches, there's been a lot of tight points out there, which is what I need when I haven't played a lot of matches. In that respect, it's been good that I've had to come up and play some big points, especially against Justin in the first‑set tiebreak today. When it really counted I was able to lift another notch.

That's what you're going to have to need when you have to face guys like Federer, Taylor Dent, these kind of guys in the next round. That preparation's definitely been good so far.

Q. What do you got on for the weekend?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Don't know. Just practice and, you know, keep the timing up. It's a little bit strange having two days off in the middle of a Slam. But, yeah, it's just a matter of keeping your focus there, you know, keep the timing going, you know. I can have a good hit out tomorrow.

Q. Is there a part of you that would rather get the Monaro and go for a drive and forget about tennis for a while?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, no, I'm not here to do that.

Q. Does the weather have anything to do with the way you played? Would you say you adjust to it better than other players or not? The warm weather here, does it make conditions that much different?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really that much, I don't think. The courts ‑‑ Centre Court was definitely playing a lot quicker and harder today than Court 1 in my first two matches. But that's always going to happen. Obviously, with the weather, it's definitely helped.

Yeah, it's always going to happen the more that play gets played on these match courts, especially the show courts. It's going to get roughed up a bit, quicker, the ball's going to be shooting through a lot more.

Q. You said the first week is a survival week. You pick it up in the second week. How much do you think you'll need to pick your game up next week?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, at the moment, I'm just worrying about Taylor Dent. I'm not looking any further than that. I still feel like I got to play better to guarantee myself a win against Taylor. I've got to play better again because he's capable of playing very good tennis, and he can sustain it over five sets, especially on a grass court.

Yeah, I feel like I can definitely go up a notch or two, though.

Q. The British media put heaps of pressure on players like Henman, Rusedski. They're out. They're also making Murray the new king of Wimbledon. Do you feel you get similar pressure now that you've won a few slams? Do you think the Australian media put the same sort of pressure on you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know about pressure. I think you're in the spotlight the whole time. I think what Henman's had over the last, you know, eight years or so now, it's been pretty amazing. The whole country really stops for him every time he steps on the court here at Wimbledon. It's amazing. It's like the British people forget that there's another three majors out there, as well, that Tim made a semi in two of them last year as well.

I reckon Tim's a great guy and I think he's done a hell of a job handling the situation. I think his record speaks for itself here, to be that consistent.

But obviously in Australia, I feel, especially now that we don't have so many guys like the Rafters, Philippoussises up there in the Top 10 any more, then obviously the eyes, especially this year, were all on me. I felt like I handled it pretty well.

Q. What about the Dent name in Australian tennis? What does it mean there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, not a whole heap when he's got USA written at the end of his name. Not a whole heap.

Q. What about Phil?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. I don't know enough about Phil as a player. I know all the ‑‑ he's very good mates with JA, a lot of the older guys who have played Davis Cup for Australia. But for me, he's been in America for such a long time, I've had nothing to do with him.

Q. Is somebody like Taylor Dent the perfect next match for you in the sense that he's a dangerous player, probably not Federer, but he's the next rung up the ladder for you in your development in the course over the next two weeks?

LLEYTON HEWITT: In some ways, yeah. But I've had a lot of tough matches with Taylor in the past. I'm going to be, you know, ready to go mentally as soon as I get out on the court against him. Yeah, he's a tough competitor. He's not going to give me too many cheap points out there. He's obviously got a great serve‑and‑volley game. He's going to keep coming at me all day. A few years ago we played a tight five‑setter here, which, you know, was a pretty memorable match.

I'm going to have to work just as hard as I did that day if I'm going to get over the line.

Q. Do you have a look during the tournament at how the others are playing? Have you looked at Federer's games, taken account of his form?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I haven't watched any of the Rodge.

Q. You lost to Taylor at the very start of the year at Adelaide. Can you take anything out of that in terms of his style, anything he may have had up his sleeve?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I won't take a whole heap out of that. Yeah, obviously he played extremely well that whole week, you know, made the final there. I had a lot of opportunities in that match and wasn't able to take them. Lead a break early in the second set, I think. Just wasn't quite timing the ball as well as I did the next three weeks in Sydney and the Australian Open. That's obviously where I wanted to be, you know, hitting my strokes a bit more in Melbourne.

Yeah, this is a Grand Slam. This is over five sets. So, you know, it will be a little bit different.

Q. Having won here before, do you ever get in a situation where you feel as if it's on, the title is on this year, or is it literally you never know till you've won the next match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: There's so many dangerous players out there, you can't look ‑‑ everyone has a go at all the players or athletes for saying "One match at a time." You literally have to look at it that way.

Yeah, and I've been on the hand of upsets. Lost some upsets when I've been the favored player before. You can't just look too far ahead in these tournaments. Yeah, that's something that I think you learn, to really pace yourself over five sets, especially when you're playing Grand Slams and you're experienced at that.

Q. When you see people like Safin losing, potential winner, Henman is out, does that mean anything to you or do you just have to concentrate on your opponents?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, there's not a whole heap I can worry about, especially guys like Henman or Roddick. They're on the other half. There's no point in me even worrying about it right at the moment.

Obviously, Safin was in my quarter. But Feliciano Lopez, I knew that was going to be an extremely tough match for Marat on this surface. Big left‑handed serve, he's probably going to play Ancic in the next round.

Yeah, there's a reason. Every match that you get to, there's a reason why you're playing that opponent. They've obviously done something right to get that far. That's the way you've got to look at it.

Q. How does your form compare to 2002 when you won here?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. I think I played a lot of matches before I won it in 2002. Obviously, I was on autopilot a little bit, I think especially throughout the first week. Yeah, it's hard to say. The match‑ups have been probably a little bit different, as well, in terms of the guys that I've played against early in the tournament.

Yeah, I can't ‑‑ I won't look at it in the same pattern, I guess.

Q. How did the number of dives by Gimelstob in this match compare with other opponents you've ever faced?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I've never seen someone dive more, yeah.

Q. Did you watch the cricket at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yesterday, I saw a little bit yesterday.

Q. Inspiring?

L. Hewitt - Day 3 Rd 2 defeated Hernych
Wednesday, June 22, 2005

 

Q. Were you happy with the way you played?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not too bad in patches. You know, for me it's just nice to get through it and into the third round now.

Q. What are your thoughts on Justin Gimelstob?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, obviously he's come through quallies and then had especially a good win today against Massu. I know it's not Massu's favorite surface, but he's a tough competitor on any surface. You know, he's hungry out there. He leaves everything out on the court. So Justin obviously had to play extremely well to beat him in a tight four‑set match.

I look forward to the challenge in the next round.

Q. Did you get a chance to catch up with Mark yet about his injury?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I haven't, no.

Q. From a Davis Cup point of view, does it encourage you that Mark is getting back to something like his old form?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's great to see Mark playing like we all know he can, and that he has for so many years. He had a lot of chances from what I saw and heard out there today against Marat. Marat's a tough player on any surface. He's got so much firepower.

Two tiebreaks could have gone either way. Could have been a different story.

Q. Personally, physically having had that break, coming in now second round at Wimbledon, are you back A‑Okay? Will you even feel fresher for having that time off?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know about "fresher," but I feel pretty good. I can't complain right at the moment. The body feels good. Obviously, to get a tough four‑set match today under my belt, that's just going to hold me in better stead for the longer I go in the tournament.

Yeah, you've got to get out of, you know, some tough matches in the first week of all Grand Slams. Today it was nice to get out there. I got off to a good start, you know, had a couple of lapses throughout the second and third set, but I was able to concentrate when I needed to and play the bigger points well.

Q. After a long layoff, what do you think the easiest surface is to come back on for a player?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably hard court.

Q. Why would that be?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, for most guys, unless you're Argentinian or Spaniard, obviously clay. A lot of guys ‑‑ for me, personally, because I grew up on hard court, so movement‑wise, ball striking, it gives you a lot of rhythm I think on a hard court.

But then again, the clay court specialists, clay is probably the easiest for them to come back purely because they're sliding. For them, that gives them a lot of rhythm, you know, going out there and hitting hundred‑ball rallies.

Q. During the BBC coverage, the cameras were on your girlfriend and your family. Pat Cash was heard to remark, "I beat she's up the duff." I just wonder if you mind your girlfriend being talked about like that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: What did he say?

Q. Pat Cash was commenting on the game. The camera came across your girlfriend. He remarked, thinking his microphone was off, "I bet she's up the duff." The BBC apologized for that. I wonder if you mind her being talked about like that?

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, Pat's ‑‑ Pat always comes out with some loose comments now and then. Yeah, I was talking to Pat in the locker room just before. He obviously didn't bring that up (laughter). We're obviously pretty good mates. You know, I've got a lot of respect for him as a person.

Q. No offense taken?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not from me.

Q. Do you feel like you're trying to restore a bit of lost Aussie sporting pride the way the cricketers started off at all?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. Is that the only thing you guys have won?

Q. Early days.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Very early days, mate.

Q. Are you a cricket fan?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think any Australian likes cricket. We love winning.

Q. Do you think they'll come back and win the Ashes?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Got no doubt.

Q. No doubt?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No doubt.

Q. How long have you had it over here, the Monaro? Do you get it to take it for burns much?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, it's not mine. My coach's fiancee actually has a dealership with Holden. Her father has a dealership with Holden in Adelaide. Roger got the car to drive around for a couple of weeks.

Q. Does it turn heads when you're driving it?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't driven it.

Q. Going back a fair way against Gimelstob, but anything ‑‑ you were a young bloke when you played him. Can you remember anything of those matches?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, his serve's obviously his biggest weapon. He's going to serve‑volley a hell of a lot. He plays with a lot of passion out there, as well. He's a guy that's always going to leave everything on the court. I'm going to have to return well and pass well and be very sharp out there. It's not going to be a long rallies against Justin.

L. Hewitt - Day 1 Rd 1 defeated Rochus
Monday, June 20, 2005

 

Q. A dumb question here. Is the grass fast or slow? We keep hearing different things from different people.

LLEYTON HEWITT: All grass is different. But today it was pretty slow, very slow. It felt very soft out there today. I've got no doubt, though, it's going to quicken up over the next two weeks, you know, the more play it gets on it, I think because the show courts just don't have any play at all. So, you know, today they're very green out there.

Both of us playing from the back of the court, where both of us were serving, we were leaving imprints into the court it was that soft. You know, I've never seen that before.

Q. Did you play one serve‑and‑volley point?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I tried to, but it was part of my 19 aces, I think (smiling).

Q. Did you feel more and more comfortable as the game went on?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, for sure. First round of any Grand Slam's tough. It's a match you just really want to get under your belt, go out there and get through it as quickly as possible. You know, today was no different.

I had some good rallies out there. I felt like, you know, footing‑wise, moving my feet, I got better as the match went on. It was a good hit out without wasting a lot of energy either.

Q. Coming from cracked ribs, did you think the serve would be as much as anything you'd gauge your recovery by, you must be delighted given your service game?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Apart from a couple of doubles here and there today, I thought I served extremely well. My first serve felt on song. You know, it's not a matter of always hitting as hard as possible; it's finding the angles and the lines and court position and setting myself up for the point.

I felt like I did that well at Queen's. It's just a played a guy that out‑served me. You know, I didn't ‑‑ that was probably one of my best serving matches I had against Karlovic at Queen's.

At that point, it really hasn't ‑‑ the ribs haven't affected my serve too much.

Q. Physically, where do you feel you're at?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, you know, I'm happy with where I'm at at the moment. But every match you're going to have to get better. There's no doubt that I'm going to play a lot better opponents throughout the tournament. I've got to take my game to another level. But I was happy with the matches that I got at Queen's and the way I've been practicing all last week. I've been hitting the ball sweetly. If I can just take that into this tournament, hopefully I'll have a good showing.

Q. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you describe your preparation or focus for this tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, preparation‑wise I've done, you know, everything I guess that was in my control. You know, when you're injured, you only play one tournament beforehand, then that's out of my control. There's not a whole heap I can do with that.

But at Queen's I felt like I got three tough matches. I played totally different style of games, big servers, Xavier Malisse who plays from the back of the court. Last week I practiced as hard as I ever had, hit a lot of balls in a lot of practice sets. Physically I feel like I'm in pretty good shape and mentally I'd say as well.

Q. Are you relaxed into this tournament?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I guess everyone's a little anxious to get the tournament underway when you've been practicing here for just over a week. You sort of want to get it started. I think in some ways the first round's a bit of a steppingstone.

Q. You unfortunately missed quite a lot of tennis this year because of your injuries. Is there any sort of pent‑up frustration or aggression inside you?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not a whole heap. Obviously, missing the French Open was disappointing. But as I say, it was out of my control. You know, once it's out of your control, then there's no point worrying on it or dwelling on it. It was something I had to get out of my mind as quickly as possible. I was practicing back in Australia on clay, the one clay court that we have there. I was trying to work on my game, training extremely hard getting ready for that.

But, yeah, I had to make that decision that I wasn't able to play, which basically was from the doctors, then it was pretty much just have to focus on the grass and getting ready for that.

Q. How disappointed were you to be demoted to 3 in the seedings when your ranking is 2?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not going to talk about it right here. There's seven matches to win the tournament. You know, there's no point dwelling on it.

Q. Is it one you've got tucked away?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Mate, I'm not going to talk about it.

Q. The allergies you used to have, are they under control now? Is it place by place?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Place by place a little bit. I still sneeze now and then, get a bit of hayfever and stuff. Yeah, it's pretty good. I can control it.

Q. Is this one of the places where it's pretty good, under control here usually?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Depends on the weather here in London. I found over the years, some days are worse than others. The hot weather sometimes brings it out a little bit more. But, yeah, it doesn't worry me when I get on the court, though.

Q. Your thoughts on possibly playing James Blake next round?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's another step up, at least a step up from today's match, if not a few. You know, James has got a lot of firepower out there, and you've really got to try and exploit that, you know, put him on the back foot as much as possible.

In a lot of ways, I've got to play the consistent game out there, make him play a lot of extra shots. But he's a talented player that can play an all‑court game. In that respect it's not going to be easy because you've got to mix it up. But it's a good test to have early in the tournament, that's for sure.

Q. Has the layoff been a bit of a blessing, you can come in here fresh and ready to go?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Who knows. Yeah, I feel ready to play. I think when I made my run at the Australian Open and at the US Open last year, I played a lot of matches going into both those slaps. So in some way it's different preparation, but it doesn't bother me either way. I feel fresh at the moment, I feel physically in good shape. If you can get the first week under your belt, get into the second week, I don't think it's going to play a big part in the tournament for me.

Q. Men from Australia and the US have dominated this tournament. Now you see countries like Spain, France and Germany have more players than the US, like Belgium have more players than Australia. Do you see a power shift going on geographically in the sport, something cyclical?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Definitely something's changed or gone wrong for Australia and the US, I guess. But on Australia's part, we don't have enough players. What have we got? We've got four guys in the main draw, the men's. One is a wildcard, one is a protected ranking who is going to retire soon, then we've got Wayne and myself. It's really not good enough for our country.

We've got to try and find a way of producing, you know, young kids to come up. This tournament is a huge tournament back in Australia. The tradition of talking about Wimbledon, even people that don't understand tennis, they know what Wimbledon is about. That's why I think it's held such a rich tradition in Australia and the top Australian players over the last 10, 20 years, or longer, because we've had so many great champions here.

Q. Have you spoken at all, a new development with a new guy being appointed in Australia, have you spoken to him at all or are you aware of his background?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't spoken to him. I don't know what he looks like to tell you the truth. I think he's South African. Yeah, I'd be interested to talk to him. But now is not the right time. Obviously, you know, maybe around Davis Cup time when I get back home, I'd definitely like to sit down and talk to him.

I think we've got to try and use a lot more of the top guys that have just come off the tour, there's no doubt about that, as coaching around Australia and to help the younger guys. We've got so many guys that are capable, Jason Stoltenberg is the perfect example of that, someone that can be based in Australia and work with the top Juniors. Whenever Todd Woodbridge stops, they're the first people that should pick up on him.

Q. You're still young yourself, but after your career...

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I haven't even thought about me at that stage. I'm just worrying about hopefully getting ‑‑ hopefully I'll be playing long enough to play with some of these next‑tier guys that come through. At the moment it's more looking at the guys that can help and change that.

Q. Have you spoken to the cricketers?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I had a message from Gilchrist.

Q. What have you been thinking watching them over the last week?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm thinking that England, we'll come back to bite 'em. That's what I'm thinking.

Q. How do you rate the Ashes chances?

LLEYTON HEWITT: England talk themselves up every time. I don't know. Obviously they've got a bit better unit this year. Our side, it's proven. We've had some better wins I think over the last couple years than England have.

Q. You mentioned the US. What do you think of the factors to their blip?

LLEYTON HEWITT: The US is definitely ahead of Australia at the moment. They've got a group of guys that came up just behind Andy Roddick: Dent, Fish, Ginepri, Morrison, these kind of guys, right now they're not the world beaters, not the Top 5, Top 10 in the world, but they're playing tournaments week in and week out on the tour. Australia doesn't even have that at the moment.

Obviously you need someone like a Roddick to carry the flag for America, especially the power of the United States, tennis needs, the sport needs a top player from that country, there's no doubt about it. Hopefully Roddick is going to stay up there for a while.

I don't know what their program is like, but they've been able to produce ‑‑ they've been very fortunate to have guys like Sampras, Courier, Agassi, Chang, these guys coming up all the time. You get a little bit spoiled I think.

Q. There's only one American ranked in the top 16 for the first time this 37 years. What do you attribute that to?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. Wouldn't have a clue. What is Agassi ranked?

Q. That are playing here now.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Thanks (smiling).

Q. Are you in any discomfort at all from the ribs now?

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, it's pretty good at the moment. I felt a couple of little twinges around maybe early Queen's when I was practicing, that was about it. Since then I haven't felt a thing. It's been great. I've been able to get in the gym and do pretty much as I normally would, which is good.

Q. What was the nature of the injury? Did you fall somehow?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I slipped down ‑‑ I was going to practice, and I slipped down some stairs in my house in Sydney. I just fell on my back and cracked two of my ribs in my back. It was pretty painful at the time.

Q. Slippery stairs?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I was wearing socks. Had my shoes at the bottom of the stairs. I was carrying my change of clothes.

Q. How would you rate your serve now compared to three years ago when you won the title?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Week in and week out I think it's better now. I've got more variety now. The only thing ‑‑ those two weeks I served extremely well when I needed to, when I went on to win the tournament here. It's hard to sort of rate it because it was one tournament and I served as well as I've ever served for those two weeks.

Q. Do you see that as a key to your progress?

LLEYTON HEWITT: For sure, for sure. I think that's definitely helped me over the last 18 months or so. It's an area we've been working on. I'm a good enough returner that I'm going to get opportunities to break if I can clean up my service games.