Lleyton Hewitt isn’t the greatest Australian champion, but he may be the feistiest. Watching the career of such a ferocious, intense competitor had a direct impact on me both as a player and writer. Hewitt made tennis real and raw and exciting. So when I finished writing a book about Roger Federer, I decided to make Hewitt the focus of my book, Facing Hewitt. Given the fact Hewitt had always politely rebuffed my interview requests with a quick reason why he couldn’t talk, I decided to write the book by talking to Hewitt’s opponents. Interviewing dozens of players who faced Hewitt from all stages of his career and listening to them talk about the matches they played and the memorable moments from these matches was fascinating. Researching the book I got the feeling that I went to battle with Hewitt a hundred times! Players told me tactics they used for neutralizing Hewitt such as hitting down the middle against him to make him create offense, as opposed to challenging him to hit on the run. Brad Gilbert told me Hewitt is more dangerous and gets more speed on his swing when he hits on the run. And several players told me they think Hewitt has one of the best lobs of all time. Here are five revelations from Facing Hewitt.
1. RIVALS SAW GREATNESS IN YOUNG RUSTY Skeptics sometimes dismissed the young counterpuncher. Elite players saw greatness in the teenage Hewitt. Argentine Guillermo Canas told me former world No. 1 Marcelo Rios predicted Hewitt would someday rise to the top of tennis after watching the young Aussie practicing on an adjacent court one day. “I was practicing with Marcelo Rios; at that moment Rios was No. 1 or No. 2 in the world and Rios told me ‘That guy [Hewitt] is gonna be the next No. 1,’ “ Canas told me. “Even though at the time Hewitt was in the forties in the rankings. It was funny. I said ‘No way!’ And Rios was right. He told me Hewitt was gonna be No. 1 and he was right. “It was really, really tough to beat Hewitt on any court.”
2. PRACTICE IS HEWITT’S BATTLE GROUND Players often call practice a “sparring session.” Hewitt treats practice like a fight. He practiced as hard as he played, often exuding the same fervor in practice that he brought to major matches.
“ IT WAS REALLY, REALLY TOUGH TO BEAT HEWITT ON ANY COURT.
“ 2015 AUSTRALIAN OPEN PREVIEW
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