Might the end be nigh for defiant Hewitt?
Lleyton Hewitt
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6-2, 6-3, 6-4. It was a routine defeat, and one that failed to do justice to a rivalry that spans 11 years, 24 meetings and the accumulation of 88 career titles between two of the decade’s most prominent players.
As the imperious Roger Federer notched up his fifteenth consecutive victory over Lleyton Hewitt, there was no resentment from the Aussie favourite, more a simple determination to come back and do it all again. But that little bit better.
Monday’s defeat was his eighth loss in as many matches against Federer at Grand Slam level, but 28-year-old Hewitt will never stop believing.
“From my point of view, I did everything right – I prepared the way I wanted and gave 100 per cent every time,” said the 2005 Aussie Open finalist, who could respond to Federer’s barrage of 49 winners with only 18 of his own.
Federer’s excellence inspires Hewitt to be stronger himself, but having not beaten the 15-time Grand Slam champ since their Davis Cup meet in 2003, you can bet that Federer’s name will be one of the first he looks for ahead of every Grand Slam draw. ‘Please tell me Fed’s not on my side of the… Ah.’
Were it not for Federer, Hewitt would have won more than his two Grand Slams. He knows it, and it is probably the exact reason behind his desire to lift another. Winner of the 2001 US Open and the Wimbledon title the following year, Hewitt was denied a third slam in New York two years later. Not that it was a close encounter, Fed lost just six games in the 2004 final at Flushing Meadows, all of which came in the second set.
Fast-tracking his way to legendary status, the Swiss maestro stood in Hewitt’s way at the quarter-final stage of Wimbledon a few months earlier, and again blocked his path to victory in the semi-finals of both the US Open and Wimbledon in 2005. At SW19 in 2008 and in New York in 2009, it was a case of same story, earlier rounds.
Most might resign themselves to fate, concede they will never be good enough, stick their head in the sand and hope the problem- the problem being arguably the greatest player of all time – goes away. But Hewitt has never known when to lie down. It is one of his greatest and most defining traits.
His unrivalled determination, utter self-belief, and fist-pumping c’mon-yelling willpower have always shone like the Melbourne sun.
“I ran into the guy who’s the benchmark at the moment. I could have taken some of the guys left in the draw playing like I did and that’s frustrating,” he stressed in the aftermath of his latest defeat to Federer.
But for how much longer can Federer and assorted others block his challenge for another major? In early January, Hewitt spoke of his determination to win a third Grand Slam. He remains convinced that he is capable, through sheer grit, resilience and fighting spirit, if not for the swashbuckling, counter-punching style that earned him two Grand Slams and two Tennis Masters Cup titles by the age of 21.
Hewitt will blow out the candles on his 29th birthday on February 24. Federer follows on August 8. And unless the Australian No.1 has plans to stick around until Federer settles down by the fire to write about his illustrious past, hopes of another Grand Slam title seem optimistic to say the least. That’s not to mention the obstacles to glory that would remain, despite the absence of the world No.1. The bar has again been raised, and the wave of youthful talent sweeping through the upper echelons of the men’s game continues to pour through.
You’ll mention Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, del Potro, Roddick, Davydenko – all of the top ten in fact – as contenders for the major tournaments in the coming year. But regardless of his personal aspirations (shared by the majority of the top 1000 you’d expect), nobody mentions Lleyton Hewitt.
Without doing a disservice to the world no.22, his days as a realistic contender for the major honours might soon be numbered. While you would never say never – Goran Ivanisevic winning Wimbledon in 2001 as a wildcard entrant springs to mind – Hewitt’s chances are slender.
Already planning for life after tennis, Hewitt recently launched ‘Signature Sports Management’ and his company have already acquired the signature of promising young Melbournian Olivia Rogowska. Hewitt’s hopes of Grand Slam glory may now lie firmly in the hands of his charges.
He kept it quiet throughout his Aussie Open campaign, but the former world No.1 admitted to soreness in his right hip after injuring it during a practice session at the Hopman Cup. Though keen to avoid a repeat of the surgery on his left hip that so disrupted his 2008 season, Hewitt gave every indication that he still intends to play a full season in the year ahead.
Hewitt’s worth to the game could never be overstated, and he has remained an integral player on tour since bursting on to the scene as the youngest qualifier in the history of the Australian Open (aged 15 years 11months). While many come and go (one hit wonders, if you will) Hewitt achieved phenomenal consistency, winning at least one ATP Tour title every year from 1997 through to 2007. In 2001, he picked up six.
Recently rated as the third-best player of the decade by the ATP World Tour, he sits behind only Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in an industry assessment of all the champions between 2000 and 2009.
It is a prestigious accolade and fully deserved, but the presence of the two men in the spots above him is a large part of the reason why Hewitt has not had more, and will likely never again lift a Grand Slam.
The proud Australian has been nothing less than a wonderful servant to the game – we’d love him to continue to be so – but there is one question on our lips as his hopes of a third major slip further from his grasp.
Might we soon see the last of that trademark fist-pump?
