Hewitt can do it: Rafter
Hewitt can do it: Rafter
By Leo Schlink
20jun04
PAT RAFTER believes Australia can defy a worrying lack of depth and continue
its excellent Wimbledon strike rate through Lleyton Hewitt and Mark
Philippoussis.
The dual All-England Club finalist and former world No. 1 senses Hewitt and
Philippoussis can provide Australia's fifth men's singles finalist in as many
years.
Hewitt, the 2002 champion, and Philippoussis, overwhelmed in last season's
final by Roger Federer, followed Rafter on to the most famous stage in tennis
after the Queenslander lost heartbreaking deciders to Pete Sampras in 2000
and Goran Ivanisevic a year later.
Rafter predicts seventh-seed Hewitt will rebound sharply after failing last
season to reach the semi-finals or better of a grand slam for the first time
since he exploded into major tennis five years ago.
"I've made the mistake of writing off a mate before and I won't be doing that
again," Rafter said.
"Lleyton's an amazing competitor and he's done some freaky things in the past
- and he can do it again.
"He's definitely among the top four guys who stand out as the main chances.
He's up there with Roger Federer, Tim Henman and Andy Roddick.
"He probably hasn't been hitting the ball as well as he could, but he'll get
stuck in and work really hard because he knows that's what he has to do to be
successful.
"The game has changed since I retired (2001) and it's incredible how guys are
able to generate the power they do when they are wide out on the court. I
think it must be the (new) strings.
"Some of the guys have caught up to Lleyton and gone past him a bit because
of the strings, but he's always going to be a threat because he's such a
great competitor."
Shocked in the first round 12 months ago by giant Croat qualifier Ivo
Karlovic, Hewitt is seeded to play Federer in the quarter-finals.
At his best, Hewitt is capable of upsetting the defending champion and world
No. 1 as borne out by a 7-4 record against the Swiss.
Rafter said Hewitt would use the Karlovic experience as a spur to greater
heights tomorrow as he opened his campaign against Austrian Jurgen Melzer,
who has lost two matches to the Australian over the past five weeks.
"Lleyton won't let what happened last year affect him," Rafter said.
"He'll be going out there to play his best and he won't be worrying about
last year."
Philippoussis faces Belgian qualifier Christophe Rochus, who has won only one
match at Wimbledon in five attempts.
The Victorian regained vital confidence with a low-key victory at a Stoke
Park exhibition on Friday and, said Rafter, the man he defeated in the 1998
US Open final was capable of quickly hitting his straps.
"Mark's probably not going into the tournament with a lot of confidence,"
Rafter said. "But he has the ability of playing good tennis out of nowhere.
"I would put him in a group of guys behind the main four, along with guys
like Taylor Dent and (Greg) Rusedski.
"On grass, the big servers are always dangerous and unpredictable. Mark falls
into the category and he's done well at Wimbledon in the past."
Philippoussis, seeded 11th, has not won a rankings-point match since defeating
Croat Mario Ancic in the third round of the Australian Open on January 24.
Australia has only four men in singles contention after - for the first time
in memory - not having a sole entrant in qualifying.
Sydneysider Todd Reid, the 2002 boy's singles champion, has been included as
a wildcard contender and will challenge American 30th-seed Vince Spadea.
Spadea needed three sets to roll Reid in Adelaide last year and will be wary
of the 20-year-old from NSW.
Victorian Wayne Arthurs, strangely unable to have an impact on English grass
in outings at Nottingham and Queen's Club, meets German Florian Mayer.
If successful against Mayer, Arthurs will play either South African net-rusher
Wesley Moodie or Argentine third-seed Guillermo Coria.
Despite French Open finalist Coria's encouraging showing at Rosmalen this
week, the tennis caravan was awash with tips Coria would be the first senior
seed to topple.
Defending champion Federer begins his quest for a third major against
307th-ranked British wildcard Alex Bogdanovich.
Queen's Club winner and second seed Roddick faces qualifier Yeu-Tzuoo Wang.
--
Wimbledon no tougher now: Hewitt
From correspondents in London
19jun04
EVEN with the prospect of facing top seed Roger Federer in the quarter finals,
Lleyton Hewitt rejects the notion that this year's Wimbledon will be much
tougher than when he won the title in 2002.
When Hewitt claimed his second grand slam title two years ago, he sat alone
at the top of world tennis as a 21-year-old while Andre Agassi and Pete
Sampras were on the way down.
But he denies tennis was in a lull at the time while it was awaiting the
emergence of the likes of current world No.1 and defending Wimbledon champion
Federer and No.2 Andy Roddick.
Hewitt, now ranked No.10, acknowledged Federer and Roddick add ingredients
which weren't at the All England Club in 2002, but he pointed to Sampras and
Agassi who were there and still good enough to win the 2002 US Open and 2003
Australian Open respectively.
"Yeah, but I guess Sampras and Agassi were at their best or close to their
best back then as well," he said.
"Mark Philippoussis was another guy, there was always dangerous floaters in
the draw.
"It's always going to be a tough tournament to win.
"There's always going to be upsets at Wimbledon probably more so than any
other grand slam because in the past you've had so many clay court
specialists come as high seeds and get knocked out early and that leaves
openings in the draw."
The second round exits of Sampras and Agassi in 2002 left a couple of big
holes in the draw which allowed Hewitt to march into the final without facing
a top 10 player until he beat Tim Henman in the semis.
No such luxury has been afforded the seventh seed this year, with a scheduled
quarter final against Federer.
Hewitt has a 7-4 career record over Federer, but although he has lost both
matches against the Swiss this year, the potential quarter final is shaping
as a massive meeting of the tournament's last two champions.
"That's if he gets there, if they both get there," said Hewitt's coach Roger
Rasheed.
"They've had good matches against each other and tough matches. If we get to
that situation, fantastic, we'll be pretty happy.
"Lleyton's form's very good, he's in a good spot at the moment, so his form's
good so we'll have to wait and see how the first week pans out and especially
Monday.
"He's done the hard work and the preparation, so he feels good."
Hewitt opens his tournament on Monday against Austrian world No.42 Jurgen
Melzer whom he beat in four sets in the second round at the French Open last
month.
He heads a slim four-man Australian contingent in the men's singles,
completed by the badly out of touch 11th seed Philippoussis, Wayne Arthurs
and 2002 Wimbledon boys champion Todd Reid.
Philippoussis comes into the tournament as last year's finalist but on the
back of eight successive first round losses in ATP tour events this year.
He was handed a great chance to break his duck when he drew a qualifier for
his opening match on Tuesday, but Belgian world No.117 Christophe Rochus
won't be easy, especially given the Victorian's form.
Arthurs' form has not been much better with four consecutive first round
losses and he faces up and coming German Florian Mayer on Monday.
Wildcard Reid starts his first senior Wimbledon campaign on Tuesday against
30th seed Vince Spadea.
--
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