How a young kid from Adelaide kick-started an empire
Hewitt Incorporated: How a young kid from Adelaide kick-started an empire
By SHAUN PHILLIPS 06feb05
THINGS have always come quickly to Lleyton Hewitt.
Not necessarily easily – you don't win your first men's title at 16 by
cruising – but certainly swiftly.
At 20, Hewitt won his first Grand Slam – the US Open.
He then became the youngest season-ending world No.1.
At 21, Hewitt was a Wimbledon champion.
Now, 18 days shy of his 24th birthday, Hewitt is president of one of the
biggest one-man enterprises going round.
His drive as a young boy, famously first harnessed by his parents Glynn and
Cherilyn, has paid big dividends.
Hewitt remains loyal to his Adelaide roots – and the Australian tax man –
and still calls the South Australian capital home.
For the one month each year he does not spend travelling the world, Hewitt
throws his racquet bag in the laundry of his mansion in the exclusive western
suburb of West Lakes.
He bought the five-bedroom, two-storey, one-cinema house a couple of years
ago for $3.2 million.
Hewitt shares his digs with his best mate, Adelaide Crows magician Andrew
McLeod.
His property portfolio extends to three adjoining beachfront blocks in his
home town, plus at least one major investment in Melbourne.
During future Australian Opens, Hewitt will be able to move out of his
regular hotel suite and into his own penthouse in St Kilda Rd.
Hewitt reportedly paid nearly $4 million for a four-bedroom pad in the
Yve tower, now being built.
True to form, Hewitt found love early as well.
Belgian ace Kim Clijsters ended her engagement to the Australian in October,
but the boy has bounced back.
He's now happily squiring Home and Away starlet Bec Cartwright.
The union even survived an early road trip from Adelaide to Sydney.
It would have been a quick ride, however, in Hewitt's $420,000 Ferrari.
He pays for his lifestyle by winning tennis tournaments – 24 of them
before last Sunday's Open final.
On-court earnings in eight years are nudging $19 million, but these days
tournament cheques are dwarfed by those coming in from sponsors.
His biggest deal is with sporting goods giant Nike. That contract alone
is said to be worth $10 million a year.
Hewitt wields a Yonex racquet, and is paid up to $4 million a year to do so.
He doesn't get involved in many advertising deals outside tennis, the
toilet paper TV ads a memorable exception.
His manager Tom Ross, from the worldwide Octagon group, says there is a
simple reason for this. "Basically, Lleyton's earnings are at a level
where his time is too valuable to be doing a lot of small things," he said.
"Lleyton has video-game deals with Xbox and a Japanese company, Namco, which
are ongoing.
"He's done ads for a noodle company, Nissin, in Japan, but really, we take
a more long-term view with his deals."
Mr Ross said Hewitt had much to offer commercial backers.
"He's youthful, he's fit, he's attractive and he's had some high-profile
relationships on top of everything else. And the fact is, he lives a very
wholesome life," he said.
"He's a loyal friend and proud Australian. He wears it on his sleeve on
court, but I wouldn't swap him for anyone."
Hewitt frequently takes a large entourage on his travels, which, of course,
eats into his earnings.
His parents must be the most recognisable mum and dad in Australian sport,
while Glynn doubles as Lleyton's investment manager.
Coach Roger Rasheed is a close companion on and off the court.
And Melbourne chiropractor and physio Andrea Bisaz is on hand when needed.
This summer, Hewitt has taken his Crows connection even further, engaging
Adelaide's fitness man, Matt Norris, to keep his body going.
His sister Jaslyn, and now his fiancee, add glamour to the players' box.
Hewitt is generous to friends and has regularly had a friend travel the
circuit with him.
One mate, Hayden Eckermann, has been a regular companion and was courtside
again for the Open.
Mr Ross is a regular at the Grand Slam events.
But for all the material rewards, Hewitt has always played down riches as a
motivation.
"You throw five bucks out there in a tie-break and I want to win it," he
said in 2002.
"It's not how much money I'm playing for.
"I'm playing because I love the game. I love competing."
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