[情報] "Relaxed" Hewitt relishing underdog role
Sunday August 24, 02:52 PM
"Relaxed" Hewitt relishing underdog role
Lleyton Hewitt is enjoying the unfamiliar role of underdog and quietly priming himself to atone for a disappointing year in the grand slams at the US Open starting on Monday.
Hewitt, the 2001 champion, has been written off as no more than an outside chance by many Open pundits following his recent run of outs, including early round defeats in Cincinnati and Montreal since his first round exit at Wimbledon.
New York's Newsday went so far as to describe the Australian sixth seed as "practically off the radar".
But Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald said Hewitt was "hitting the ball unbelievably well" and ready to begin his climb back up the rankings at one of his favourite events.
Far from being uptight about his recent lack of success and slide down the rankings, Fitzgerald said the 22-year-old had seldom been as relaxed in training as he has this week.
Ever supportive, Fitzgerald insisted the lack of recent form could work for Hewitt.
"In some ways, it almost takes the pressure off him and I've got to say I've never seen him this relaxed and happy, and I've been here since last Tuesday," Fitzgerald said.
"I can't see that as a bad thing. He'll have a lot of intensity in his matches - there's never a worry about that. But I think leading up to it, it's good to be relaxed. He hardly missed a ball in that session today.
"Look, there's a difference between doing it here in practice and then taking it on to the first and second rounds but if he gets through the first couple of rounds, then look out.
"He's had great results here the last three or four years."
Hewitt spent about an hour practising with compatriot Mark Philippoussis and Fitzgerald rated both Australians among the tournament favourites.
"Lleyton's been in three semis in a row here and won one (title) in the last three years and Mark has been in a final here before (in 1998) and is coming off one of the best performances of his life at Wimbledon," Fitzgerald said.
"So why can't they both do well ... their draws are as good as they can hope for."
While Philippoussis doesn't open his campaign, against Serbian qualifier Janko Tipsarevic, until Tuesday or Wednesday - depending on the schedule released on Sunday - Hewitt will lead off the Australian challenge on Monday or Tuesday.
Hewitt meets Romanian Victor Hanescu, predominately a back-court player who reached the third round at both the French Open and Wimbledon this year.
The 198cm, 84th-ranked Hanescu is, according to Fitzgerald, the owner of "a pretty decent serve but not a great mover and he's a little bit stiff".
"I think it's good for Lleyton. I think he'll be fine. I don't think there'll be too many worries there," he said.
With Hewitt putting up the shutters in the Open lead-up, Fitzgerald has found himself an unofficial spokesman for the Young Australian of the Year.
And while Roger Rasheed remains very much the dual grand slam champion's fulltime coach, Fitzgerald and Davis Cup team coach Wally Masur have clearly also become advisors of sorts to Hewitt.
They have become regular fixtures at Hewitt's practice sessions and have been spending time with him socially, too.
On Saturday night, they went to watch the New York Yankees play.
"There's no reason for us to believe they don't want us here," Fitzgerald said.
"Lleyton's very happy. He's got Roger but he likes to have a group around him that he likes and trusts. That's where he feels comfortable.
"And he listens and takes it on board, the stuff we might say about his game."
If nothing else, the strong rapport - which also includes Hewitt playing doubles and golf with Philippoussis - bodes well for Australia's Davis Cup semi-final against Switzerland a week after the Open.
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