Remember How Great Lleyton Hewitt Was?

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By Scoop Malinowski

I’m gonna catch some flak for this but I think Hewitt, at his best, his feistiest, most fired up and tenacious, could put a beating on anyone from tennis history…Federer, Nadal and Djokovic included.

Heck, we saw what Hewitt did to Pete Sampras in that U.S. Open final of 2001. Hewitt slammed Poor Pete to the tune of 76 61 61. And it wasn’t like Pete was tired from a long semi – he bested Safin, the defending champ, in straight sets. In his semi, Hewitt blasted Kafelnikov 1-2-1.

Hewitt could do that. He could just annihilate quality players like a mini steamroller, even in the business end of major tournaments, which is quite rare. Can you remember Federer or Nadal just blowing through major semis and finals like Hewitt?

I vividly remember how tough Hewitt was, as his dominance happened when I first got serious about playing competitive tennis. Eyes bulging and burning, neck veins popping, fixing that necklace, fidgeting with his strings, those smirky facial expressions, which delivered messages of intimidation and even subtle taunting at times: “You don’t have any chance, mate.” No one could match Hewitt’s intensity. Remember the time he broke Alex Corretja in the first game of an indoor match and shouted a Come Awwwn! which really irritated the cool Spaniard. But that was how extraordinarily intense Hewitt was, it was far beyond the typical levels.

Another time Hewitt was en route to putting a triple bagel on Corretja at the Australian Open and he almost got it too.

Hewitt was quicker than a cat, about as consistent as anyone in history, very solid volleys and an underrated serve. I loved that running backhand slice he could drop down the line for passing shot winners. His backhand could pass with ease either up the line or cross court. Hewitt made it look easy. But best of all he had a fighting spirit second to none. Like a professional boxing friend of mine said with a hint of respect and also annoyance, “He looks like he wants to fight (the opponent).”

Man, could he fight on the court. Out-sized or out-manned, it didn’t matter, Hewitt fought and fought until the bitter end. He’s won over 570 matches since turning pro in 1998. He’s won 28 career singles titles, the first being Adelaide as a precocious and unknown sixteen-year-old ranked 550 in the world.

Hewitt could do amazing things on the court, like come back from two sets down and two points away from death against Federer in Davis Cup. Like beating a prime Gustavo Kuerten on clay in Davis Cup in Brazil. Like manhandling a guy named Pete Sampras in a major final.

No one played with more passion, more guts, more desire, more intensity than Lleyton Hewitt, ranked #1 in 2001 and 2002.

Just 5-11, 160 pounds, Hewitt could very well be pound for pound the greatest player in tennis history. He had exactly the qualities to overcome prime Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Yes he could.

There. I just put the chip on Hewitt’s shoulder. I dare ya to knock it off.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Thanks Hartt. Hewitt was not only young but he was physically still a kid, like a kitten before becoming a cat. Yet he still took over tennis. Not sure if you experienced Hewitt's takeover but to me it was more impressive and entertaining than this Fed Rafa Era. Hewitt's combative rebellious 'me against the world' persona was more colorful and exciting than what we have today and that's saying a lot because Fed and Rafa are like Ali and Frazier, Evert and Martina and the Yankees vs Red Sox combined. Loved Hewitt and feel that he's being forgotten and not properly remembered. There are no books out there about Hewitt other than my Facing Hewitt. Latisha Chan is winning everything, this week she is playing with her sister and letting Hingis take a break. Hingis and Chan are dominating.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Let's hope everyone's beloved champion Del Potro is ok and not going to be forced to take yet another injury hiatus.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Catherine; I believe Hewitt is one of the most incredible champions in tennis history and that he's being forgotten. His reign of dominance was unbelievable to watch. It was more exciting and entertaining, to me, than even this Fed and Rafa era. Just so fun to watch this lil guy with a big heart and even bigger chip on his shoulder just dominate the sport and roar like a lion. I miss it and appreciate how Hewitt inspired Federer and Rafa to become the greats they are. We all know how Hewitt dominated Fed and forced him to become his maximum best. And of course we can all see that young Rafa was shaped and inspired by watching the fire and fury and passion of young Hewitt. I see Hewitt in Rafa as clear as day and as clear as we see the image of Sampras in Federer.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Hewitt was basically a junior who dominated the ATP. Young Rafa was too but physically he was more physical than any veteran or any player in history period. Like I said, what Hewitt achieved and what he did was more impressive to me than what Fed and Nadal did. If Hewitt never played tennis and he only played Aussie Rules footy I wonder what tennis would look like today.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Spadea never beat Hewitt, even lost to the 16 yr old Hewitt. Nalbandian proved on many occasions he could play the calibre of tennis that could destroy prime Fed and Rafa. Nalbandian made the F at Wimbledon when it began playing like a hard court. Don't diminish this great career run by Nalbandian.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

To say Hewitt just filled the gap for those two years he dominated is inaccurate. It sounds like Hewitt just luckily kind of fell into the no. 1 slot by accident and luck. Come on! that's absurd. Hewitt earned it with so many miraculous come from behind wins over and over and over. Guys like Moya Kafel Pete Andre Roddick Ferrero Corretja Blake were all trying to beat the little SOB's brains in but they could not do it. They should have done it but they all failed. Hewitt was special, very special and not just some gap filler. The very special players change the sport. And Hewitt did. Now everyone yells come on - Serena, Rafa, Fed, Maria all emulated the Hewitt spirit, Fed does it on rare special big matches like vs Djokovic in Paris SF 2011. Hewitt influenced the game with his spirit and no doubt was a huge HUGE influence on young Rafa. Hewitt also beat up on Federer and forced him to raise his game to new levels which he did, just like Joe Frazier did to Muhammad Ali. Without Hewitt sparking him to greatness, we really don't know how great Fed would have become. Imagine Ali without Frazier and Foreman.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Joe, Hewitt raised the intensity level of tennis with his fighting spirit and come ons. Before Hewitt no one did the excessive celebrations or used emotional adrenaline like Hewitt. He changed the sport. Everyone plays better with emotional adrenaline. Hewitt is the origin of it. Nobody did it like Hewiit before Hewitt.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

No, Hewitt is best known for being the dominant kingpin of tennis for TWO YEARS. People tend to forget that. Or for some reason try to diminish it or discredit it as that he fell into the no. 1 ranking like a roulette ball falls into a slot.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Now we measure dominance? Hewitt was no. 1 in the world for TWO YEARS. That is dominance. By a kid who weighed 145 and stood five foot eleven inches tall. Welterweight dominated heavyweights.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

If Hewitt had Nadal's height and Fed's height he'd have dominated longer in my opinion. I don't think there has been a world no. 1 under six feet tall since Hewitt.

 

[Haelfix]

Hewitt was like most tennis players in the older era. His peak was from 18-23. A few things really derailed his career:

1) He lost some of his wheels due to injury. This was really significant for him, b/c he relied on them to compete with baseliners.
2) Surfaces and balls got a lot heavier. Even years later, Hewitt would still win the occassional ATP tour event with a throwback surface, and he was at his best on super fast surfaces where he didn't have to create his own pace and where he could counterpunch as much as he wanted. He was completely dominant in those circumstances and could compete with any player on tour there.
3) Federer kinda figured him out. Like a lot of players that Federer faced in his early years, he got accustomed to their games and eventually shut them out with superior talent. Hewitt owned Federer early, but once the tables turned, he was never able to come back.
4) Serve and Volleyers died out. Hewitt was their most natural counter, and once there were fewer of them it was harder to advance deep in slams as opposed to grinding out multiple 5 set matches against baseliners.

At his best, he was more than capable of beating anyone, and he really has been underrated for some time now.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Hewitt beat prime Pete Sampras in the US Open final by a blowout. It was like Pete getting run over by a Mac Truck. Masterpiece of all time great tennis. Masterpiece of tennis genius and brilliance.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Catherine, Tennis is a game of centimeters and inches and everything counts. Agassi was a lot physically stronger than Hewitt.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Backhand slapper; But they couldn't knock Hewitt off the No. 1 perch for TWO years. Dominance. They all tried but Hewitt sent em all home.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Haelfix, Good analysis. Serve and volleyers lost their confidence and could no longer play that style with confidence. The Baseline power and counterpunching style became too good and destroyed the serve and volley tactics. Also the racquet and string technology probably contributed to the demise of the serve and volleyers but you wonder why didn't the racquet constructors build a frame and string which uplifted serve and volleyers? Pete Sampras once said "serve and volley works but no one does it good enough now."

 

[backhandslapper]

This thread should be retitled "Misremember how great Hewitt was?"

Saying "Hewitt is like most players from the older era" equals saying: "Hewitt is nothing special."

Agassi, Sampras, Becker, Lendl, Edberg, McEnroe, the current stars -- all those players remained competitive into their late twenties and some of them even well into their thirties.

Tell me that Lendl, a guy whose match-winning percentage exceeded 90% five different years, was dominant and would give the Big Four a run for their money if he was in his prime now.

No problem.

But Lleyton Hewitt?

The dude won only 82% of his matches during his best year. And he got over 80% twice (unless we count really small samples).

You guys call that a dominance?

He was past his best in 2003, at only 21/22. He's the walking definition of gap champion. Matured and peaked early, had his Christmas despite some suspect numbers as the eras changed, but got surpassed and left behind rather quickly by far superior players once they matured and fulfilled their potential.

He was better than Roddick and Ferrero, but notch and a half below the Big Four. You can romanticize him with rose-colored glasses, but let's not call it remembering.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

I saw that Hewitt final win vs Fed in Brisbane and thought it was the last surge of Hewitt greatness. He also beat Nishikori there, and just played out of his mind turn back the clock Hewitt tennis. The last surge of Hewitt greatness. Fed did not tank that match or subconsciously tank it. I don't think Fed would ever tank a final unless the opponent was just playing too well and he would coast to the finish (like Cincy final to Zverev). I believe Hewitt beat Fed in three tough sets in that final. No tank or bone toss.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

I saw that Hewitt final win vs Fed in Brisbane and thought it was the last surge of Hewitt greatness. He also beat Nishikori there, and just played out of his mind turn back the clock Hewitt tennis. The last surge of Hewitt greatness. Fed did not tank that match or subconsciously tank it. I don't think Fed would ever tank a final unless the opponent was just playing too well and he would coast to the finish (like Cincy final to Zverev). I believe Hewitt beat Fed in three tough sets in that final. No tank or bone toss.

LOL, you seriously have to be kidding. That was a horrendously bad match by Roger and was 100% about him being crap that day more than a Hewitt resurgence. Hewitt had no business winning any match against Federer at that stage of his career unless Roger played an absolute stinker which he did that day and don't forget this was the first tournament of the 2014 season following Roger's injury laden 2013. He was making tons of errors that day and lost a lot of matches to guys he shouldn't have in 2013 too because of the back issues.

 

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Scoop Malinowski writes:

Not buying your sell. I thought Hewitt played out of his mind that week. The eyes were burning and blazing with the old fire. The veins were popping. I say Hewitt's level was too much for Fed that day. I saw the old Hewitt that day. The last surge of Hewitt's greatness emerged that day. Wondrous performance by Hewitt. Not buying your discrediting and diminishing of the tennis brilliance Hewitt summoned that day. Come AWWWWWNNNNNNNNNN!!