WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2002

Lleyton Hewitt

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I was , yeah, a little bit slow, but I was still able to hold onto my serve. I didn't lose a service game all day. Even though I wasn't, you know, as sharp as probably normal, as I could have been, I was still able to, you know, get my service games under my belt, then, you know, have a go at his service game. In that way it was lucky. The way that he served, he's obviously a big server, and I didn't go down an early break because that would have given him a lot more confidence.

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit surprised, but he's obviously got a lot of confidence going. He's won three matches in quallies, then won his first round here in four sets. You know, he served big. I asked around before the match and I knew his main weapon was his serve. You know, I really couldn't get on it that much today - his first serve. Every time he got a second serve, I felt like I would win 90% of the points. On his first serve, he served really well. Obviously, you know, he was a little bit disappointed he couldn't have won that second set tiebreaker, then he was probably on a bit of a high, then just came down, and that's when I tried to step it up another gear, you know, try and finish it off in straight sets.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't know. I don't know if you're calling the one I served, an ace down the T, but that was inside the line. I wouldn't say it was a huge turning point. He was actually walking before the late call came. I don't know about that one. I can't really remember his serve that he may have argued that much. He didn't make a big scene anyway. You know, I felt like the calls in the tiebreak weren't that bad.

LLEYTON HEWITT: As I said, his first serve was huge. He didn't miss a serve in the tiebreak until 5-4. Then, you know, he didn't play the best point at 5-4. He gave me a chance. Then he missed another serve at 5-All. I was going to take it every time after that. I was going to make him play as many balls as it took in that next point. I came up with a good passing shot at 5-All. To his credit, though, he didn't give me a cheap point at 6-5. He made me work extremely hard. You know, I felt like that was a huge turn around within two or three points.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It was a strange court. Yeah, it had cracks in it. It looks like, you know, there's all squares out there. It was strange.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not that slow. His serve was definitely coming through (smiling).

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was more sort of towards the end of the baseline area, just beyond the baseline. But you could actually see where it looked like it had just been like a jigsaw . They put blocks out. Whereas I didn't notice that the other day, two days ago, on Centre Court. I don't know if the weather, a bit of heat, it's starting to crack a little bit more than normal. Maybe Centre is doing that now, a couple days on as well. I'm not sure.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Still a lot of good players left in the tournament, you know. What is it, I've won two matches, so there's five to go. For me, I just look at the five opponents that I have to play. You know, you can't get -- in Grand Slams, you can't get too far ahead of yourself. It was an extraordinary day to lose three of the biggest names around. But, you know, I'm not that surprised. The depth in men's tennis is incredible. You know, you have a slightly off day, you know, it won't be good enough.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, I just block out as many things as possible. I wasn't going to let anything, you know, ruin the way that I was playing throughout that second week, and nothing did. I got better and better with every match that I played. You know, I learned how to block out everything, apart from going out there and playing, you know, the tennis that I felt like I was capable of doing.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'd say I'm pretty mentally tough. I'm probably one of the most mentally tough guys around. You know, it wasn't that hard for me. You know, I concentrate on my tennis every time I step on the court. You know, it wasn't that hard, I don't think, for me to go out there and do it. Just concentrate on the tennis and nothing else.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I saw it. You know, can't do much about it. I didn't see a ball hit. You know, no use in me worrying about it when I'm out there. You know, just concentrate on my game.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, not really. You know, just felt like obviously Jonas probably passes a lot better than that guy today would. So I just tried to add a little bit more, another dimension, just to keep the guy on his toes a little bit, to be not as predictable out there. I felt like when I came in, I volleyed well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. You know, if you can't get up for Wimbledon, you can't get up for much. You know, I feel if you don't get up for matches, you'll have results like some of the big guys did yesterday, and Federer had a couple of days ago. You know, you've got to be prepared to play your best tennis and put your A game on the line every time you step out there.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, it's hard to say. I don't have a huge -- if they're putting -- bringing as many people into the game, then I think that's the main thing. You know, we're still playing best-of-five sets, though, and lasting a long time. But I think at the end of the day if people want to come in and watch women's tennis more than men's tennis, they deserve the same. Until that happens, I don't know.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I haven't read anything or heard anything.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No. The only things I've heard of steroids, getting banned, was Coria and Chela and Korda. That's all I know about it.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You'll have to ask the experts. I don't really know much about it. I'd say if it's going to help one area, it's probably training or something. I guess, being fitter and training harder. I'm not an expert on that. I wouldn't have a clue.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Wimbledon is Wimbledon. Really, I don't really care if I get to Sunday week who I'm playing. You know, qualifier, lucky loser, No. 2 seed, doesn't matter. We're all starting in the tournament. You know, obviously it's a shame I think for the crowd and the spectators maybe that they don't get to see Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi walk out and play again another match. We saw it happen at the Australian Open. A lot of big names went out early. I don't think it hurt the tournament at all.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's definitely going to be tough. You know, the French probably takes a lot more out of you, I think, energy-wise. To try and back it up, you still have a couple weeks, but normally if you win the French, it's going to be hard to go out and practice on grass the following week. You're going to need a bit of a break. With that, I think it's probably harder. I think you don't get as such good preparation if you go late into the French Open. You don't get that time to adjust maybe as well as some of the other guys who lose, you know, in the first three or four rounds.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Sure. I'm sure some people still on the tour can do it.