adidas International

January 13, 2001

Lleyton Hewitt

THE MODERATOR: First question for Lleyton, please.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. I've been getting better with each match that I've played the last week and last two weeks really. And it's nice to cap it off with a tournament win as well this year. It's always nice to get one early in the year, and, you know, no better than doing it in Australia as well. So I felt like today I really started hitting the ball well, and I think I can take a lot of confidence about beating a, you know, guy ranked No. 4 in the world going into the Australian Open.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. One's a Grand Slam, one's a tournament final. You know, Magnus was hitting the ball very well this time last year. I think he's hitting it pretty well. I'd say he definitely didn't play quite as well as he did last year in the Australian Open, whether that's got a bit to do with he's a bit tired from yesterday or it's not a Grand Slam or whatever. I think I'm definitely hitting the ball better than I was in that match, in that particular match. Whether that's got to do with I haven't played as many matches as I had going into that match against him last year, so maybe I was a little worn out going into that one. But I felt like out there today I moved the ball around well, I didn't make too many errors from the baseline, and when I was able to keep good depth out there, I won most of the points.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, not really. I think I've played so many big matches since that time that it -- I haven't really been thinking about winning too many tournaments. I've been going in and, you know, doing well in most of the big tournaments. And, you know, the big step for me sort of after that Queen's and after Wimbledon, that was to start doing well in the Masters Series events then the Grand Slams. I think I started completing that sort of goal by the end of the year, making the semis of the US Open, the final of Stuttgart where I was feeling ordinary that whole week and, you know, so close to actually winning that title. Then the Davis Cup finals. So I've had so many big matches lately, it doesn't really feel like I've missed out on too many titles.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, the first set was very hard out there. I thought it was very good tennis out there, particularly the first set. You know, I raised my game, I think, at the start of the second. You know, I think it was pushing probably about 50-something minutes for the first set. It was hard hitting out there. There weren't too many cheap points. You know, I think Magnus was probably a little tired still from yesterday as well. That's why he sort of gave me a bit of a cheap game in the second game in the second set which sort of got my confidence up, and I was able to extend it from there. But it's always nice in a final to get through in straight sets.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I hope so. Yeah, you never quite know, I suppose, until you get out there. And a lot's got to do with how you get through your first couple of matches, if you do, you know. So it's really hard to say in Grand Slams, I suppose, just best-of-five sets and how many tough matches or how much energy you've got to waste in your first few rounds. Come the end of the second week, you're still sort of feeling fresh, you know. At the moment I couldn't be happier, I think - the way that I'm hitting the ball, the way that I've got better with every match I've played. There's still a big question mark, but it's over everyone in the draw.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't really feel too much pressure playing in Australia. You know, I think the guys in the past have struggled playing in Australia just because the weight of expectations. I don't really feel that. I feel that this is where I was brought up, I've got -- the conditions suit me, the courts suit me, the climate. There's so many bonuses, I think, for me. Plus, I've got the crowd on my side. For me, you know, this is where it all started: Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne for me, my tennis career. So I don't feel any added pressure going out there. Sure, I want to do well, and if there's one Grand Slam I want to win it's the Australian Open. But I don't put any added pressure on myself going out there feeling like I've got to perform out there.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's a learning experience. Last year I went out there and I didn't feel like I was going to peak for Adelaide and Sydney and win both tournaments if you asked me before Adelaide. Things just happen. When I get out on the court, I give 100 percent in every match I play. I had better preparation going into Adelaide last year. And maybe because I played singles and doubles every week it took a little bit more out of me as well. This year, I stuck to singles. So far it's been paying off. I feel like I'm, you know, getting some of that sort of energy back in the legs I think out on the court. I was really struggling in the first few matches that I played in Adelaide, as I said. I've just been happier because I worked pretty hard after I lost in Adelaide there. If I did go out in the first round here, it was something I was going to have to say, you know, I haven't had the greatest preparation. I got through the first couple of rounds here, and now I think it's paying off.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's very nice, I like this tournament. You get a nice trophy. (Inaudible.) It sits up in my bedroom really, next to the Davis Cup trophy.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, I haven't heard what Pat said. I don't know much about it. It's got nothing to do with me really. Lindsay Davenport's won so many Grand Slams, I got no right to come in on her. She's a great player. To tell you the truth, I think she's in pretty good shape for a girl who's so big and so strong. I think Pat maybe opens his mouth a little bit too often.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm just concentrating on Jonas. That's the only guy I got to worry about. You know, if I get through that one, then I'll start worrying about the rest. You know, I feel like if I, you know, I can get through the first couple of rounds and get deep in the tournament, then I have a definite chance. But until then, I'm just concentrating on my first match and, you know, hopefully I can get through it and hopefully I won't have to waste too much energy in it as well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's very hard. Yeah, Melbourne's such a big sporting city, and, you know, everywhere you go obviously tennis is so big there at the moment that you're going to get recognized everywhere. So, you know, whether I go to the movies occasionally on my days off or whatever. But it's just really kicking back, and it's good that the cricket and stuff is on TV so we can watch that as well. You know, there's not a hell of a lot to do apart from concentrating on the matches ahead.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's something that I've had to learn I think in the last two or three years. I think in the past when I've had some big wins it's very hard, especially when you're a 16 -, 17-year-old in your first few Grand Slams and you start beating guys - for example, probably the Pioline match at the Australian Open a few years ago. It was hard to come down from that cloud that I was on for that night. It was very hard to get to sleep. I probably didn't get to sleep until four or five in the morning, after you have massages and everything. I had to come out, play doubles the next day, back it up with singles the day after. It's something that I'm learning to do though.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I haven't heard anything. It doesn't really worry me. What comes out, comes out. You know, whichever side of the draw they play, you know, it's a toss of the coin.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I just hang around with family and friends. I have, you know, my best mate from Adelaide comes over to watch as well. So it's just important to relax as much as possible really. You know, obviously, as I said, it's very hard in such a big city where sport is such a big part of everyone's life in Melbourne, and, you know, I just like hanging around relatives and friends and stuff like that. So that's all I'm going to be doing sort of during my breaks when I'm not practicing or playing.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I wouldn't say I hide myself away, but I definitely try to keep out of the spotlight as much as possible I think. Especially during those two weeks, you know, it's a very important time for me. And, you know, it is such a high priority, the Australian Open, on my calendar. So, you know, I've got to really be very mentally strong I think during those two weeks.