TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 31, 2000

Lleyton Hewitt

ATP: Questions for Lleyton.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Obviously I got broken twice and had game points in both those games. Out there, I felt a lot closer. I had 15-30 in the first game of the third set. Finally he'd missed a few first serves. You know, on the game points, I didn't really attack much. I just sort of was out there playing. You know, he came up with great shots on those game points to sort of get the break.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No. The first set and few games, he was unbelievable. It was tough conditions out there tonight. The ball was swirling a lot. I couldn't see his serve at all. He served great. He didn't give me any rhythm at all. You know, even when he did miss a first serve, which wasn't very often, he was coming up with huge second serves, as well. He mixed up his serve well. Off the ground, that's as well as I've seen him hit the ball for a while. I think it's sort of the Pete Sampras of old, that's for sure.

LLEYTON HEWITT: He started missing a few first serves. It's as simple as that. I started sort of moving forward, just having a go at his second serve when I got the opportunity. It's a big thing, just confidence out there. I started getting these second serves, then I started reading his first serve a lot better while I was out there, as well. I think that was the turning point in sort of the end of the second set.

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. Last couple of nights, last night against Jan-Michael Gambill, I got used to walking off to the side, good ace. Wasn't that big of a shock to the system tonight.

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit because I'd already had my game point, sort of my chance to close out that game, just to settle the ship, I suppose, at the start of the third set to get to one game all, you're sort of in the set then. Definitely was a big point. As you said, I was always the one retrieving. I didn't really have a chance to attack him or put any pressure on him on that breakpoint.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I hope so. There's not that many guys who can play as well as he is at the moment. Obviously, everyone has their ups-and-downs. I've had a lot of highs so far at the start of the year. I hope it continues.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No. I definitely wasn't. But, you know, that's one thing about playing Pete. He doesn't give you the timing as much. That's why Pete is No. 2 in the world, has been No. 1. That's why Jan-Michael Gambill is 80 or 90 in the world.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. You know, he can hit that one anywhere. He was hitting as well as I've seen him, the two times before that, tonight was definitely the best he's played. That's for sure.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure when I can get a flight. As soon as possible.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to go back Sampras. Obviously, Gustavo is hitting the ball well. Everyone says you've got to sort of escape sort of out of a situation to win a big tournament. Gustavo definitely did that early in the tournament. He's hitting the ball well to beat Agassi so well today. If I was going to have a bet, I'd probably go on Pete.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. Not really, mate. I was feeling physically pretty good.

LLEYTON HEWITT: That's pretty normal. That happens every time I step on the court.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Mine?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. You know, I've definitely got a lot more confidence playing on grass over the last year or so. Last year, if you look, including Davis Cup matches, if you look at the guys I lost to on grass, it was Sampras, Rusedski and Becker, who aren't three bad grass court players. I beat Kafelnikov and Safin at Davis Cup. They're not traditional grass court players, but they're still great players. I feel pretty comfortable on it. But it is going to be a big test next week playing the Davis Cup tie.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I've never played on it.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No. It's right next to the court I love (laughter).

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. I probably would have preferred the day, I would have said. But, you know, coming off a night match last night, you know, I definitely would have preferred as much a break as I could have got.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. Obviously, starting to serve a lot of faults. I don't know if that had anything to do with the back injury. He was sort of coming down on his serve a little bit more. I couldn't notice him sort of favoring any side out there.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, for sure. You can't take away sort of 25 wins and 3 losses. I'll take it, for sure. To make the semifinals of this tournament, as well, you know, it's a good achievement. It's a good stepping stone for me now to try and raise the bar again, sort of go to the next level.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Pete's?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Very difficult. He can go anywhere with it. He's got the same ball toss. It's very hard to pick. Particularly tonight, the ball was gusting so much as well coming off the court. He's got a great serve, first and second.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. It just took me a little bit of time to get that rhythm going. He was sort of in a zone there for a set and a few games, the second set. He didn't really give me any chances at all to get any rhythm. Then he started missing some first serves, I started picking up on his second serve. I started picking up his first serve pretty well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: That's why he's possibly the greatest player. He can do anything.