TMS - THE ERICSSON OPEN

March 26, 2000

Lleyton Hewitt

MIKI SINGH: Questions for Lleyton.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Obviously, I haven't really looked back on the statistics or the sort of results of my matches. I've just been going out there and taking it one match at a time. After I won Adelaide and Sydney, I was 10-0. I got to a winning streak of 13 during the Australian Open, then it started again at the Davis Cup and through Scottsdale. I feel like I've got a lot of self-confidence on the moment. I feel out on the court I could match up with basically anyone out there. Today was possibly the best ball-striking day I've ever had. Right from the word go, ready to sort of pounce on any short ball today. As well as I've hit the ball, I think.

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit in one way. Still I think a lot of people, even the people overseas now, whenever they talk about it, it's always this winning streak I was on and all this. I think a lot more people, the public and the media, expect me just to go out there and beat these guys very comfortably, as well, which I'm starting to get used to. I'm going in being the favorite in a lot of these matches these days, including some of the Masters Series tournaments as well. Normally every time I stepped into these tournaments, I was sort of the underdog coming through. Me personally, I love playing in Australia. Whether there is that added pressure, I don't really feel it in Australia at all.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think so. Obviously going into Adelaide, my main goal for the Australian summer was hitting the ball well enough going into the Australian Open. I had done well in Adelaide and Sydney, won Adelaide, quarters in Sydney, beaten good guys. Normally I had played Challengers leading into Adelaide, had some matches under my belt, when the Europeans didn't. This year I came in fresh, came away with ten good wins there. Obviously, I didn't expect to win Adelaide and Sydney, that's for sure. But, you know, if you look back at it, it was two great weeks. I was (inaudible) in the way I did handle the hype and media for those two weeks.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Sometimes. I think it does help. Obviously some of the fans like to see sort of that person sort of fighting like Michael Chang, running balls down, sort of David versus Goliath, I suppose. Some of the crowds particularly like that. Others like seeing Mark Philippoussis being breakpoint down or Greg Rusedski serve an ace. But I've had a lot of support wherever I've gone in my short career.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Pat hasn't really worked on my game at all. It's more Darren and Peter Smith back home, Newc and Rochey. They're the guys who have been helping me. Most of all is Darren, for sure. Ever since I started working with Darren, he wanted me -- didn't matter whether I won or lost matches, it was to develop my game so that two or three years down the track, I was going to be a contender for Grand Slams. That's what we're still working on basically. Obviously I've had some great results with the game that I had at the time, but we're trying to develop that. I've still got areas of my game that I've got to work on. One of those is trying to become a more all-court player. It's definitely starting. It's on the right track.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. I don't think I'll be able to say that until I'm world No. 1. At the moment, I really haven't done a lot in Grand Slams yet. Even in the old Super 9's or the Masters Series now, I haven't had a lot of success in those. That's my goal at the moment. I've got a great record at the moment. Obviously for a person of my age, it's an outstanding start to the year. You don't want to sort of take that away from yourself. I don't look at myself as the best player in the world at the moment at all.

LLEYTON HEWITT: You know, it's hard to say. Obviously I haven't had a lot of experience on European clay and grass sort of growing up. Probably the two more favored ones would be the Australian Open and the US Open at this stage. I can't see why I can't win matches and beat a lot of top guys at the French Open and Wimbledon as well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's always nice to hear comments like that from, you know, a guy like Pete Sampras, who is in my eyes probably the greatest player ever to pick up a racquet. You know, to hear him say things like that is obviously -- he obviously thinks a little bit about my game and a little bit about my future. Still I've got to go out there and do it. It's nice to hear things like that, but I don't get too overwhelmed about it. I don't go over the top about it at all.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Obviously I'm a totally different player from then to now.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Court history?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I played Kafelnikov twice, I'm two-nil up. Played Melingeni once, and one-nil up.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't mind. Whichever. That's out of my control.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think Kafelnikov is very fit, as well. He plays as many matches as anyone on the tour.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I don't mind playing Yevgeny. He's been fine ever since he said a few things at the Davis Cup in Australia and that. Sort of all got blown up pretty big at the time. It's all settled down since then. He's been fine around the locker rooms and the tournaments.

LLEYTON HEWITT: We say hello now and then. We're definitely not best mates.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably a little bit of both of those guys in different ways. I'd throw probably Mats Wilander in there, as well. Growing up, Mats was sort of always one of those players I liked watching. When he got to No. 1, when he won the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, I was there to see that. I play a pretty similar game to his, as well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I never ball boyed.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's hard to say. We've got so many options at the moment. We've got three great singles players at the moment: myself, Rafter and Philippoussis. Probably a lot of it depends on how Pat's shoulder is feeling really. At the end of the day, I've got full confidence whoever Newc and Roche pick is going to be playing the best at the time, giving our country the best chance of going through to the semifinals.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not a betting man. Sorry.

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. I've never been that big on watching the Academy Awards. Obviously, it's a big night, particularly in America I'd say. Obviously, you just see all the superstars and everyone sort of walking on that red carpet, all the photographers and everyone taking photos is probably the main scene of the night.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Right from the word go, I was on my toes, ready to play today. The best feeling I think I've had on court just hitting the ball. I was seeing the ball like a football again out there today. Even though I had those wins in Australia and that, I didn't do as much damage as I did out there today. I went out there and I put the pressure on him right from the word go. I didn't sit back and counter-punch and wait for him to make the errors. I went out there and dictated the points. That's what I'm most pleased about. I went out there and attacked today, and I'll get a lot more confidence from that match as well.

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. It was very, very heavy conditions the first round. That night was unbelievable heavy conditions. The balls were so heavy, they were fluffing up huge out there on grandstand court. It really wasn't a great atmosphere out there playing at 12:00 at night. I was thankful that I got through that one.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Tough question. Probably to win the Davis Cup again. So far in my career, it was always my dream growing up. That was an unbelievable feeling winning the Davis Cup and being a part of that team.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it definitely would be a huge tie if Australia played the US in Melbourne. A win is a win. I'll take it however I can get it, as long as I'm holding that trophy come December time.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's in my bedroom.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I just think it's the greatest competition we've got. You don't get to come around as a team that often. Everybody gives a hundred percent for their country. Quite often the best matches you'll ever see are sort of the Davis Cup matches. It's a shame if the people don't come out and support their guys, particularly the United States team at the moment. Pretty awesome team.

LLEYTON HEWITT: First round last year.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I was the fifth player.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It was very loud, obviously. Other than that, the Zimbabwe crowd, they had drums going. It was a good tie to be at.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Living in the states?

LLEYTON HEWITT: It's gone through my mind obviously a few times, but not at the moment. I've got no plans to do it.