DAVIS CUP - USA vs AUSTRALIA

July 16, 1999

Lleyton Hewitt

Q. (inaudible) how much did that make you settle down?

LLEYTON HEWITT: That was a huge game for me. I was a little bit nervous at that time. I heard the boys sort of saying out in the side of the court, I heard Newc on the side of the court -- I mean, I worked on my serve the whole week, so sort of he said a couple of key things to get my ball toss right in the right position and just stay steady on my service. That is what I did. Next three to five points I served just about all first serves. That is when my serve start working for me. I started holding serve a lot easier.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I thought Todd was starting to get a little bit tired at that point and really I think that was the most positive thing I could take out of it; that whatever I am feeling, I am sure he is feeling a lot worse than I am. So I went out there with that attitude for the rest of the match. I was going to stay out there as long as I had to to win that first match.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Best win I have ever had.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Actually pretty tough to go to sleep last night. Trying to have an early night, but then really couldn't get to sleep for a couple of hours. I just got on the phone; called the folks back home and all the mates.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, Newc sort of felt that as well. I had to really try and get on top of him early in the fourth set. I did that; I came up with a few good returns and he hadn't been serve and volleying any second serves up 'til then until the first game of the fourth set; then he started serve and volleying second serves, so I took out of that that he really wanted the points to finish quickly and didn't want to sort of get into a baseline rally with me.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Pretty much. I can't wait to get out there and play again. Fantastic atmosphere out there. I tried to block the crowd out as much as I could today. All that band noise, stuff really sort of got over the top of our Fanatics up the top there, didn't really hear them at all.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think Newc had a big part in that, sort of he kept me pretty calm, taking deep breaths at every change of ends and no matter what the situation was, straight off, after I lost the second set when I got the early break in the first set, when I was still serving for 5-Love in the fourth, Newc was great on the side of the court.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I think it helped me, but I think the biggest thing was the match I played against Todd in Sydney. I took a lot of confidence out of that match. I was pretty tired at that time and just made the final of Adelaide; that was the quarterfinals of Sydney; then I came out and I really gutsed that out. I think that was in the back of Todd's mind that I wasn't going to go away out there today. So I think really that match actually did a lot for me even though I did lose it.

LLEYTON HEWITT: It is fantastic. As I said, it is the biggest win of my career. Biggest match I have played in my career. I am sure there is a lot of people back home watching it into the wee hours of the early morning. It is a great atmosphere out there on center court, out here in Boston as well. It is just -- because it is pretty tight as well. You sort of got your guys up on one end; I sort prefer being on the far end as much as I can. Come down the other end and it is: "Todd, Todd, Todd," so, I try to block out the crowd as much as possible, but you still hear it.

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. I try to play pretty aggressive from the baseline. I think the biggest thing today was my serve. I served really well. But I don't think I actually just model my game on one person. I try and work on a lot of areas of my game. I am trying to become and all-court player.