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U.S. OPEN

August 26, 2007

Lleyton Hewitt

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Obviously choosing your hitting partners carefully.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, a little bit at the moment. Yeah, you know, it was good to hit with a big server today, get a little bit of rhythm on my returns, which was good.
Yeah, my first-round opponent's got a pretty big serve, so it's important.

Q. What do you know of him?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I've never seen him play a lot. I think this kind of court probably suits his game the best. He's an attacking player with a big serve, got a big game. Yeah, so it's a matter of trying to weather the storm a little bit.

Q. Feeling pretty confident heading into the Open?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I feel good at the moment. You don't look too far ahead.
You know, as always, I'm just sort of looking to try and get through this first round against Delic. He's a dangerous opponent. Trying to put myself in the right frame of mind to move forward.

Q. What is it about American hard courts that brings out the best in you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I don't know. I'm not sure. I've always felt pretty comfortable here, I think. I won the doubles back in 2000, obviously won in 2001. I've always felt comfortable. It suits my game, I think. Grew up on hard courts.
Yeah, conditions, I think atmosphere here in New York, and also it's my personality as well probably.

Q. Is it the speed of the court, bounce of the ball?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, the speed over the years, probably quickens up as the tournament goes on, the more matches and hitting that's been on the courts. Last two weeks, Montréal and Cincinnati, have been reasonably quick, I'd say. Ball's been flying a bit, so...

Q. When you say it suits your personality, what do you actually mean by that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's probably a bit louder crowd here, I think, in terms of -- sometimes people yelling out occasionally during points, if you're playing Americans, gets pretty loud. Especially it's the biggest stadium we get to play in front of any year.
Yeah, I enjoy playing in big atmospheres. I look forward to the big matches. So this is one of the best center courts to play tennis in, I think.

Q. You've had a good month: Montréal, Cincinnati. How does the pace of those courts compare to here? Similar? Quicker?
LLEYTON HEWITT: At this stage, probably playing a little bit quicker, I think. It was probably more the conditions in Montréal and Cincinnati. You know, it was pretty hot days, couple of them. Ball was flying around a fair bit in both those tournaments. You know, here, I think the court's quicken up every day a little bit more, here in New York, rather than at the start when you first get here when guys haven't hit on the courts that much, there hasn't been that much play, probably a little bit slower. I think it's quickened up a little bit over the last couple days already.

Q. You'd expect to like the courts a bit more the longer you go?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Maybe. I'm not complaining about the pace they're at at the moment.

Q. Do you approach this Slam differently to the other three? If so, how?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really, no. All the Slams I approach with the same mindset. For me it's important not to look too far ahead, focus on who you got to play at the start, doing all the right things preparation-wise.
All the slams are as important as any. You know, obviously this is a special place for me, where I first won it. Yeah, I always look forward to coming back and playing here.

Q. What sort of influence has Rochey had on your game in the short time you've been, working with him?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Just a little bit in terms of we trained a couple weeks in Sydney, which was good, some hard work. Yeah, he's got some ideas for my game that probably won't come out right at the moment. It's more probably six months, a year away, hopefully I'll be playing my best tennis.
You know, hopefully I'm on the right track at the moment.

Q. How you going to liaise with him while you're here? Just telephone?
LLEYTON HEWITT: We'll go to the commentary booth, set up a video thing (laughter).
No, just phone.

Q. Conference call?
LLEYTON HEWITT: That's about it. I'll talk to him now and then.

Q. Was there any thought to having him here?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No. He wasn't coming here no matter who he was with. He's got another grandchild being born in the next few days. That was always a plan, months and months ago, whether it was with Roger or anyone else.

Q. Obviously been a while since you've won a Slam. Slim pickings the last couple years with Nadal and Federer. Must still have quite an appetite for one more?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, absolutely. I'd love nothing more than to win another Slam. Yeah, there's not that many guys I think that are capable of winning them, to tell you the truth. There's outside guys that are capable of making semis, finals, making a bit of a run.
But obviously, as you said, Federer in three out of the four has been the standout, and Rafa has been the standout in the other one. The last three, four, five years, those two guys have dominated the Grand Slams, the big tournaments.
You see a couple of good runs from González, Baghdatis, these guys. Apart from that, there really hasn't been a standout to an actual real contender.
I obviously put myself up there when I'm playing my best just behind those guys, so...

Q. Nice to be on the other side of the draw to Roger?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Oh, yeah. If I'm going to win the tournament you're probably going to have to play him sometime (smiling), whether it's the round of 16 or final.

Q. It would be nice in the final?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It would be nice. Sometimes he plays his best tennis in the finals, too.
Yeah, at this stage, Djokovic is actually in my section. If I get a crack at him, it would be nice.

Q. Would you put Andy Roddick in that group of those who have a shot here?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Absolutely. He plays his best tennis probably on this surface I think in these conditions. So, you know, he's definitely in that next group. Roger's obviously the favorite. Andy I'd say is in that next group just under him. He made the final here last year. He obviously plays pretty well under Connors. Connors likes this place, as well.

End of FastScripts

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