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WESTERN & SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP MASTERS

August 21, 2009

Lleyton Hewitt

CINCINNATI, OHIO

R. FEDERER/L. Hewitt
6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tough match obviously. What were you trying to do going into the match tactically to try and get back on the winning side against Roger, obviously a tough opponent?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, he's always a tough opponent. I was more not worrying about Roger's game too much and more going out there and trying to execute my game still.
And, yeah, still with the US Open in the back of my mind as well. Yeah, today still it was slightly tough conditions. Not quite as gusty a breeze as yesterday, but still wasn't easy.
He served extremely well, especially, you know, the small chances that I had, the Love-30s and 15-30s, he hit the targets every time. When he's playing well, that's what he does. It's very hard to get into any sort of rhythm on his service games.

Q. Was the difference just the serve? I think you were only broken once in each set. You seemed to serve pretty well yourself.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I served in patches. I didn't get as many cheap points as I would have needed. Against a guy like Roger, you've got to get a high percentage of first serves in just to take the pressure off him dictating off the second serve. Yeah, he served well throughout the match and didn't give me too many looks.

Q. Is there a bit of a mental block in terms of the record now, thirteen in a row, and you've had some close matches and haven't got over the line?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Not really. When you go into a match like today, as I said, I was more focused today more on trying to keep my rhythm going that I built up this week instead of actually worrying about Roger's game too much, especially a week out before a slam.

Q. What did you think about the rhythm you built up this week?
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's good. Three solid wins. Two of the players have been in very good form, Soderling and Querrey. To come through those tight matches as well when it counts and just get those matches under my belt, that's important going into a major.

Q. In the beginning of your series with Roger you were dominate early. I know he's gotten better and you've get gotten better, too. Can you think of what you did when you won against him that you weren't able to do today in terms of how well you played against him?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm not sure. He's obviously got a lot better since those years, and obviously a lot more confident as well. You know, yeah, he dictates play so well I think. It's very hard to dictate against him.
Yeah, even Nadal, as good as Nadal is playing on his terms, he doesn't always get to play on his terms against Roger either. So that's probably the biggest difference I think in the last six or seven years.

Q. Serving at 2-3 in the first set, you thought you had leveled; he challenged, overturned the call, and went on to break. Was that a significant momentum change, or did you quickly forget about that and move on?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it didn't -- obviously you can't do much about a challenge being overturned or whatever, so it was no big deal. Yeah, when Roger challenged I thought the ball was gonna be close anyway. I couldn't tell if it got the line or if it didn't.
Yeah, that just comes with the game.

Q. Prior to your match with Sam, he said that you and Safin probably wouldn't be seeded at the US Open and you were two people he wanted to avoid in the US Open. How did you feel your chances are in the Open obviously coming back from the injury last year? Are you satisfied with the game where it is right now? And then also, what do you think about the Open?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, no, I'm happy. Yeah, for me I didn't play this time last year, so everything is a bonus right at the moment. Up until now it's been more trying to get into that routine of playing a lot of matches. I've been able to do that this year and been able to play well and push the top guys on all surfaces.
Yeah, US Open is somewhere I've played extremely well in the past. Yeah, I'd like to think if things fall my way I've got an outside chance there. Hopefully I can get deep in the second week.

End of FastScripts

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