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DAVIS CUP
An early riser
Australian youngster Hewitt is getting up for Davis Cup
By Joe Burris, Globe Staff, 07/14/99
ROOKLINE - The climb has come so fast and has been so steady
that often, time for retrospection is scarce, and even the jitters struggle
to keep pace. At age 13, Lleyton Hewitt gave up Australian Rules Football
to pursue a career in tennis. Two years later, he became the youngest
qualifier in the history of the Australian Open (15 years, 11 months).
A year later, the Adelaide, Australia, resident defeated Jason Stoltenberg in
the finals of an event in his hometown to become the lowest-ranked singles
player to win an ATP event (550th in the world) and the third-youngest in
the Open era (16 years, 10 months) to win a title.
Hewitt entered the meet as a wild card, and in succession he beat Scott
Draper, Todd Woodforde, Vincent Spadea, Andre Agassi, and Stoltenberg.
They held a combined 1,108-0 edge in Tour victories over him entering the
tournament.
That was the highlight of a meteoric rise from being the 722d player in the
world in 1997, to the 113th last year, to a current ranking of No. 31.
Another major step forward could come this weekend; the 18-year-old
Hewitt is a member of the Australian Davis Cup team, for which he served
as a practice partner less than two weeks ago.
The young player has had little time to reflect on his rise in the rankings. ''It
all happened pretty quick,'' said Hewitt, whose Aussies face the United
States in the 100th Davis Cup starting Friday at Longwood Cricket Club.
''I was 700 in the world one week. The next week I was in center court
playing Agassi in a semifinal [in Adelaide]. I supposed it happened so quick
for me to realize I had dropped 600 spots.''
There is still uncertainty about whom he will play in singles. Although it is
doubtful he will meet late US entry Pete Sampras, it would make for a
compelling match. Hewitt is 0-2 lifetime against Sampras, but Sampras's
victories weren't easy.
Last year, Sampras beat Hewitt, 6-1, 7-6, at the Pilot Pen International
hardcourt event in New Haven. This year, Sampras beat him, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6,
in a Wimbledon tuneup, the Stella Artois grass tourney in England. Hewitt
said taking Sampras to three sets did wonders for his confidence.
Yesterday, Hewitt spoke of entering his first Davis Cup match with
nervousness regardless of what the matchup is. That was a feeling he didn't
experience in tennis at 16.
But that was before he became a recognizable face on the sports scene,
before Serena Williams asked to be his mixed-doubles parter at the 1998
Australian Open (he obliged), and before he defeated No. 13 Cedric Pioline
in straight sets in the first round of this year's Australian.
''That's the thing about being 16. You don't know what nerves are all about.
You do what comes naturally rather than what you're supposed to do,'' said
Hewitt, who earned the spot on the Davis Cup team after Mark
Philippoussis suffered a knee injury at Wimbledon.
''I think I didn't start getting nervous until I had to go back the next year to
defend my title in Adelaide,'' he said. ''Up to then, I had really nothing to lose
and everything to gain. I started getting nervous because I wanted to defend
that title, and I had high expectations going into that because it was my
hometown.''
Hewitt's progress reminds many of that of Boris Becker, who beat him in the
third round at center court at Wimbledon, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6. But when
Australian coach Tony Roche was asked to compare Hewitt to another
player who has risen as fast, he struggled to come up with a name.
''The only one I can think of is John McEnroe,'' said Roche. ''He had to
qualify at Wimbledon, then he reached the semis at 17.''
But Australian captain John Newcombe said Australians are hardly surprised
with Hewitt's progress. ''We've had him in Davis Cup squads since he was
15,'' said Newcombe, ''and he had been earmarked as someone special.
''Last year was his first year in Open company. He chose not to play the
juniors and instead play the Open events, and it was a bit of a struggle last
year. But he learned from everything, and this year he's gone out and proved
he can match it with everyone.''
Hewitt is regarded as a quick player who works for every point. This
season, his first full stint on the Tour, he is 27-12. He won his second career
title this season at Delray Beach and was a finalist in Adelaide and
Scottsdale.
''He's very quick, very solid off the ground with his forehand and backhand,''
said Newcombe. ''He's pretty good around the net. He has a good serve -
not a great serve, but good. He enjoys competing, and he's not afraid to
win.''
Newcombe is among many who believe Hewitt represents the future of
Australian tennis, along with two-time US Open champ Patrick Rafter (No.
2 in the world) and Philippoussis (No. 7). The country has won 26 titles,
second only to the United States' 31, but has not won a Davis Cup
championship since 1986.
''The future of Australian tennis looks pretty good,'' said Newcombe. ''With
Pat and Philippoussis coming along, it raises the bar. Five years ago, if you
were a quarterfinalist in a Grand Slam, you were doing the best for the
Australians. Now, you go to win a Grand Slam.''
Hewitt, who called playing in the Davis Cup, ''a bit of a daydream,'' enters
as arguably the player with the least amount of pressure on him. It is his first
Cup, and with the fanfare surrounding the 100th edition of the tournament, it
would not surprise anyone if Hewitt struggled.
However, a victory would only increase his growing popularity. ''I suppose
the biggest thing has been that in the second year, I haven't fallen down yet,''
said Hewitt, whose father, Glynn, a former Australian Rules Football player
and state manager for home loans, left his job to travel with his son (he is not
expected to attend the Davis Cup, however).
''I had a great first half of the year, and hopefully it continues in the second
half,'' Hewitt said.
Practice partners are referred to as orange boys - a term coined by the
Australians because among their duties, they once were required to squeeze
oranges for team members. By being placed on the Davis Cup team, Hewitt
has put those days behind him, and players say they don't require him to
carry bags or do chores.
But that doesn't mean the older players don't poke fun at him. Particuarly
Rafter, who yesterday made light of the fact that Hewitt included the phrase
''you know'' in most of his responses. Rafter began poking Hewitt under the
table with a knee each time he uttered the phrase. ''I think I'm handling things
pretty well at the moment, apart from the media stuff,'' said Hewitt.
This story ran on page C01 of the Boston Globe on 07/14/99.
© Copyright 1999 Globe Newspaper Company.
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