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Jun/15

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The Parallels of the Hewitt Chang Career Conclusions

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I remember the frustrating fade of Michael Chang at the end of his career in 2003. And now this year Lleyton Hewitt is also suffering a similar punctuation mark at the end of his also illustrious career.

Flashback to the start of 2003, Chang was age 31, ranked 119 in the world and making one last push to extend his career. Chang began the year in San Jose, losing first round to ATP No. 2 Andre Agassi, 46 26. He muddled his way to a 1-3 record in his next four matches at various events via wildcards, then decided to drop down to the Forest Hills Challenger, where he beat #237 Jose De Armas but then lost to #419 Tripp Philipps 64 46 36.

Then at the French Open Chang was routed by Fabrice Santoro 57 16 16.

Then back to the Challengers at Aptos, losing to Sergio Roitman 26 67.

Indianapolis gave Chang a WC but he lost another heartbreaker in the first round to Eric Taino 63 36 57.

LA gave Chang another WC where he beat Zach Fleismann in two sets but lost to Mark Philippoussis 26 46.

Cincinnati also gave Chang a WC where he lost yet another heartbreaker in the first round, blowing match points to Hicham Arazi 64 67 (7) 06.

Long Island gave Chang yet another WC and he lost to Rik DeVoest 26 36.

The US Open also gave ATP #222 Chang a WC and he lost first round to No. 15 Fernando Gonzalez in yet another heartbreaker 36 57 75 46. It was the last match of Chang’s career.

Now let’s look at Hewitt’s final season of heartbreaks and chokes…

Began year in Brisbane as defending champ ranked #84 in world, lost to Sam Groth 36 26.

At Australian Open Hewitt beat Zhang in four sets then lost in the second round to Benjamin Becker despite winning the first two sets 62 61.

In Miami, Hewitt blew MPs losing to Thomaz Bellucci 57 76 46.

In Houston, Hewitt lost to Go Soeda 64 67 36.

Last week at the Top Shelf on grass, Hewitt lost first round to eventual champ Nicholas Mahurt 36 46.

And today, Halle first round, Hewitt, age 34, served for the match vs. Kevin Anderson and even had a match point, before fumbling the match away in three sets.

The parallels of Hewitt and Chang at the end are that they both were competitive on the ATP Tour but they just were unable to finish off and win matches anymore.

It’s an intriguing similarity, but the difference is Hewitt did manage to last on the Tour three years more than Chang, and just over a year ago, Hewitt did win the Brisbane title by defeating Federer in a three set battle.

Hewitt still has work left until he retires in January at the Australian Open. He will play Davis Cup for Australia’s quarterfinal in July, he will play Washington DC and also the US Open, both as wildcards.

It remains to be seen if Hewitt will ever win another singles match on the ATP Tour. And at this rate of extreme struggle we have seen from Hewitt this year, like Chang’s painful farewell, it looks very unlikely.

Scoop Malinowski’s book “Facing Hewitt” is available at amazon.com.

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15 comments

  • Dan Markowitz · June 15, 2015 at 4:24 pm

    The Chang-Hewitt parallel will always be there, but I think Hewitt, even with all the injuries, has aged better than Chang. As Spadea said about Chang, “At the end, Sampras quit not knowing whether he could win another slam. Chang quit knowing he couldn’t win a Challenger.” Or something to that effect.

    Hewitt still looks good out there. His backhand is still beautiful and his movement is good. He just doesn’t have any power.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 15, 2015 at 9:36 pm

    Bottom line is they both can’t win matches, same exact pattern, close matches vs. top players but no cigar. Hewitt played top 20 tennis today but he lost. Wonder how many more of these bitter losses Hewitt can endure. Nobody likes to keep losing let alone lose period, especially a former top dog who ruled the world.

  • Dan Markowitz · June 15, 2015 at 9:44 pm

    He’ll continue through next year’s Aussie Open, I’d think. When he won that first set against Kevin Anderson today, his “Come On” was one of the loudest I ever heard.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 16, 2015 at 8:26 am

    Dan, I saw that, the Hewitt intensity is as ferocious as ever, the hunger to WIN is still there as strong as ever, he’s training hard with his fitness guy and coach Crabb, doing boxing training too. But the confidence and ability to finish out matches is just not there.

  • EddietheEagle · June 16, 2015 at 4:44 pm

    Hewitt lost to Anderson in London. Aged 34, it’s fairly easy to see why he now struggles against the power guys with his more measured, attritional game style that requires constant running and consistency. Chang was all foot speed and that obviously goes when you age. He did incredibly well to get where he did in my view.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 16, 2015 at 8:24 pm

    Hewitt can be overpowered now, on any surface, as Berdych last showed at US Open last year. And Groth this year in Brisbane. Maybe the power is just too much for Hewitt to handle now because he used to be able to counterpunch and handle power guys like Safin, Agassi, Spadea, etc. Eddie, Wilander talked about it in my Facing Hewitt book, how Hewitt’s game is basically outdated, he’s not equipped for all this powerful topspin that the racquets and strings of today are capable of producing. Yet he’s still hung in there and lasted this long.

  • bjk · June 17, 2015 at 2:42 am

    He could win a couple matches at Wimbledon. Veterans tend to do well at Wimbledon if they can face an inexperienced opponent. Even Spadea won a match at Wimbledon in his final year. No shame in losing to Mahut and Anderson on grass.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 17, 2015 at 7:39 am

    bjk, definitely tough draws for Hewitt, Mahut ended up winning the title and Anderson is a tough out for anyone. Hewitt vs. Gulbis would be a nice draw.

  • Harold · June 18, 2015 at 9:37 am

    Hewitt got a deseved Wildcard into Wimby. Hope he gets a lucky draw, not a top tenner, unless it’s Ferrer
    Fed/Hewitt match would be fun to watch if that happened, just not first round.

    Anyone whose idol was Mats Wilander is cool imo

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 18, 2015 at 1:07 pm

    That’s right, Wilander was Hewitt’s idol, he liked the Swedes. It sure will be an emotional match from Hewitt at Wimbledon, he has been working hard for months. It would be just amazing to see him win a few rounds and show some of the old magic. But a straight-first round loss would be a bummer. He needs a favorable draw and to draw on the inspirations of the AELTC.

  • EddietheEagle · June 18, 2015 at 6:14 pm

    Watched Anderson at Queens yesterday and he was superb against Wawrinka, playing right across the court area. Time and again he was right up at the net to win the point. Whatever he’s paying his new coach, it’s not enough. Stan, by contrast, looked as though he’d been rather enjoying his celebrations as the new French Champion.

  • Bryan · June 19, 2015 at 2:21 am

    Hewitt was still very competitive vs Anderson, the match could’ve gone either way. I think he can make one last run at Wimbledon if he gets the right draw and make it to Week 2.

    Speaking of late career fades, I watched Sampras vs Federer in the 2001 Wimbledon 4th round last night. Five setter, but Federer won in the end breaking Sampras’ serve with a series of return winners. I felt bad for Pete.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 19, 2015 at 9:29 am

    Not sure if Hewitt has anything left, these losses are crushing Bryan, but then again one good win can turn it around and bring back that old fire. The close losses to Mahut and Anderson show that Hewitt is in the ballpark and he’s within striking range, just needs, desperately needs to earn, feel and savor that winning feeling again. Winning is like a drug, the more you get, the more you want. Feel sorry for Pete? He won the US Open the next year.

  • Harold · June 19, 2015 at 11:23 am

    At Majors he needs to cut down on all that extra come ons and stuff. Seems to sap him at the end and he has failed to close out leads on many occasions the last few yesrs. I know you guys live for ghat stuff, but he needs to save energy. If he needs all ghat stuff to win a set, its over, because he is not winning 5 setters anymore.

  • Scoop Malinowski · June 19, 2015 at 11:37 am

    Harold, I believe Hewitt needs to use his emotional adrenaline, it’s always been one of the big weapons in his arsenal. It helps him take his tennis to a higher level. I’m sure of this. I’m a come on player and it’s helped me so many times, the one example was the opp. intentionally ticking me off, when he was up 52 in the first set, I then started firing the come ons and guess what, won eleven straight games to win the match 75 60. Hewitt feeds off emotions from his box and he feeds off generating emotional intensity fuel inside himself. But I do see your point about wasting too much energy early in the match. But I have to add, I was thinking about this last night after a tough 3 set loss in NJ red clay states, I think I actually enjoy yelling come on, than playing tennis 🙂 It’s just a high to yell come on after winning a big point. Not sure if you ever yelled come on in your life, but I recommend it. By the way, I started yelling come on in 97 when I first started playing a league, this was a couple of years before Hewitt emerged. So I didn’t copy him. )

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