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My latest book “Facing Hewitt” is officially out
4 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Lleyton Hewitt was one of the first players that really caught my eye when I started to get serious about tennis tournaments in the late 90s. I used to yell “Huah” after scoring goals in hockey as a kid and also “Come on” when winning big points in friendly tennis matches with friends and strangers in the mid 90s. So when Hewitt burst onto the scene around ’99, I could relate with his super intensity and yelling Come Awwwwn.
I guess I saw a part of myself in Hewitt and understood how playing with maximum intensity and utilizing emotional adrenaline could uplift your performance.
After finishing Facing Federer, I decided last summer to do a Facing Hewitt magazine feature. Tennis Magazine Australia liked the idea and bought it. They liked it so much, they decided to run it in the Australian Open official program in January.
The players I interviewed about Hewitt all shared their special memories of playing Hewitt and I knew early on this project was going to be a very enjoyable and entertaining read, especially for Hewitt fans.
Now, six months later, after over 50 interviews, the book is nwo complete. It’s 274 pages including also press conference interviews by Hewitt and about Hewitt by players, at various stages of Hewitt’s career. I also have insights from media and photographers as well as super Hewitt fans.
In this era of a so called overabundance of boring personalities in the sport of tennis, Hewitt was your contradiction. It was never a dull moment with the prime Hewitt battling on the court, with a tenacity and ferocity, we had never seen before. As an undersized player, Hewitt had to compensate for his smaller size with pure raw passion, desire and intensity. He would yell COME AWWWN in the very first game of a match. He would throw fist pumps, grit his teeth, stare down opponents, whatever it took to break their will. If today’s greats are “boring” the sometimes controversial Hewitt was anything but. Like Jimmy Connors and Rafael Nadal, Hewitt electrified the sport. The youngest ATP world number one ranked player, Hewitt is an important champion in the history of tennis — and certainly worthy of a book about his career. I hope this book does Hewitt and his extraordinary career fair justice.
“Facing Hewitt” is now available for eleven dollars at the www.createspace.com e store and will be available at amazon next week.
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Dan Markowitz · June 21, 2014 at 6:35 am
Congratulations, Scoop. Hewitt is definitely one of the most, I wouldn’t say colorful, but intense personalities on the tennis scene. I remember seeing him play live for the first time when he teamed with Rafter to play the US Davis Cup team at the Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut, Ma. in 1999. Rafter to me was the more electrifying character/player, but Hewitt, this little scrawny seemingly-beach dude, all of 17 I believe at the time, was as tough as nails.
Unfortunately, with all the injuries, his career in the past decade has been very spotty, but to his tribute and passion, he’s still out there scrapping, with his wife and three kids in tow. What would you say are his signature matches?
Scoop Malinowski · June 21, 2014 at 9:01 am
Thanks Dan. Hewitt had many signature matches. Beating Kuerten in Brazil in Davis Cup. Beating Sampras for US Open title. His matches at Masters Cup to finish number one. Beating Federer from two sets down and two points away from defeat in Davis Cup. Beating Coria on grass in Australia in Davis Cup with all the on court fireworks and theatrics between the two. Winning Wimbledon vs. Nalbandian. The five set night matches in Melbourne against Baghdatis, Nalbandian, Nadal, and of course winning Adelaide as an unknown fifteen yr old ranked outside 500 (he beat Agassi, Stoltenberg, Spadea, Woodforde, guys with a combined over thousand ATP singles wins at the time, Hewitt had zero ATP singles wins before that tourney, amazing.) Hewitt is an inspiring player for any youngster, he shows that desire and passion can make up for lack of physical size and weapons.
Gaurang · June 23, 2014 at 4:34 am
Congratulations Scoop! Curious to know what book do you intend to write next? 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · June 23, 2014 at 7:25 am
Thanks Gaurang, I’m working on a couple of ideas, Facing Nadal and Facing McEnroe. Also a boxing book about Muhammad Ali which is pretty close to done.