The career of tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt is roaring on in Fuzion 100 Surbiton Challenger $127,000 this week. The un-retired 37 year old former ATP no. 1 is playing doubles on the grass with Alex Bolt, with an eye on acquiring match play on grass for his next assignment, a wildcard into Queens with Nick Kyrgios and most likely a wild card into Wimbledon.
Hewitt and Bolt were locked in a first round war with Brits Marcus Willis and Jay Clarke. The Brits won the first set 64 then the Aussies won the second 75. I tuned into the action with Hewitt/Bolt up 4-2 in the match tiebreaker. Hewitt connected on a winner and yelled a signature “come on.” Then later in the breaker, Hewitt earned another key point and again, the infamous Hewitt “come on” was roared but in only about medium fury. It was not quite a full throttle “come awwwwwwnnnnn!” but it still was clear enough to show viewers who the strongest personality on the court was.
Hewitt still has the burning desire to win. He has nothing to prove, unlike the other three struggling journeymen on the court, who are all striving to become established ATP players.
Yet it was Hewitt, the former ATP world no. 1 from nearly two decades ago, the US Open and Wimbledon king, who exhibited by far the most intensity, desire, fury, obsession on the court yesterday.
It’s almost unbelievable to see an athlete so competitive at this stage of his career. Actually he quit his career three years ago so this is his second career. He still loves to battle, still love to win, nothing in the world can replace that rush of adrenaline that competing in a tennis match offers.
Lleyton Hewitt is surely in the final chapter of his historic career. Or so one would think…
Read about what it’s like to play Lleyton Hewitt in my book “Facing Hewitt” available at amazon for $9.99.
61 comments
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« Previous 1 2Dan Markowitz · June 9, 2018 at 9:30 pm
Great win, Scoop. Congrats. Hips are tricky. I’d say if you hurt it on an awkward volley that you didn’t tear anything or pop anything, but probably sprained it. I’d ice it with some heat alternate and pop some anti-inflammatory, Advil or Aleve and not play tomorrow if you can help it until you have a nice gait to your walk and don’t feel pain.
catherine · June 9, 2018 at 9:46 pm
Duke I’m with you here but I’m afraid Dan is still damning with faint praise – we don’t really know who Serena can beat at present because she hasn’t played much yet. And is Stephen’s special or isn’t she ?
Kerber’s done her time (yes Dan). She’s got 2 GSs and she’s 30 so she might understandably be thinking the Next Gen could step up. Same with Kvitova. As I said, Svitolina and Muguruza were a couple of younger players this tournament who were big let downs.
Sloane lost through nerves and inexperience. She’ll learn from this I expect.
Simona deserved it all but I wish I liked her game more.
Scoop – hope your hip recovers. Don’t do a Murray and don’t play until you’ve recovered, whatever the temptation 🙂
Hartt · June 10, 2018 at 6:47 am
Another problem for Sloane was her relative lack of fitness. Simona even mentioned in her press conference that she sensed Sloane tiring. Stephens started to lose a bit in her footwork and also in her power. So keeping points long and making her run is one tactic to use against her.
catherine · June 10, 2018 at 7:48 am
Hartt – yes, and after this experience I expect to see Sloane getting to the gym more, now she knows what it’s like to lose in the final of a GS when you get to what seemed a winning position.
You can’t afford to slow down against Simona on clay, she’s much fitter than she used to be. Angie lost some mobility from her foot injury after her first qf set v Simona – even in brief highlights that was clear, and Simona took full advantage. She’s been in that position herself. A good player can sense these things and turn the screw.
Scoop Malinowski · June 10, 2018 at 7:58 am
Thanks Catherine, Dan for the well wishes, still cant walk without struggle and pain, trouble going up steps. Hope a few days rest works wonders. Semifinal is not until Thursday so oI have some luck with the draw schedule. Dry slippery red clay is a tough surface to play on. Good that we didn’t see any bad injuries at Roland Garros this year.
Duke Carnoustie · June 10, 2018 at 10:55 am
Scoop you should probably take it easy and forfeit. Playing tennis will only make an injury like that worse. You need more time off to get to full health. Important as we age not to rush back.
Duke Carnoustie · June 10, 2018 at 10:58 am
Tomic pounds Smyczek and he is the main draw in Hertogenbosch. That’s a manageable draw too since all the studs are in Stuttgart.
Meanwhile, shock reports are surfacing that Federer and Nike are done! This would be the biggest story in tennis, if true. Fed will have to answer this Wednesday.
Scoop Malinowski · June 10, 2018 at 11:12 am
Duke, you are right but I’m hoping it will be ready to roll by Thursday at 5, it feels better but I can’t play today or tomorrow how it feels. Fingers are crossed.
Scoop Malinowski · June 10, 2018 at 11:14 am
Fed parting with Nike would be a bigger shock story than Magic Johnson with AIDS, Wayne Gretzky being traded to the LA Kings and Mike Tyson being KOed in Tokyo by Buster Douglas. Impossible to believe Fed playing with anything but that swoosh logo.
Duke Carnoustie · June 10, 2018 at 11:21 am
OK some tidbits on the Fed story. His Nike contract ended March 1. His team has been trying to renegotiate. They are floating rumors of a big deal from Uniqlo but no way to know if this is true.
I can confirm that Fed arrived at his Stuttgart practice today wearing a Nike shirt and shorts. Looks like his team is playing hardball but I believe Nike has the leverage.
Scoop Malinowski · June 10, 2018 at 11:32 am
Nike actually decided to let Sampras walk, remember Sampras blocked out his swoosh with an American flag. I suppose it’s very possible Nike doesn’t want to commit to another long term contract given that Fed could be in the final meters of the home stretch of his career. Remember, he did not look so formidable in IW and Miami this year. But still, for Mike to abandon Federer is still very hard to swallow though the company does have to look to invest in the future. Yuo wonder if another company would invest huge numbers into a 37 year old Federer? Wonder if adidas benefited as much as they would have liked when they signed Agassi at the end of his career?