Greetings - I'm under the gun here, time-wise, and leaving for Las Vegas to visit with Andre Agassi at the crack of dawn. Actually, before the crack of dawn. So this will be brief, because, as they say, TW has been overrun by the events Down Under. One comment I'd like to make, though, is that I feel for Lleyton Hewitt. His straights sets loss to Novak Djokovic, in Hewitt's home tournament, had to be crushing blow.
It appeared that the change of surface at the Australian major really gave Hewitt's chances (and probably hopes) a much-needed boost. Hewitt is one of the trickiest of cases in pro tennis. Although he flourishes as a counter-puncher, he's in trouble when a surface is too slow (hence his indifferent, career-long clay-court results). His serve has always been vulnerable on a slow court, ensuring that bold returners could jump all over him. It was also possible to overpower and outlast the slightly built Hewitt in a dogged grinder's war.
By contrast, a faster, low-bouncing court always enabled Hewitt to hold more easily, and his foot speed and general mobility allowed him to take control in rallies, or counter-punch with lethal efficiency. Remember, Hewitt's discontents had a lot to do with Tennis Australia abandoning the former Rebound Ace surface, and it may have played a significant role in the departure of former Australian Open tournament director Paul MacNamee. All this week, it looked as if the Plexicushion surface would be ideal for Hewitt's game (and perhaps it is). It appears to play much like the surface on which Hewitt tacked up one of his greatest wins, the Deco Turf of the US Open, on which Hewitt beat Pete Sampras for the title in 2001.
On top of that, Hewitt rolled into his fourth round meeting with Novak Djokovic in great form. All the stars seemed realigned for a now-or-never resurgence, and it looks like the operative word may be "never." It must be a bitter pill to swallow, although the taste has to be muted by Hewitt's former achievments and his prominent place in the history of the game. It isn't hard to understand the idea that the game can pass you by, but we've rarely see so vivid an example of how the process works.
Hewitt, after all, is still a young man, a former No. 1, and a former champ at multiple slams. It seems pretty clear that he is simply overmatched against any of a number of players against whom counter-punching simply won't get the job done. Not anymore.
Enjoy the matches!