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Hewitt’s fantastic forehand lob to seal the match sums up his perfect performance against Duckworth. Hewitt wins in straight sets and is now through to the second round where David Ferrer awaits.
Ferrer possesses a similar style to that of Hewitt so that contest could end up being a classic… one that Hewitt on today’s form can certainly win.
Hold off the retirement cake. His career is not over yet.
Final score:
Duckworth 6 2 4
Hewitt 7 6 6
The career of one of Australia’s greatest ever players could come to an end tonight as Lleyton Hewitt plays fellow Aussie James Duckworth in his final Australian Open campaign. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7pm (AEDT).
In order to progress to the second round of his home grand slam, Duckworth must first defeat future Davis Cup captain Hewitt in a match certain to feature plenty of emotion.
Duckworth is no stranger to big matches. A few years ago he played Roger Federer on Rod Laver Arena in the first round of the 2014 Australian Open. On that occasion, Duckworth was very competitive en route to a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 defeat.
While he will fancy his chances of beating Hewitt, victory tonight against his idol will be bittersweet. However, business is business and Duckworth must focus on rising up the ATP rankings to further ingrain himself in a national spotlight currently occupied by Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios.
At just 23, Duckworth is a rising star in his own right, and possesses the right mindset and determination to rise the rankings.
His serve and forehand are his most reliable shots, while his play at the net is also solid. Overall, Duckworth has Hewitt covered when it comes to power, so if the young Aussie finds his range early, Hewitt will struggle to keep up.
Speaking of Hewitt, the former US Open and Wimbledon champion will continue to rely on his impressive movement around the court and a steely determination and resolve that remains one of the very best on tour.
In short, Hewitt never beats himself and if tonight’s contest turns into a grinding epic, one has to favour Hewitt to progress given his superior experience over Duckworth in big matches.
With that said, as another career draws to a close, Duckworth has to sense that this is his time to leave his mark on the ATP tour, and one feels that he will grasp this opportunity with both hands – even if it means ending the career of an Australian tennis icon.
Duckworth in five sets.