And so we come to the end of an era. Lleyton Hewitt will no more be seen plying his trade on the courts of the world, and I think I speak for an entire nation when I say I was quite surprised to learn he hadn’t retired a couple of years ago.
But that was Hewitt for you. whenever you thought he was down and out, he’d pop back up and keep on fighting, keep on chasing, keep on plugging away for hours and hours and hours until it turned out that actually he had been down and out all along. If there’s ever been a sportsman better at delaying the inevitable, I’ve yet to see one.
That’s the Australian way, of course. When Hewitt was out there, running down every ball, playing every point to its finish, refusing to concede any rally until the bitter end, we saw ourselves. There is nothing more intrinsic to the Australian identity than the delusion that we are somehow a nation of indefatigable never-say-die underdog battlers, and Hewitt fed that delusion like no tennis player before or since.
More:
» The end of the road for Lleyton Hewitt
» Hewitt bows out as one of Australia’s best ever
» Thanks for the memories, Lleyton
» Every heart-breaking thought I had during Hewitt’s farewell
He was not possessed of a bullet-like serve, devastating groundstrokes or imposing physicality, but he won tennis matches in his own inimitable way – by hitting the ball past the other player or sometimes having the other player hit the ball in the wrong place. Sometimes, tennis is a very simple game, and sometimes, Hewitt was a very simple player.
But what made Hewitt the epitome of the Australian tennis star was the mixed feelings he aroused in us all. Tennis is one of those sports in which, apart from the odd special tournament, players don’t represent teams or countries, but only themselves. Of course we like to think that they’re representing “us” – that way we can get terribly upset when they don’t do it in the way we prefer – but it’s merely a conceit.
Lleyton Hewitt was the mighty champion of that conceit. Nobody played up a patriotic persona like Lleyton. In doing so he gave us all a wonderful gift: when he did well, it was victory for us all. We could be proud of Little Lleyton, because he was doing nothing to disabused us of the notion that we were somehow connected to his success. And when he did badly – whether in tennis or behaviour – we delighted in scolding him based on the belief that it was our job to pass judgment, because like all sportspeople, he belonged to us.
This is why Hewitt was so much better than, say, Pat Rafter. Not better at tennis, obviously, but better at serving the psychological needs of his public. We wanted a champion, yes, but a champion who is also a bit of a dickhead is even better. Nothing is more satisfying than an elite sportsman who can perform feats of athleticism most of us can only dream of while also making us all feel morally superior to him.
Thus through Lleyton were we made glorious. Back when he was on top of the world, he provided a chance to indulge the usual sporting fan’s logic. He is good and he is Australian; I am Australian therefore I am good. And in his worst moments, his moments of on-court abuse, of graceless arrogance, of gauche public displays of personality, he satisfied the logic of celebrity. He is bad and I have identified that fact; therefore I am good. It was win-win for the public.
We can only hope the new generation of Aussie tennis heroes can live up to the Hewitt ideal. Obviously Kyrgios and Tomic are enormously promising in this area and there is a running battle between them as to who can generate the most pious thinkpieces in a year. But they have yet to fulfil the other half of the equation: neither of them have reached the heights of on-court success that allow us to bask in the reflected glory of their triumph in between clicking our tongues at their excesses. Hopefully they will do so at some point, and inherit Hewitt’s mantle rather than that of Phillippoussis.
Then there’s Sam Stosur of course, but she falls down in two crucial areas when it comes to being a genuine Australian tennis icon: 1. she performs at her very worst at those times when the largest number of her fellow Australians are watching; and 2. she seems quite nice really.
But let’s not worry too much about the future. Now is the time to look back on a wonderful career, and to laud the achievements of Lleyton Hewitt, Occasional People’s Champion. No one tried harder, no one squeezed the lemon of talent more thoroughly. No one inspired more, or irritated more, or scaled such heights of public ambivalence.
Never has Australian sport known a character so able to embody the best of our national spirit: courage, determination, and rudeness. When we needed a hero, Lleyton was there. When we needed uplift, Lleyton was there. And when we needed someone to look down on, Lleyton was there.
What more could any nation ask for?
Mr.Media
Roar Rookie
We need more commentators like Jim Courier who can actually commentate.
We've got a live one
Guest
Don't give up your day job.
jamesb
Guest
*considering that he wasn't much of a player.
jamesb
Guest
Hewitt as a player didn't have major weapons such as a big serve or a powerful forehand. But the qualities that he did had was mental toughness where he never gave and he got the best out of himself. Hewitt probably needed to be a ' dickhead' to survive and thrive as a tennis player because he wasn't as talented as Federer, Rafa, Safin, Murray, Novak or his former Davis cup team mate, Rafter. And when you look at Hewitt's record, it reads: 2 grand slam wins 2 Davis cup wins 30 career titles 80 weeks at number Sure, he achieved all of that very early on in his career. But at the end if the day, he did very well, considering that he didn't have much as a player.
Ben Pobjie
Guest
If they never have a point how do you know they're negative?
Forest Gimp
Guest
Heck yeah I'm serious. I always save my serious comments for articles of comedic ambition. Buddy, throwing out the tedious response of: mental health is a sacred cow which can not be mentioned (except in an appropriately serious and self-fellating fashion) wrapped in the old projection defence is just gold. If your exclamation! festival was a clever joke that I am too unsophisticated to appreciate, then let's just put it down to artistic difference, if it's a real compulsive disorder I've been unaware of then I apologise. You go on peppering every post with more ! It clearly highlights the plight of obsessive exclamators, who have had to live in the shadows for too long. #We!support!you!
football
Guest
Chaser said it all really https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaYONVkozDQ
Burgs
Guest
Well said!!!!!!!!
Burgs
Guest
Spot on Baz, any Ben article I've read seems to not have a point and they are always really negative. He needs to be more light-hearted and positive, and actually funny like Eldridge, or stop trying to be funny and actually be serious.
John g
Guest
I thought Lleyton was as point brat and glad to see the back of him actually He sounds much nicer when he's commentating and from all reports is a nice bloke off court . On court he's horrible to watch and at times a total embarrassment . In his last match he was calling the linesman a moron which he got fined for . Wow what a great champion . When will we get that it's not just about winning but being a decent human being as well. Look at Rafa,all class . Hewitt spoils brat . That's not tall poppy that's not supporting someone who carries on like a jerk. Who cares what country he's from . Do we really need our self esteem bolstered by someone who can hit a tennis ball well but acts like a prat.
My2cents
Guest
Thanks Ben for writing a perfect embodiment of the American sports psyche about Australia, and taking a shot at Lleyton Hewitt while your at it. The typical Australian sports psyche is almost the opposite of that. Australians will unconditionally support those that have earnt our respect. Just look at how many people show up in pink to the scg test every year. Something that would have seen unthinkable to the default Australian male a decade ago. Not as a way to achieve glory by association. The Australian sports fan cares more about effort and integrity, about playing the right way, and earning all you are given. We support Aussies we've never heard of in sports we don't care about because we know behind the scenes they are putting in the hard yards and that is admirable.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Unfortunately snide cheap shots make up the bulk of Pobjie's articles. I've never read an article of his where he actually seems to enjoy a game or a sport or an athlete. He manages to find the negative out of any event. I don't think he actually even likes sport...which makes sports journalism a strange career option. He also has a complete ignorance of any of the finer points of any sport. He just writes a stream of blatant, rude generalisations. "He is a loathsome, offensive brute. Yet I cannot look away."
botticelli
Guest
This articles is disrespectful. What a shame.
Bigstu
Guest
Great article Ben, keep up the good work. Telling it like it is will rub those outrage police up the wrong way everytime.
Nathan
Guest
Are you serious? I think my exclamation points went straight over your head buddy!!!!!!!!! Anyone who makes the following statements as you have about my exclamation points and then mental health is usually self reflecting and the one with issues. Enjoy your weekend buddy!!!!!!!!
Simoc
Guest
Great article Ben. Sums it up beautifully. So funny to read the comments to. Especially the offended ones.
Forest Gimp
Guest
@Nathan: I get your pov, and did enjoy the article. However, multiple exclamation marks are indefensible, they are a sure sign of desperation, lack of appreciation of grammar, clinical insanity or all of the above. It is a crime second to posting in capitals, and does your opinion no favours. One ! is sufficient for any occasion.
Mr.Media
Roar Rookie
He might be a commentator here in OZ, but NO WHERE ELSE! That's about all we deserve here, as well as cranky line calls. Watched 3 bad calls in a row in the game between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco, that's the reason people are being put off the tennis here. If you keep talking people up, maybe someone might actually believe it, but not me. Loud mouths deserve to LOSE.And so do nitwits who bash bugs and yell at other people. NOT a great look!
Nathan
Guest
Mate, bit touchy aren't we. Extremely immature response, but one I would expect from someone who gets immense pleasure out of someone acting like a spoilt brat, typical!!!. But that is just a Different opinion champ. Enjoy your long weekend. Tell me though how is it everyone else gets moderated but your ok to verbally abuse me? Not a lot of consistency!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnno
Guest
Thanks Lleyton for the memories. A good career, and a good career as a commentator beckons.