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Call me un-Australian (I’m sure someone will), but I don’t like Lleyton Hewitt.
Considered by many to be the best Australian tennis player since Pat Rafter, Hewitt has done amazing things on the court over his long career which saw him reach the world number one ranking at the youthful age of 20, the youngest-ever number one.
Along the way, he stamped his authority on world tennis by claiming the 2001 US open, the 2002 Wimbledon, and finishing runner up in the 2004 US Open and 2005 Australian Open.
Since 2003 however, Hewitt has never shown the consistency expected of him which he showed in during Grand Slam winning days.
Coupled with the media spotlight of the celebrity status that accompanies all successful Australian athletes, Hewitt’s controversies have always been well publicised.
So now comes the question, why hate on Hewitt? Why not blame the sensationalism of our beloved media?
In a sport which has traditionally been about grace and style, Hewitt lacks these qualities.
His sportsmanship is constantly under fire with his desire to win always trumping his respect for peers and administrators. Dummy spits are no rarity and in times of struggle you can trust him to show his frustration.
One could argue he lacks impulse control. He and wife Rebecca married after six weeks of dating but to his credit, his family life is much more successful than his on-court form.
Wearing his trusty backward cap, an anomaly among professional tennis players, I’ve been mulling for a better word than ‘arrogance’ to describe his attitude toward tennis. But I have failed.
Of course, my judgement may be clouded by the amount of players on tour who voiced their dislike of Hewitt.
Humility is a well known cliché when it comes to the public spotlight.
It’s disappointing to see Hewitt often voice disappointment in his own game before (if he does) acknowledging the excellent game played by his opponent.
As a former world number one, albeit beyond a decade ago, Hewitt’s reputation ensures he is always described as “a very tough opponent” by his peers even when he is defeated in straight sets. Despite these often untruthful clichés, it is respect for the opponent, respect for the tour and respect for the sport which make these white lies critical to public image.
But then again, there are bound to be people who find Hewitt’s honest lack of clichés refreshing.
Just because I dislike him, it does not mean I don’t want him to win. Watching his first round match was Janko Tipsarevic was painful. Given the primetime slot after eight hours of being hyped by the Channel 7 media team throughout the day, I was ready for a big five-set marathon.
His second Kooyong Classic victory gave me reason to reaffirm.
Alas, for only three games in the match did Hewitt ever look in control and playing with confidence before giving up a 3-0 to lose the set and ultimately be beaten in straight sets and knocked out in the first round.
Since his decline from the world number one ranking, Hewitt has carried the profile of the ultimate underdog and Australian’s a renowned for backing the underdog.
Hewitt however does not have, and never has had, an underdog personality. He’s aggressive on the court and he has no problem voicing his opinions.
Hewitt appears to be lingering around the tour as a hitting partner for his younger peers. His time as a professional singles player is nearing its end and retirement should have been on his mind for the past few seasons.
Andy Roddick went out of the game with the utmost respect when he announced the 2012 US Open as his final tournament despite being just 29 at the time. He was playing well enough to make it to the fourth round of his final tournament but realised there was a life after tennis.
Hewitt was once an excellent tennis player, the best in the world even. But beyond his ability to once play tennis, it is difficult to consider him a well-rounded sportsman.
Perhaps Bernard Tomic will learn from Lleyton Hewitt’s mistakes.
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