The scandal over alleged match-fixing in tennis that has clouded the tournament’s opening days lingered on though with even Hewitt being quizzed about online speculation that some of his past matches had been implicated. “You’re a freaking idiot”.
Advertisement
Murray, faced with the world record-breaking serve of the physically imposing Sam Groth, had all the answers as he won 6-0, 6-4, 6-1 in just 91 minutes against the flummoxed Australian.
The Spaniard broke the Hewitt serve in the fifth game and from there the result rarely looked in doubt.
Perhaps not moving as sprightly as he was at the start, an early break for Ferrer seemed to dim the lights on his career. Ha!
“It was an unbelievable atmosphere out there”, Hewitt told reporters. You’ve been a great friend, a great competitor.
Andy Murray has said he feels sorry for innocent players being accused of match-fixing but believes more accountability is the only way to root out corruption. Hewitt’s comments were thought by many to be racist in nature.
After helping Australia regain – and retain – its status in the World Group after six years in the Davis Cup wilderness, Hewitt had one final crack at glory in 2015.
The camera followed Hewitt down the hall, his kids with him.
Neither media organization named names but a separate blog did Thursday and listed Hewitt as the singles grand slam victor in question. It would be really fun to kind of play together. Apart of the likes of especially [Andre] Agassi in ’92, there wasn’t a lot of guys that would stay back and play from the back of the court.
“It’s probably pushed me to play that little bit longer to enjoy it so they could get something out of it as well”.
Hewitt said: “Playing for Australia has always been my biggest honour”.
Djokovic takes on Italian Andreas Seppi in the third round on Friday night. New stars like Bernard Tomic, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have found him to be a mentor.
The world number one also had his name misspelled as “Novack” on the stadium wall at Rod Laver Arena – where he has won the Australian Open no fewer than five times.
But a fighter to the bitter end, Hewitt tried everything to drag himself back into the contest, including a career-first “tweener”, a second medical time-out and a venomous spray of chair umpire Pascal Maria after copping a series of untimely foot faults deep in the third set.
He also was a member of the Australian teams that claimed Davis Cup honours in 1999 and 2003. At 15, Hewitt was the youngest qualifier in the history of the Australian Open in 1997.
On Thursday, Hewitt finished his career after bowing out of his 20th consecutive Australian Open. And while he’s still alive in the doubles bracket, his singles career came to an emotional end with a loss to David Ferrer yesterday.
Hewitt pressed as his opponent upped his intensity. Every unforced error with a collective sigh (see picture).
“[Ferrer] is a quality player”, Hewitt said.
“He was someone I loved watching growing up”. He won a heap of titles.
Dave Sammel, the coach of two British players on the Futures circuit, the lowest level of professional tennis, said his pupils had both been approached to throw matches. When I came on the tour, he was good to me away from the court. All my service games were really hard to hold the whole time.
“Is this like a friendly reminder that I’m getting old?”
There was better news for Australians on other courts, however.
“I’m fortunate: I can play as long as I want to play”.
Advertisement
“Lleyton was something special…[he] made me figure out my game”, Federer said. “I guess we have to ask them”. That was one of the funniest matches ever. You’ve brought so much to this sport.
