The Hindu : Sport : Hewitt one step away from home Slam win

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 29, 2005

Sport

Sport

Hewitt one step away from home Slam win

By Nirmal Shekar

MELBOURNE, JAN. 28. The solitary warrior working against all odds, doggedly thrusting forward uphill on weary legs, inexorably marching towards an impossible goal — it is an imagery resonant of the archetypal Australian hero through generations, immortalised in books and films and public discourse.

How much of the little-man-fighting-great-odds theme — which is at the heart of Australian folklore — is a myth is a matter of debate. But this much is sure: in this day and age, no Australian sportsman fits that archetype as well as Lleyton Hewitt who, on Sunday, will have the chance to author a fairytale climax to the Centenary Australian Open.

A little short of breath, a touch weary in his legs, battling niggling aches and pains, the Adelaide dynamo resumed his epic, marathon journey tonight at the Rod Laver Arena, and after two hours and 54 minutes of red-hot effort, during which he disarmed the fastest draw in the American Wild West this side of Jesse James — the second seed Andy Roddick — Hewitt moved within a step of the summit, flagpole in hand, flag almost unfurled.

The third-seeded Australian's 3-6, 7-6(3), 7-6(4), 6-1 semifinal victory over Roddick at Melbourne Park tonight advanced him to his first ever home Slam final, 17 years after Pat Cash — the last Australian to earn that privilege — lost in five memorable sets to Mats Wilander in the first championship at the new hard court facility.

Another piece of history awaits Hewitt on Sunday when he plays the giant Russian Marat Safin in the first ever night final in a Grand Slam championship — should the little battler triumph on that night, he would become the first Australian to win here since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

Raising his game

"We have put in a lot of hard yards. I have always been saying that I would do anything to play in the first night final,'' said Hewitt. "Marat (Safin) is playing extraordinarily well. I am going to have to raise my game again.''

Tonight, after looking surprisingly flat in the first set — perhaps understandable after two emotionally and physically draining five-set matches in a row — Hewitt raised him game in the second set tiebreak, stormed back from 0-3 down in the third set and effectively shut the door on his American opponent in the second tiebreak of the match.

"There was so much firepower out there,'' said the Australian, talking about Roddick's serve and forehand. "I just had to hang in there and weather the storm.''

Roddick, of course, has the all the firepower under the command of an entire elite Marine division. His only problem is, he has never been taught when to use what. He uses a Kalashnikov to kill a fly and brings out the Swiss army knife at the sight of a twin-horned rhinoceros charging at him.

The American served bombs — he had 31 aces in the match — time and again but when he most needed them, he found himself sending down soft sitting duck second deliveries, which Hewitt teed off avariciously in both the tiebreaks.

On the other hand, Roddick's Australian opponent reserved his best for the big points, hitting a breathtaking forehand winner at full stretch in the seventh game of the third set. That macho statement of intent so unnerved the American that he promptly sent down two double faults to surrender the one-break advantage he had.

Again, in the tiebreak, Hewitt came back from 3-1 down and wrapped it up with a superb backhand crosscourt pass. That broke what was left of Roddick's heart, will and anything else with which he may have put up some sort of resistance.

Opportunity missed

Then again, as formidable a competitor as Hewitt is, this was a match which Roddick could have — and should have, given the firepower at his disposal — taken control of after winning the first set easily. While he has always found the mental edge elusive against the gritty Australian — Hewitt has now won five of their six matches — tonight Roddick had a great opportunity to reverse the trend.

Going into the match, Hewitt had played well over 14 hours of tennis while Roddick had clocked about half that in his five matches. What is more, he has been playing awe-inspiring tennis, dictating the points with his big serve and forehand.

But after stepping out suggesting he was ready to do a fair imitation of Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry on a tennis court, Roddick once again betrayed a tendency to shrink away from taking control of crucial points.

Why a man with a serve that can make opponents break into a cold sweat and a forehand that can send shivers down the spine should continue to play from so far behind the baseline is still a great puzzle. If Roddick is to use his weapons effectively, he needs to rethink his tactics.

"He (Hewitt) put himself in position to win big points,''said Roddick. "I donated a little bit more than I would have wanted to tonight. I did it at some bad times. To lose two (tie)breakers like that is disappointing,'' he said.

Kuznetsova-Molik win

Svetlana Kuznetzova of Russia and Alicia Molik of Australia beat the Americans Lindsay Davenport and Corina Morariu 6-3, 6-4 to win the women's doubles title.

Molik, who had lost a close singles quarterfinal to Davenport, said that she doesn't "look at it as a consolation but it is a huge satisfaction. It is a Grand Slam title, regardless.''

Morariu was making a comeback after having successfully fought cancer and no matter the loss she was thrilled. "It was a really special day. It has been a long three-and-a-half years for me. I am really lucky to be playing again,'' said Morariu.

Davenport, who has stood by Morariu through all her difficult days, paid tribute to her partner. "Coming back from leukaemia and after two shoulder surgeries...this is very special,'' said the world No.1 player.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport