PACIFIC LIFE OPEN
March 18, 2008
Lleyton Hewitt
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Seemed pretty routine to you, especially in that
second set. Was it that way, or how would you assess the
match?
LLEYTON HEWITT: In the end it was. In the first set I was
obviously down a break. Yeah, I lot of chances to break
early on and couldn't quite take him. And then, you know,
hung in there and got back into that first set and was able
to break and put a lot of pressure on him and frustrate him
into going for a few shots that he didn't really want to go
for.
Then the second set I played a really good game to break
first game in the second set and was able to put pressure on
him from then.
Q. Must be pretty happy the way things are going. Last
year was kind of a hiccup for you, at least at this
tournament. Looks like things are coming together for you.
LLEYTON HEWITT: It's always nice when your body is feeling
strong and fit out there. This time last year I had a couple
of niggling injuries that hurt my chances here, and then I
had to pull out of Miami. It's always good when you're
feeling fit and strong and able to go out there and feel
like you can compete against the best guys.
Q. Can you just talk about your success here? That must
breed a lot of confidence every time you come back here to
Indian Wells.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it's a great tournament to come back
to. I really enjoy playing here. Don't know what it is, but
I've always had great success in the desert, whether it's
Scottsdale, Vegas, or here.
This one is one of my favorite tournaments to come back to.
It's nice to win my first couple of matches here this year.
Q. Can you talk a little bit about the next round. Right
now Mardy Fish is up a break in the second. He won the
first. Can you talk about possibly playing him and then
David Davydenko?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, and pretty different players, I guess,
Fish is probably a bit more an all-court player and probably
got a little more dangerous first serve, but will probably
make a few more errors.
Davydenko is obviously extremely solid and a great mover out
there and great counter puncher. It's not going to be easy
whichever guy I come up against, but I look forward to the
challenge and hopefully getting through to a quarter.
Q. I was just typing you in on YouTube and watching you
perform Eye of the Tiger.
LLEYTON HEWITT: What's that?
Q. I was watching you perform Eye of the Tiger on
YouTube. Have you seen that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No, I haven't. I don't think I want to.
Q. So was that something you just did spur of the moment
and now you regret it?
LLEYTON HEWITT: I think that was something that a lot of the
players got forced into.
Q. Forced into?
LLEYTON HEWITT: At the French Open.
THE MODERATOR: You can say coaxed.
LLEYTON HEWITT: I didn't even know it was happening and I
got put in a room and I didn't know what was happening.
Q. So you haven't seen the video then or anything?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No. As I said, I don't think I want to.
Q. Karaoke is not your thing, then?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No. After a few drinks with my mates, maybe.
Not with a camera.
Q. You're saying that you're feeling pretty healthy and
fit and all that. Bearing into mind that you've had your
fair share of injury issues, when was the last time you felt
as good as you wanted to feel as far as not being injured or
anything like that?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, the Aussie Open I felt pretty good
this year. But before that, probably starting in
Rome/Hamburg last year, was probably -- and I think it
showed in my performances. You know, in Hamburg I played
some of the best tennis I've played in my career there last
year.
And then French Open I played well and ended up losing to
Nadal both weeks. And then at Wimbledon played pretty well
as well. Beat Cănas and lost to Djokovic in a tight match.
So that period I was feeling pretty good about my body. When
you're able to go out there and feel like you can compete
and feel close to 100 percent out there makes it a lot
easier.
Q. I don't know if you talked about this already. I'm
sorry if you already have. Can you talk about the Australian
Open? It was very unusual for you to play a match well into
sunrise, and...
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was strange, but -- yeah, Marcos
and I only have ourselves to blame for it going so long, I
guess. Yeah, it wasn't going to be ideal for either of us
whoever got through in the end.
Obviously Novak was well rested and tucked up in bed, and
whoever got through that match was going to be a extremely
tough ask to come back and play basically the following day
when your whole time clock is out of whack.
So, yeah, I went out there and tried to prepare for that
match as well as possible, but, yeah, he was obviously too
good.
Q. Just seems like one of those matches that people are
going to talk for a long, long time. Do you see it that way,
or do you see it more it kind of cost you an opportunity?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, Novak was still too good when he beat
me. Yeah, it didn't help my chances. But, yeah, I would
doubt probably if right at the moment another match would
finish that late after, you know, the amount of talk and
publicity that it caused.
Q. Have you seen the Roddick/Haas match?
LLEYTON HEWITT: No.
Q. Do you think that Haas is still a contender for the
top 10 again?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. Well, he's had -- obviously coming
back from another shoulder injury, so he's an extremely
talented player. He's been as high as 2 in the world, so
he's a great player.
But, yeah, this is sort of a road back for him again. Yeah,
he obviously struggled his first couple weeks coming back.
It's a great win beating Andy in straight sets here.
End of FastScripts
