Tennis & Sports

Most inspirational player/athlete (past or present)?
Probably Tiger Woods, because of the results that he has had at such a young age. There are so many pressures on him as he goes in a tournament; he's the favorite in every tournament, he's world No.1. He has won so much money but he's still out there and he's still giving it 100 percent every time he steps on a golf course. I think the way he handles himself, whether it's with the media, or with fans, is great. And he gives a lot of time to other people. Todd and Natasha Woodbridge, Todd's wife, they know him pretty well and they live in the same estate in Orlando. I went to the gym the day before Tiger came back. The next day I decided not to go to the gym with Todd, and Tiger was in there, so I missed my chance. But hopefully in the future I will get to meet him.

When did you first become interested/show an interest in tennis?
I started around six. My parents started playing social tennis at a local tennis club and as soon as I was out there I just wanted to hit some balls.

Most thrilling moment in sports
Kieren Perkins at the Olympic Games in 1996 when he won gold after just qualifying for the final.

What is the biggest challenge you have overcome in tennis? So far, the pressure of being a teenager on the Tour and so much expectation. What was your most important victory? It's hard, but I think the Kafelnikov match at the Davis Cup in 1999 when we were undermanned, and the result put us in the Davis Cup final. What special steps do you take to mentally prepare for a big match? I just try and stay relaxed and keep to myself for a couple of hours before the match. I listen to motivational music like the 'Eye of the Tiger' from the Rocky sound track and Jimmy Barnes. I have seen the Rocky movies hundreds of times.

How do you cope with defeat?.
I try to take the positives out of that match.

What (thus far) has been the defining point in your career?
It's very hard to say.The first thing was the win in Adelaide which got me on the Tour; you can say that's a huge turning point going from satellites to playing on the Tour. After that I did struggle a bit for six or seven months. The Singapore tournament (1998) where I was playing really well and had a good quarterfinal match against Rios (QF) gave me a lot of confidence. Then I won 2 Challengers in the next two weeks. I never really looked back after that.

What other sports are you interested in / good at?
When I grew up, my dad, my uncle and my grandfather all were Aussie Rules Football players. They played professionally and played at the elite level. I had to make a choice when I was 13 or 14 which way I wanted to go; whether I wanted to take up tennis or wanted to continue playing football. At that stage I felt like my ability at both was pretty much equal and it was a tough choice for me to make. I got into an Australian tennis team to go to Europe for six months to play on the clay in the winter which is when we play Aussie Rules Football, so I had to make that choice. Then I went over there and won three or four tournaments in a row and that's when I wanted to become a tennis player after that. All the Europeans and Americans think we're crazy. They watch NFL and stuff like this and everyone has got padding on and we go out there in these little tight shorts and these shirts with cut off arms and we start giving everyone hip and shoulders and shir fronts. But it is really not that dangerous; well I don't think so.

Do you have any special training techniques?
I have spent hours running the sand dunes near the beaches of Adelaide to improve my stamina. Halfway around that first lap you start feeling the pain from running in the sand. But you have to keep you legs going. Whenever I am home, I'm out there two to three times a week.

Do you have any special rituals/habits before, during or after a match?
A lot of the guys say that I don't wash my hat that often. I like wearing my favorite baseball hats, I wash them now and then. I could probably wash them a little more often.

Why do you love tennis?
You are the center of attention out there. There's just two guys out there going for it and it's like you are putting on a bit of a show for the crowd ... I try to be a bit of a showman. People pay money to watch you play and you have got to put on a bit of a show for them. I try to get the crowd very involved in the match and I try to get them on my side as much as possible. It's an unbelievable feeling to have a big win. At that time I don't think there are too many words that can describe it ... it's just one big adrenaline rush.

Favourites

Band: Midnight Oil

CD: Rocky Soundtrack

Movie (all time): Rocky IV

Book: Tiger Woods autobiography

Video Game: Not into them really

Foods: Meat pie, chips & tomato sauce

Do you eat a particular meal before matches?
Pasta or sandwich, depending on time of match

Car: BMW, I have a deal with them

Football (Australian Rules) Club: Adelaide Crows

Outside Interests

Charity
I try to help the fight against Cystic Fibrosis as well as supporting the Starlight Foundation, and Pat Rafter's Cherish the Children Foundation.

Travel
What are your favorite non-tennis destinations?
It's great to get back home to Adelaide or to Robina on Queensland's Gold Coast, where Scotty Draper lives.

Fashion (special designers/types of clothing?)
I'm not into fashion. I wear surfie clothing such a Mambo.

Hobbies (collecting, etc?)
I go to the movies. I go out to a few nightclubs if I am back home with my mates. I play cards on the internet.

Surfing the Internet:
I spend a lot of time on the internet chatting to my mates back home in Australia. It's an easy way to talk to them and I also check up on a lot of the news back from home.

Family Background

Family
Glynn & Sherilyn

How many brothers / sisters?
One sister, Jaslyn, who is two years younger than me.

What are her special interests?
She's still at high school (Year 12), but she plays tennis.

Any family members with prominent sports backgrounds?
Dad played Australian Rules Football for 15 years from early 70s to mid 80s. My mum played professional net ball for South Australia and she was a physical education teacher. I come from a sporting background and it has helped me a lot. They understand the pressures that I am going through at certain times through my career because dad had been trough that pressure and my mum had obviously been through it as well. I suppose they probably know how to handle it a little bit and what to expect when I am preparing for a match.

Personal

Who is the most inspirational person in your life?
There's probably a few, obviously including my family. My coach Darren Cahill has probably been the main one. Pat Rafter, John Newcombe all sort of come underneath them.

If you werent a tennis player, what would you be?
I would have tried to play Australian Rules Football.

How do you deal with popularity?
If you're trying to be at the top of your sport, it's part of being a professional athlete. You've got to give up time to sign autographs and take photos. It does get very hectic when you are walking around the streets and people want your autograph, or photo. Australia is pretty demanding in that respect.

Outside of a big win, what is your 'Ideal Day'?
Play 18 holes of golf, watch the Crows win a premiership and go out to the Planet Nightclub (which Darren Cahill owns in Adelaide).

Apart from the tennis, what do you like most about being a tennis player?
Playing in so many different countries and playing every week - if you do lose one week you get to play the next week.

What do you like least about being a tennis player?
You're under a lot of pressure all the time and always in the public eye.

How do you cope with the constant travel?
I go to the tournaments I like to play and the places I really enjoy, so that makes it a little easier on me. I've played very little in Europe.

What do you plan to do after tennis?
My biggest dream is to be as successful as possible, whatever I am doing.

How do you cope with the constant travel?

Weblinks

To find out more about Lleyton Hewitt and all the latest news on his progress this year, be sure to visit his player profile page on the official ATP Tennis web site: http://www.atptennis.com/en/players/playerprofiles/default2.asp?playersearch=Hewitt%2C+Lleyton