Hewitt Waves Emotional Gidday

Getty Images 

Two-time grand slam champion Lleyton Hewitt waved an emotional goodbye to tennis after the Australian lost the final singles match of his career to Spain’s David Ferrer.

Hewitt typically fought to the very end in front of a packed crowd in Rod Laver Arena but he was unable to beat the classy Ferrer, who won 6-2 6-4 6-4 to reach the third round.

The 34-year-old had made clear his intention to retire at the end of this year’s tournament, his 20th Australian Open, and bring an end to an iconic career that has included winning the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002.

In an interview on court after his defeat, Hewitt told his home fans it had been the perfect way to go out.

“It’s a weird emotion, I don’t think it’ll fully settle in until a couple of days time,” Hewitt said.

“It was obviously in the back of my mind coming into every match this week but I’ve had a fantastic last month playing in what feels like every major city in this great country.

“I feel honoured to have the support and love from this crowd, it means so much to me.

“I’ve had such great success on this court and I feel fortunate to finish here.”

Hewitt remains the youngest ever world number one, after he reached the top of the rankings aged 15, and he spent 80 weeks of his career in the coveted peak spot.

Winning 30 singles titles in total, Hewitt narrowly missed out on clinching the Australian Open title in 2005 when he was beaten by Marat Safin in the final.

Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios all paid tribute to Hewitt in a video shown inside the stadium after the match.

Hewitt said: “Playing for Australia has always been my biggest honour. Getting the number 89 gold jacket off John Newcombe and Tony Roche when they picked me to play Davis Cup was one of the great days of my life.”

He added: “It’s something I can always be proud of — my whole career I’ve given 100 per cent.

“I love coming out here and competing, it’s never hard coming out and playing in front of such great spectators.

“I love Rod Laver Arena it’s like a second home for me and I’m just so fortunate to have this opportunity 20 years in a row.”

Hewitt’s fighting spirit often boiled over in his career and it did against Ferrer too when the Australian took exception to a linesman handing him a foot-fault.

At the change of ends Hewitt told umpire Pascal Maria: “You’re a fr****** idiot. That’s why everyone in the locker room thinks you’re so full of yourself.”

The pair shook hands, however, at the end of the match and Ferrer now goes through to meet American 31st seed Steve Johnson in the next round.

Related articles

• So Who Had The Better Year, Serena Williams Or Novak Djokovic?
• PowerHealth supports South Australian sports with ATP Challenger sponsorship
• Nadal Unsure About Another Major Title, Loyal to Toni
• No Athlete Had a Better 2015 Than Novak Djokovic
• Andy Murray will attend Sports Personality of the Year after missing BBC event when he won it in 2013
• Andy Murray will sit out Australian Open if new baby arrives before or during the tournament

Hewitt New Davis Cup Captan

Lleyton Hewitt has been confirmed as Australia’s new Davis Cup captain, the 34-year-old becoming the youngest skipper since the second world war.

Hewitt replaces Wally Masur, who stood in as interim captain following Pat Rafter’s sudden resignation in January as Australia went on to lose in the semi-finals to Great Britain.

John Fitzgerald (2001-2010), John Newcombe (1995-2000), Neale Fraser (1970-1994) and the legendary Harry Hopman (1950-69) are the only others to have held the coveted position in the past 65 years.

Hewitt is the country’s most prolific Davis Cup singles winner, holds a number of other Cup records and helped Australia win the trophy in 1999 and 2003.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to work under some of the greatest Davis Cup captains in history,” he said at Tuesday’s announcement at Melbourne Park.

A veteran of 40 ties over a record 17 years’ service, Hewitt says he’s excited by the prospect of leading young guns Bernard Tomic, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis in an exciting new era for Australian tennis. “For me, it’s about instilling my experience in these younger guys,” he said.

Rafter, now Tennis Australia’s director of player performance, said Hewitt’s appointment was a no-brainer. “He’s going to give it his best shot, he’s going to instil all those qualities that mean a lot to him,” Rafter said.

Hewitt’s first tie in charge will be next March when Australia host the USA in a first-round fixture featuring the two most successful Davis Cup nations in history.

Fittingly, Hewitt – who will retire after contesting an unprecedented 20th consecutive Australian Open in January – made his playing debut against the USA in 1999.

Related articles

• Murray leads British Davis Cup charge in Glasgow
• Kokkinakis selected to face Murray in Davis Cup
• Tomic, Kokkinakis in for Davis Cup singles
• Murray puts Britain in final
• Andy Murray sends Great Britain into Davis Cup Final after 37 years
• Andy Murray keeps his composure to fire Great Britain into the Davis Cup final

Hewitt Stuns Del Potro

Getty Images

Lleyton Hewitt displayed the same shots and grit that earned him a US Open trophy a dozen years ago on the way to the No. 1 ranking.

Now 32, and ranked 66th, Hewitt came back to surprise 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1 Friday night in the second round at Flushing Meadows.

"I don't know how many years I've got left in me. I keep getting asked the question," Hewitt said an on-court interview. "I'm just pumped to get out on this court and try to put on a great show."

The 4-hour, 3-minute match was the ninth time in the past 10 years that two past US Open title winners faced each other in New York. Hewitt was involved four times, losing the other three.

He won the US Open in 2001 by beating Pete Sampras in the final, and then added a Wimbledon title the following year. But he has been troubled by a series of injuries more recently and lost in the first round at four of his last six Grand Slam tournaments.

"A couple years ago, when I had a couple foot surgeries, I didn't know if I was going to play tennis again," Hewitt said.

"For me to be out here competing, it's a ... lot of fun. I cherish every match I get out there. This is why I still play, to have moments like this," he continued. "Sometimes playing the smaller tournaments, it's hard to get up for. It's not hard to get up for here, that's for sure."

Against the sixth-seeded del Potro, who is 24, the Australian repeatedly scrambled along the baseline to stretch for terrific groundstrokes.

"He's a great champion, a great fighter, and for the second round, he's a very difficult player to play," del Potro said.

While the men hit about the same number of winners -- Hewitt had 42, del Potro 41 -- the biggest difference was in the unforced error department. Looking sluggish at times, and particularly ineffective off his generally weaker backhand side, del Potro finished with a whopping 70 errors, 27 more than Hewitt.

"The wrist is not the way I'd like, but it's not an excuse," said del Potro, who did not try to defend his US Open title in 2010, because of a left wrist injury that required surgery. "Now I have a few days to rest."

It was a match filled with momentum shifts. Hewitt got broken when he served for the first set at 5-4, and again when he served for the fourth at 5-3. Still, he eventually managed to claim the latter by playing what he termed "one of the best tiebreaks of my life."

Already ahead 4-0, Hewitt smacked a backhand passing winner down the line from a full stretch, then followed that with a cross-court forehand passing winner to earn set points. After del Potro erased the first with a service winner, he double-faulted to send the match to a fifth set.

And that's when Hewitt really took over, which makes sense considering the two players' records in such lengthy matches. This was the 51st five-setter of Hewitt's career, and he improved to 32-19. Del Potro, meanwhile, dropped to 4-8.

Hewitt next faces 102nd-ranked Evgeny Donskoy of Russia.

"I hit with him a couple of days ago," Hewitt said. "First time I'd ever seen him."

Related articles

• Hewitt, Del Potro on collision course
• US Open: Former champion Juan Martin del Potro passes tight first test
• Hewitt fancies his chances
• Blake ends career with Open loss
• Del Potro outlasts Garcia-Lopez in 4 sets at Open
• Del Potro battles through to second round at US Open
• Del Potro Outlasts Garcia-Lopez in 4 Sets at Open