Sounds like it in this article in the Sun Herald which has all the hallmarks of someone who has lost his edge.
“I’m not sure what it is,” he said. “I feel comfortable with everything off the court and also when I [am fit and] get on the court, so I guess you put things into perspective in a lot of ways.”……..
…….”[I don't mind] doing things like this,” he told The Sun-Herald. “I’ve always felt a lot of support from the Sydney tournament and the Sydney people and if I can give back and help the tournament in any way, that’s what I want to do.”
It’s great that Hewitt appears to have grown into himself and become relaxed and comfortable, however the performances and injury list of tennis’ version of the energizer bunny indicate a broken down athlete on the slide.
This from Brad Drewitt.
He has plenty of time to turn around his career, and image. If he’s fit, he’s still one of the top players in the world, Drewett said.
Yep, if. But watching Hewitt’s performances over the past eighteen months, it looks like he’s lost a step due to age and injury and it’s hard to see him arresting the slide down the ladder to journeyman satus. And certainly Drewitts language can be interpreted as doubt about whether Hewitt can dig deep for a few more seasons of fist pumping c’mons.
Image may be all that he has left.
4 responses so far ↓
Shaun // Oct 15, 2006 at 11:06 pm
I thought part of the problem was that Ley Ley is technically not as good as the top players. He has relied on heart and courage to cover up deficincies in his game.
Phil // Oct 15, 2006 at 11:13 pm
And speed, I’ve always said that once he lost half a step he’d be toast and I predicted this would happen in his mid twenties. It has.
Shaun // Oct 16, 2006 at 9:28 am
So, anyone on the horizon to replace Leyton or is Oz tennis about to head back into the doldrums.
Phil // Oct 16, 2006 at 7:10 pm
Doldrums I think. I’ll start looking at the junior stuff to see if anything is happening for the future.