TENNIS 2014 ROLAND GARROS – 27th of May 2014. C. Berlocq d. L. Hewitt 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. An interview with Lleyton Hewitt.
Q. You played well in the first set, but you were not able to keep that level in the next sets.
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was always going to be a tough match and I was going to have to go out there and try and be aggressive. The first set I did that well, but it’s a very fine line how aggressive to play, especially in conditions like today, really slow and heavy out there, and he can obviously get a lot of balls back.
I was going to make some errors out there, but I still feel like that was my best shot at winning.
Q. How do you feel and how your body is reacting? How many seasons do you feel you have left in you?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, my body feels fine at the moment, which is good. Yeah, obviously I started really well winning Brisbane, and then, yeah, only played a couple more tournaments on hard court after that, and obviously didn’t play that much on clay, whereas my least favorite surface. Coming onto the grass now.
The grass, preparing for Wimbledon, and then obviously the U.S. hard courts, leading into the US Open, is, you know, where I’d like to play my best tennis.
Q. Talking to Venus Williams, and you and her having similar generations in terms of when you come up on the tour. She was saying she still, even though results haven’t been quite the same as they were ten years ago, still goes into every tournament thinking she can win and you can catch lightning in a bottle on some level. Do you still think that when you show up to, maybe not the French, but when you get to Wimbledon in three weeks that things can click and magic can still happen?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, I feel especially at Wimbledon there is not as many guys that have a realistic articular shot, and, you know, guys that can go out there and compete against the top guys who possibly can win the tournament. I think I’m one of those guys who can go out there and push those guys.
If I, yeah, execute everything, and my ball striking, yeah, I’m feeling pretty good about it at the moment again.
So that’s one area that, going straight onto the grass gives me a lot of confidence. Yeah, with Wimbledon coming up that’s obviously the next main focus.
Q. What’s the biggest thing you take out of a match like today looking ahead to the next phase of the season?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Probably my ball striking, I think. I was pretty happy with how I hit the ball. Return serve well. My net play was fantastic. You know, I came in on the right balls. Occasionally lost a couple, but I felt like, you know, my volleying, that was really good today.
I think moving forward obviously for the grass is such a key aspect of the grass.
So, yeah, it’s obviously disappointing right now, but, you know, there are positives. My body feels good and I played over three hours and I feel like I could keep playing. Yeah, there is a few positives.
Q. A question about football. Do you follow soccer?
LLEYTON HEWITT: Soccer? Yeah, a little bit.
Q. Can you give me a quick outlook on the Socceroos for the World Cup? What do you think they can do?
LLEYTON HEWITT: We’re definitely the underdogs, that’s for sure.
Yeah, I was in South America end of last year when they did the World Cup draw, and I don’t think it was too favorable for us (smiling).
But then again, I think that’s a good position for us to be in. I think our coach is very good. He’s done really well in their local competition. And I know Tim Cahill a little bit, and he’s a fantastic leader. Hopefully he can score a few goals for us.
