Lleyton's Legacy
Few players have brought more to the sport of tennis than Lleyton Hewitt
The world of tennis and the whole of Australia stopped to applaud a legend on Saturday 24 January, as the man who proved just what can be achieved through immense determination and dedication – Lleyton Hewitt - took to the court for one final time.
One last time
With several promising young player beginning their Grand Slam careers at the Australian Open in Melbourne, the crowd had their sights on just one man.
Australian’s are famous for their ‘never say die’ attitude and in Hewitt they had an icon who epitomised just that. On leaving the singles court for the final time, Hewitt told the Rod Laver Arena, and the wider world that, “I left nothing in the locker room. My whole career I’ve given 100%.”
This time around however, that was simply not enough. Entering both the singles and men’s doubles events, the former World Number One was knocked out in the second round of the former by the persistent Spaniard David Ferrer, and the third round of the latter against Canadian Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock.
Hewitt’s final match on the Rod Laver Arena will little be remembered for the result, but will rather be remembered as simply the last time that tennis crowds were able to see Hewitt in action on the court.
Tennis fans need not worry though, as the now-former tennis player will soon be backed shouting at umpires as he takes up his new role as Australian Davis Cup Captain ready for their home tie against the United States of America on the grass in Kooyong.
Hewitt’s legacy
With the likes of Rod Laver lighting up the court before him, you would need to amass a strong argument to state that Hewitt is the greatest Australian tennis player of all-time. However, the 34 year old from Adelaide was by no means a long way off the man for whom the final court Hewitt would play a singles match on was named after.
After turning professional at the tender age of just 17, it took the then-young Aussie just two years to become the youngest ever male Grand Slam title holder, and that was by no means his first final at a slam either.
Partnering former girlfriend Kim Clijsters at Wimbledon, the pair were able to reach the final of the mixed doubles competition. After leaving London, Hewitt’s next stop was Flushing Meadows, New York and the US Open. Hewitt, partnered by the decent singles, yet exceptional doubles player Max Mirnyi, to would win that tournament.
By that stage, Hewitt had already been a part of a Davis Cup winning Australian side the year before and the year after would see the incredibly gifted youngster win his first Grand Slam singles title and become the youngest ever World Number One males singles player, aged just 20.
Add a Wimbledon title, another Davis Cup win, two ATP World Tour Finals victories, a total of 33 career titles, plus almost $21 million in prize money, and it soon becomes clear why there is such an aura that surrounds one of the best to have ever played the game.
There’s much to say about Lleyton
When sportsmen and women retire, we are often able to gain an honest perception about the type of person they are from those who knew them best. With a tennis playing spending the best part of 11 ½ months of the road, those people would be their fellow professionals.
Career Grand Slam winner in the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles during her own illustrious career, Martina Navratilova’s Twitter message was brief, yet effective: Thanks for the memories champ #lleytonhewitt
Speaking soon after defeating the great Aussie in his last ever singles match, David Ferrer placed additional emphasis on some of the characteristics that made Hewitt the player he was:
"He's such a fighter until the last ball. He deserves all the tributes - he is one of the best players in history”.
