Lleyton Hewitt

[Rustin Cohle]

Ten years ago when Lleyton was still a young man with long blonde hair, screaming c'mons as he won points I thought to myself that there was no way I could ever barrack for this annoying kid. He seemed arrogant and petulant. He probably was. I thought he was a whinger and a sore loser.

As the years went on I began to watch his matches with interest and came to realize that although I didn't like is personality he was a very good player who always gave everything for his country. He never gives up in a match, even if he's being outclassed by a better player as he was tonight by Federer. It's all I can ask for as a supporter.

It has also become apparent to me that Hewitt's attitude has changed over the years. No longer is he the hot headed, temperamental young man he was when he first arrived on the scene. He has matured over the years and seems like a more humble person. Perhaps becoming a husband and father has contributed to this, I don't know. He's still just as passionate on court, but very rarely do you see him direct his anger at officials anymore. To me, he has definitely become more likeable and my respect for him has grown because of this.

It has made it so much easier to support him these days.

Does anyone agree with me about Lleyton? I feel it's a fair analysis of the guy.

 

[Furn]

Ten years ago when Lleyton was still a young man with long blonde hair, screaming c'mons as he won points I thought to myself that there was no way I could ever barrack for this annoying kid. He seemed arrogant and petulant. He probably was. I thought he was a whinger and a sore loser.

As the years went on I began to watch his matches with interest and came to realize that although I didn't like is personality he was a very good player who always gave everything for his country. He never gives up in a match, even if he's being outclassed by a better player as he was tonight by Federer. It's all I can ask for as a supporter.

It has also become apparent to me that Hewitt's attitude has changed over the years. No longer is he the hot headed, temperamental young man he was when he first arrived on the scene. He has matured over the years and seems like a more humble person. Perhaps becoming a husband and father has contributed to this, I don't know. He's still just as passionate on court, but very rarely do you see him direct his anger at officials anymore. To me, he has definitely become more likeable and my respect for him has grown because of this.

It has made it so much easier to support him these days.

Does anyone agree with me about Lleyton? I feel it's a fair analysis of the guy.

Yes i agree he's an total hack and the worst no1 in the history of the game.

and yes i could beat him.

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Yes i agree he's an total hack and the worst no1 in the history of the game.

and yes i could beat him.

**** off troll. You have your own thread to spout your bullshit, now kindly leave mine.

 

[MaccaKnowsBest]

Nah, he still has a temper. Fined $1,000 in 2008:

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=587648

Lleyton Hewitt has been fined $US1,000 ($A1,043.19) for unsportsmanlike behaviour at Wimbledon.


Hewitt was handed the fine after upsetting officials during his tough five-set first-round singles match against talented Dutchman Robin Hasse on Monday.

 

[JuddyBuddy]

Yes i agree he's an total hack and the worst no1 in the history of the game.

and yes i could beat him.

Mate, take a hike. I haven't seen you post at all in this forum apart from tonight to bag Hewitt. Get a life.

 

[NSWCROW]

People who bag him should **** off and become HUMAN SHIELDS !!!!!!!!

 

[mad_eagle]

Agree 100%
As you have said, being a husband/father can do wonders to inducing some maturity into a man.

imo, splitting from Clijsters was the best thing he could for himself, as a person. He seems to be a better man with Bec

 

[MaccaKnowsBest]

People who bag him should **** off and become HUMAN SHIELDS !!!!!!!!

There would be quite a number of shields then

 

[Furn]

Mate, take a hike. I haven't seen you post at all in this forum apart from tonight to bag Hewitt. Get a life.

Geez im sorry.

next time i post ill send u a PM.

I ont post here cos i dont wanna hear from all the Hewitt, Nadal fanboys getting each other off.

If you can just hit groundstrokes you are only half a tennis player!!

 

[Rustin Cohle]

I'm not saying Hewitt's a saint, by the way. I just think he has changed for the better over the years.

 

[Leo Barry You Star]

People who bag him should **** off and become HUMAN SHIELDS !!!!!!!!

Little upset are you champ lol

 

[BobbyMorri]

Yeah, fully agree on the OP. He still no where near my favourite player, nor a saint, but I dont hate him any more.

Go Away Furn.

 

[Rohan25]

Yes he is much easier to support than he used to be. He has grown in maturity over the years, making far less silly statements than he used to, and I always like to see him do well.

He is our greatest servant in Davis Cup, having more singles wins than any other Australian. 2 Grand slam victories, 80 weeks at number 1 (8th longest of all time), and continues to challenge on the mens tour, coming within a few points of another Wimbledon Semi-final just last year.

I still prefer Rafter, but Hewitt has saved us some long Grand Slam fortnights without a local to support for many years now.

 

[ronnie1234]

Will always have respect for this man. Always enjoyed watching him play as once the momentum swings his way, the viewers gets pumped beside him and create a great atmosphere which makes the game a hell lot more awesome.

I was shattered when he got knocked out by the A-rod in last year's Wimbledon QF. Both played brilliantly but Roddick just had the weapons to finish him off, his backhands was the best ive seen on that day.

 

[pepsi]

Furn, you are being a complete tool. Please come back when you have been a number 1 player with 2 slam wins.

I agree with the OP, I did not really like Lleyton when he was younger, but my admiration and respect has grown for him over the years. He gives it his all in every match, he never retires, he always puts his country ahead of himself (that is one thing he will always have over Federer) and when he finishes his career he will be known as a great Australian tennis player.

 

[Ricketts]

Hewitt has saved us some long Grand Slam fortnights without a local to support for many years now.

Why does there have to be a local to support? Why can't you just support the players that you find more entertaining?

 

[Power King]

I'd say the introduction of hawkeye has allowed him to develop a taste for humble pie.

 

[Rohan25]

Why does there have to be a local to support? Why can't you just support the players that you find more entertaining?

Fair point, it was more my way of saying that Australian tennis would have been in a disastrous situation for the last decade without him.

 

[Caesar]

Fair point by the OP, I like him a lot more than I did when he was younger. Yeah he gets the odd fine - he'll always be a hothead - but he comes across better (when he was younger I just thought he was a tool). Definitely matured a lot in recent years.

Objectively speaking though, I probably wouldn't have much time for him if he wasn't Australian. It's not like he's Pat Rafter or Jonas Bjorkman, who were pretty universally loved.

 

[smoovy]

He is now the elder statesman of Australian Tennis and a father of 2.

In reality there was never anything he has done that has really been all that bad apart from suffer a dose of white line fever.

 

[MaccaKnowsBest]

In reality there was never anything he has done that has really been all that bad apart from suffer a dose of white line fever.

Yet he was voted the least admired sportsperson by Inside Sport a number of years back. Obviously did something or several things that turned people away

 

[smoovy]

Yet he was voted the least admired sportsperson by Inside Sport a number of years back. Obviously did something or several things that turned people away

It is a mixture a bit of tall poppy syndrome and the fact some took exception to his apparent overall brash behaviour. It had like a snowball effect where people started hating him, where I bet if you asked those people what they disliked about him the reasons would have been pretty lame.

 

[Caesar]

Oh come on. I don't hate the guy, but a few of the unpleasant things that stand out to me:

- the whole maybe-racist-remark thing with Blake at the US Open
- Calling an official a *******
- Percieved over-entitled attitude about the courts at Melbourne Park
- The ongoing crap with Nalbandian

So I can understand why some people think he's a tool. I mean, when you consider that he took over from the patron saint of nice guys as our most high-profile tennis player, it's not surprising that people think his behaviour is pretty crap.

 

[MaccaKnowsBest]

It is a mixture a bit of tall poppy syndrome and the fact some took exception to his apparent overall brash behaviour. It had like a snowball effect where people started hating him, where I bet if you asked those people what they disliked about him the reasons would have been pretty lame.

In your opinion. In my opinion, I believe the reasons are justified.

 

[MaccaKnowsBest]

Oh come on. I don't hate the guy, but a few of the unpleasant things that stand out to me:

- the whole maybe-racist-remark thing with Blake at the US Open
- Calling an official a *******
- Percieved over-entitled attitude about the courts at Melbourne Park
- The ongoing crap with Nalbandian

Don't forget his dummy spit at the Australian public when he played another Australian in Adelaide.