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| |  Monday, 8 July, 2002, 02:06 GMT 03:06 UK McEnroe delighted for Hewitt McEnroe wants Safin and Federer to learn from Hewitt Former champion turned BBC commentator John McEnroe gave his verdict on Lleyton Hewitt's first Wimbledon title. What we've got with Hewitt is a worthy champion. We all thought he could win it, but maybe not this fast as he's only 21 now, and I thought it would take a little longer for him on these grass courts for him to pull it off. But when I saw him playing his first-round match, I saw that he believed he could win the thing, and he did have a nice draw too.
When he needed to pick it up in certain games that's what he did. It got a little scary for him against Schalken, but once he pulled out of that you could sense he thought he could get through. As for the final - Nalbandian was overwhelmed at the beginning, and that was to be expected. If you put the first set aside, he played a great second game in the second set, but then the rain came. He must have known, or at least his coach Gabriel Marcus must have told him in the locker room that you've got to come out here - don't let Hewitt take the initiative.
Nalbandian got it together temporarily again, but it was too late, because he was down by two sets. You could see that he hasn't played many five setters, and I know he's 20, but mentally and physically he looked a bit spent. Give credit to Hewitt though, he knew Nalbandian had never set foot on Centre court - and that made a difference.
I love the way Hewitt plays - we need more guys like this. But as for winning more championships here - if he remains a baseline player then he'll have to pay off the groundsman to keep it this slow. I never imagined that I'd see a match like this at Wimbledon - some of it was classic moonballing in the clay court sense, but maybe that's the future.
You just get the feeling that the sands of time are slipping away from him - to me, his lot isn't going to get any easier. The guy who is better at net always has the better chance - had Tim done all those things better who knows? This was the baseliner's tournament, but don't count the serve and volleyers out yet. | |
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