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TMS - FORO ITALICO


May 10, 2000


Lleyton Hewitt


ROME, ITALY

Q. So, you remember a guy called Sedgman?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yes.

Q. Yes, so he beat me in this court, center court, a few centuries ago. I mean, what was the feeling, do you know this was a center court?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, yeah, I have been told that.

Q. What about a feeling? You know it was the longest court on earth at one time.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Was it?

Q. Yeah, before they put grass.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Q. I wanted to know if there's a special feeling, it's a very old court, goes back to 1934, some feeling there?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah, it was a nice court to walk out on. I practiced on that court this morning. You could just tell sort of walking out there, you got all the statues around the court. It's a totally different atmosphere to any other court I think I've ever played on as well. It's very unique.

Q. Would you say the key of that match was your stamina at the end of the match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: A little bit. Definitely helped me. Obviously, I think everyone could see he was cramping a little bit there, 4-3, 4-all onwards and the last set, you know. It's very hard when you do start cramping. He didn't have an injury time, so, you know, it was obviously very hard to get rid of those cramps as well. So I was feeling not 100 percent but pretty good out there.

Q. It was a very long match on the surface which is not your favorite surface and it was very hot. How do you feel now, and are you looking forward to the other match?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I've actually pulled up pretty well. You know, I didn't cramp at all, and I feel, you know, pretty good. Obviously it's going to be hard work going out there and playing doubles this afternoon, so I hope Woodforde's on his game.

Q. You are playing obviously double to be more experienced on volley-volley game. So what are the things that suit you sometimes? You have a very good approach for inside-out, you try more to take a risk to the net - sometimes, at least.

LLEYTON HEWITT: I'm still working on that game and obviously it comes together, but it's very hard to do it on clay as well. You know, it's a totally different game than hardcourt. I felt like the last couple of the end of sort of the Australian Open series and then the American circuit there I was starting to come in a little bit more and putting my opponents under a little bit more pressure. You change to clay, it's a totally different thing. You have to work the point, be prepared to stay out there and work the angles and that. So it's just another learning experience for me.

Q. Can you tell me something about Masters Series Roma: The place, the people and something on the other --

LLEYTON HEWITT: Well, obviously, this is only my second time to Rome. I was here two years ago playing qualis, and it's great to come back here. You know, you feel very welcome, the hotel is very nice, the courts are, you know, kept in great condition, practice is very easy, transport, it's -- everyone makes you feel very welcome every time you come back here. It's very easy for the players. There's not a lot of things we have to sort of go out of our way to do, so it's very easy for us to just sort of concentrate on playing tennis. You know, if you did a survey, I'm sure most of the players would agree that this is definitely one of the tournaments you want to come back to.

Q. Tell at least one negative thing. This is very optimistic. Should be at least one negative thing?

LLEYTON HEWITT: I haven't lost yet, I don't have a negative at the moment. You know, nothing comes to mind. Maybe the driving. (Laughter.)

Q. Too fast?

LLEYTON HEWITT: Not necessarily the courtesy car drivers, but gee, we nearly had a crash this morning. A guy came out of nowhere, you know, wow! Some of the streets are very narrow, and they go very quick.

Q. They weren't built for cars, the roads.

LLEYTON HEWITT: No.

Q. I think they were made for chariots.

LLEYTON HEWITT: Yes, exactly.

End of FastScripts….

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