Back to when… Hewitt held house against Ivanisevic and Federer

Ahead of the upcoming edition, we look back at some winners from the distant and not so distant past. This time it’s the turn of Lleyton Hewitt, who put everyone to shame in 2001. Including Goran Ivanisevic and Roger Federer.

Hewitt arrived in Brabant with a tournament victory in his pocket. A day before the grass tournament started in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, he had taken the title at the Queens Club in London.

That Australia and grass is a golden combination is well known to many tennis players. Hewitt therefore succeeded his compatriot Pat Rafter as winner of the ATP tournament at the Autotron ‘s-Hertogenbosch.

However, the player from Adelaide used a totally different style of play than service-volley specialist Rafter. After matches by Hewitt, the green turf around the baseline was especially infested.

The 20-year-old Hewitt was brimming with self-confidence, allowing Davide Sanguinetti only three games in the opening round. Then Goran Ivanisevic (who won Wimbledon two weeks later) had to face him in straight sets.

Belgian Gilles Elseneer was no match in the quarterfinals, leaving Federer waiting in the last four. The Swiss was the world number 15 at the time.

Federer too could not make a fist against Hewitt’s strong play. The Australian was a size too big with 6-4 6-2.

The final was a baseline duel with Guillermo Canas. Hewitt’s class was dripping from his game and confidently he steamed to the title 6-3 6-4. It marked his second tournament victory and his tenth win in a row.

After winning match point in the final, Hewitt held five fingers in the air. He was thereby referring to his new highest ranking of No 5.

Little did he know then that he would end the year at the top of the ranking.