It's not about size, Hewitt says
Tennis players are getting bigger by the year but there will always be room for the lightweights, according to former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt.
The Australian was reacting to comments from the soon-to-be retired Tim Henman that he could see a situation arising when only giants would be contesting the Grand Slam titles.
Already there are several players on the ATP Tour who are pushing the seven-foot mark (2.13 metres) including Croatian Ivo Karlovic and American newcomer John Isner.
Hewitt's opponent in the first round of the US Open, Amer Delic, himself was nearly two metres tall, towering nearly 20 centimetres above the slightly-built Aussie, who proved a giant-slayer by taking a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 triumph Tuesday.
It's not just size that matters, Hewitt insists.
"We've got a couple of big guys out there now that on their day are tough to beat on any surface," he said.
"Roger (Federer) is not the biggest guy out there. He's not the strongest guy by any means.
"But his shot-making, the way he gets the big serves back, makes it look pretty comfortable.
"I still think if you are as good as Roger you're still going to be holding up the Grand Slams."
There was immediate backing for Hewitt's comments on the courts at Flushing Meadows as the giant Karlovic was sent packing in five sets by pint-sized Frenchman Arnaud Clement, who is 35 centimetres smaller.
Hewitt said he was enjoying his tennis more now than for some time having spent a year trying to regain full fitness.
"It makes it a lot easier when you know the body is going to hold up out there, not having niggling injuries every second week," he said.
"I feel like I've been able to do the practice I've wanted to do. At the moment it's paying off."
Also helping, he said, was the fact that this year he has been travelling with wife Bec and baby daughter, Mia Rebecca.
"I guess you focus on organizing flights, accommodating everything around her," he said.
"It used to be around me and my tennis more. Pretty much everything is solely around her, what's best for her needs. Then I sort of work my schedule around that."
Next up for the 2001 US Open champion is the winner of the tie between Andreas Seppi of Italy and Agustin Calleri of Argentina with third seeded Serb Novak Djokovic looming in a possible fourth-round matchup.
AFP
