Hewitt Needs a Victory to Love

Any casual observer passing the MCG on the way to the Australian Open tennis this week might be tempted to suppose that the country had abandoned cricket in favour of baseball. About one-third of the stadium has been pulled down, prior to rebuilding, leaving a horseshoe-shaped edifice that resembles the Mets' Shea Stadium in New York. But the rule and rules of cricket remain absolute in these parts during the summer, a dominance which may only be shifted, albeit briefly, if Lleyton Hewitt wins the men's singles title in two weeks' time.

Whereas Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath enjoy a recognition bordering on idolatry, Hewitt - despite being No1 in the world for more than a year - remains an also-ran in the Australian sporting popularity stakes. The reasons are complex, but the bottom line is that in six attempts the 21-year-old Adelaide-born Hewitt has failed to get beyond the last 16 of the Australian Open, and on three occasions has clattered to the hardcourt deck in the first round, including last year when he was still suffering the after-effects of chicken pox.

This year he is expected to win and if he does it may be that the country will finally learn to love him, and treat him as a national hero. But for the moment any adulation, and this despite the fact that Hewitt is the Wimbledon champion and won the US Open in 2001, has been placed on hold.

Hewitt's aggressive on-court demeanour, and his clashes with the authorities, has tended to alienate many fans, and this again despite his heroics in the Davis Cup. But there are few other players on the men's circuit with a greater desire to win. After losing to Andre Agassi in last year's US Open semi-final, and thereby relinquishing the title, Hewitt cried in the locker room. He has a passion for the game that is remarkable, yet because he wears his heart on his sleeve, and because he so obviously pumps himself up, he is wrongly deemed to be arrogant as well as unappealing.

Off court Hewitt is invariably courteous and patient, unless he believes that those who are interviewing him have misinterpreted his character, and thereby "done him wrong". As this involves many Australian journalists it is perhaps small wonder that he is hardly over-praised in his own country, although this does not totally explain the lack of affection and recognition.

What Hewitt needs to display on court is a little humour, a touch of self-deprecation, or perhaps a bow and kiss, as practised by Agassi, whose own faults and failings, of which there have been too many to mention over the years, have been conveniently air-brushed away by his little PR ritual. Yet it remains doubtful that Hewitt will ever follow suit. Almost without fail he gives the crowds the last drop of his sweat and commitment, and as such believes that this should be enough.

Hewitt begins his challenge tomorrow against the veteran Swedish qualifier Magnus Larsson, and it may well be the latter who receives the greater vocal support, for there is always a loud and vibrant Swedish mini-barmy army here hellbent on enjoying every ball hit by their countrymen. Hewitt will aim to stifle their support as quickly as possible, and build a few bridges with his own fans.

"Lleyton always rises to the big occasions," said his coach Jason Stoltenberg. And for Hewitt there is none bigger than the Australian Open. It is time for him to prove to his fellow countrymen why he is No1.

With the weather remaining intensely hot and with bush fires still raging in Northern Victoria, there has been increased talk of moving the Australian Open until later in the year, and as late as March. This will not happen, or at least not until 2007 at the earliest.

The impression has been given in some quarters that the ITF, the game's ruling body, has been in talks with the ATP, who run the men's professional game, in an effort to get the calendar changed. The facts are that neither the ITF nor the ATP has the power to get the dates of any of the four slam tournaments moved. It may be that ultimately Tennis Australia, which runs the Australian Open, can be persuaded to shift their tournament, although this appears unlikely given its current huge success.

But for the time being all contracts are signed and sealed for a January start for the next three years, including 2006 during which the Commonwealth Games will be staged here in March.