JackTheLad

Do you find the 'support' for Lleyton Hewitt for the Aus Open final tonite very subdued, especially on the TV channels? I mean this is the 100 year centenary, they've got an aussie in the final for the first time since what, 1988 or something, and the chance to win it for the first time in 29 years. Yet it gets very little mention, just another sports story at the end of the news

Can you imagine if the reverse happened. Tim Henman in the Wimbledon final on the centenary? It would be wall-to-wall henmania(like its not already,every wimbledon). "Headline: "Henman in final", other news: "some election or something in Iraq", now back to our headline story".

I know Hewitt was a bit of a git in his younger days, but do they still hold that against him here?

Cheers,
JTL

bondipom

I sense a nation divided on whether to like him. There are plenty I know who want him to lose because he has such little humility. Alicia Molik had more support.

GCS15

I'm a proud queenslander. I watched him in the semi finals hoping that he would lose. Why? I hate a showboat. His on court antics are an embarasment.

wombat42

In England you treat Henman like he is some sort of superstar when he has never won crap. Is it beacuse he is the only Pom that can hit a ball straight.
Unlike Hewitt he was never won Wimbledon or the American open, What exactly has he ever won. If Henman was an Aussie or an American no one would ever have heard of him because he is such a low ranking second rate
player. Each year the British media carries on how this time he is going to win Wimbledon for Britain but he never even makes it to the quarter finals.
Pat Rafter an Aussie made it to the Wimbleton finals and was ranked world
number 1 at one stage.

HiddenPaw

and Pat Cash....?

wombat42

Yes him also.

JackTheLad

Wow, :scared: thats very forceful. Can I just point out, I was born in Scotland, lived in Belfast and Dublin, and piss myself laughing every 4 years when the media start talking up Englands almost certain chance of winning the world cup

It also annoys me, the yearly ritual of 'this is henmans year for wimbledon'.

Having said all that...

you are not answering the question, why is there such indifference to Hewitt in Oz. He's 3rd ranked in the world, and yes he was number 1 for a while a few years back.

To be honest, I was supporting Roddick in the semis, for many reasons. He's an all round nice bloke in interviews, he's an entertaining player, his amex advert on tv is funny (i still laugh when the trophy falls out of the overhead luggage onto his head), he applauds his opponents good shots, he does loads for charity, especially this time in Oz.

But now its down to Hewitt and Safin. Well, don't really care for Safin. I know mentally he cracks like a porcelain vase when the pressure is on, but he held it together against federer. But gotta go with Hewitt.

I'm not saying I'm sure he'll win mind you, but I like his style of play, its kind of the underdog attitude, always accepting the other player can play a better shot, but Hewitt can wear them down.

So he was an idiot when he was younger, said alot of stupid things. We were all lucky that we didn't have the international media dissecting every daft comment we made when we were teenagers.

I thought Oz was all for giving people 'a fair go'.

Cheers,
JTL

GCS15

Nope. We excell at knocking "tall poppies" down to size.

CasG

This one has been.........

Hels

He lost...so I guess it doesnt matter either way....

JackTheLad

Nope, doesn't. But he took it well. I bet in about 15 years, he will be revered like pat cash or pat rafter.

All I can say is thank god the final wasn't between Agassi and Roddick. I wouldn't know who to support.

Anyway. No-one ever really answered the question, so I assume no-one really cares about Hewitt. Bet that will change in a few years, if he wises up,

Cheers,
JTL

Hels

Not sure about the rest of Oz, but down here in Vic, havent heard too much else other than Hewitt, Hewitt, Hewitt....

But then I find it odd that on one hand people on here (not necessarily you JTL) moan about how much coverage the media gives to Aussie sports men/women and then when they dont think its enough...something must be wrong....



Hels

Simone

He was on the front of the Sunday Times this morning, huge pic with Bec Cartwright. (looking like twins )

JackTheLad

No, I agree Hels, the sports here get alot more coverage, but it doesn't have the highs and lows of the UK.

In the UK sports is usually a 2 minute segment of the news, unless tim henman has won a match, or england has got through the the next round of euro/world cup, in which case, the news becomes a 2 minute segment in the henman/england sports love fest.

I just started this thread because of the laclustre support for hewitt. Its almost like 'ahhh, he is an aussie, i suppose we have to support the arrogant git'.

But in the interviews I've seen him in, in the last few years he hasn't been that bad.

I'm still not a fan of him tho'. Agassi, roddick, federer before hewitt

Cheers,
JTL

moneypenny20

We had full live coverage here. Quite impressed. Nice to see Hewitt beaten. Don't like him much.