Categories: News

Lleyton Hewitt Ends Career At Australian Open, But Legacy Lives On

Lleyton Hewitt Ends Career At Australian Open, But Legacy Lives On

It was truly difficult to like Australian tennis star Lleyton Hewitt  even when he was the World No. 1 champion, after Pete Sampras and before Roger Federer. He frequently picked fights with other players, coaches, administrators, and agents.

Of course, this was all more than a decade ago. For the second half of his first-ballot Hall of Fame career, it became just as hard to dislike him. Now, at age 34, he entered his 20th Australian Open, his final tournament. His opponent was Spaniard David Ferrer, another undersized player who has proven himself a worth competitor in this sport. Hewitt lost to Ferrer 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round of the Australian Open on Friday.

“I left nothing in the locker room,” Hewitt stated after the loss. “My whole career I’ve given 100%.”

Oddly enough, as Hewitt aged and became less quick, his love for competition only seemed to grow more intensely. He even became a mentor to younger players.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Throughout his career, Hewitt won 30 singles tour titles, won the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002 and also helped his home country win the Davis Cup twice: in 1999 and 2003.

Some of the biggest tennis stars in the world, including Ferrer, Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murrary, and Nick Kyrgios paid tribute to Hewitt following his singles retirement announcement.


Caption: Lleyton Hewitt on court during Wimbledon, 2004 by daramot, via Wikimedia Commons

Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.

Recent Posts

Diontae Johnson Excited To Move From Panthers To Ravens, Could Help In Playoff Push

Wide receiver Diontae Johnson is reportedly settling in well with the Baltimore Ravens after the…

16 hours ago

What Happened To Aaron Judge? After Yankees Fall Short In World Series, Fans Are Asking Questions

Aaron Judge seemed to flip the script on his disastrous World Series and postseason with…

16 hours ago

As The Yankees Collapse In World Series, Free Agency Battle For Juan Soto Begins

The New York Yankees' 2024 season came to a screeching halt Wednesday night when the…

2 days ago

Dodgers Win World Series In Game 5, Yankees Blow Five-Run Lead In Disastrous Finale

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees 7-6 in Game 5 to win…

2 days ago

Brad Pitt Makes Surprise Appearance At Mexican Grand Prix To Shoot His Movie, ‘F1’

https://youtu.be/Y69VZZt9rt4 Brad Pitt made a surprise appearance at the Mexican Grand Prix’s practice round on Oct. 26.…

3 days ago

76er’s Joel Embiid Stays In NBA News Even While Not Playing

Joel Embiid’s name came up twice in NBA news this week as he continues to…

4 days ago