Hewitt set to end tennis career in his 20th Australian Open

Switzerland’s Roger Federer, left, talks with Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt during a practice session on Rod Laver Arena ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 15, 2016.

In one of his final media conferences as a player, Lleyton Hewitt told everyone on Saturday what they already knew – that’s he’s never lacked for motivation during a career which spanned three decades. “Especially now that I’ve got a second hat on, a full-time job as Davis Cup captain”, Hewitt said.

“I wore my heart on my sleeve as soon as I came out there, but I believed in myself as well and I think that is one reason why I was able to have success at a young age. I wasn’t one of the top four seeds, so I had to win all five matches to get through”.

Groth faces the unenviable task of taking on No. 2 seed and four-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray, while Millman has drawn underrated Giles Muller from Luxembourg. You could go through all the same emotions again two days later, as well. “It will be a little awkward, a little odd”, says Duckworth, whose ranking of 134 compares -favourably to Hewitt’s 306. “I’m happy you guys can finally understand”. “I wish him well here”, said Federer, who has faced off with the Aussie 27 times throughout their careers.

Australia, the defending champions, would go on to lose the final 3-1 to first-time winners Spain, but Hewitt’s victory over Costa proved to be an early chapter in his outstanding Davis Cup career.

Australia’s number one Tomic, seeded 17th at Melbourne Park, was jeered by the centre court crowd when he retired hurt early in his opening match of the 2014 tournament against Rafa Nadal.

But any stress in the Hewitt camp melted away when the main man was replaced on court by his seven-year-old son, Cruz. “I’ll just try to go out there and put on a good show”. A decent gathering watched on as two players with one-handed backhands – a thing of beauty, right – in Stan Wawrinka and Tommy Robredo hit up. Hewitt was two sets the better, in complete control and enjoying himself immensely. However, after a breakthrough 2015 that saw him reach the third round at the Australian Open and Wimbledon and play a key role in Australia’s run to the Davis Cup final, the future still promises plenty for the world’s fastest server. Definitely something I deserved over the previous year with my results on tour in 2015.

As half the nation gets set to tune in to Hewitt’s first-round Australian Open clash with James Duckworth on Tuesday night, the 34-year-old’s awestruck peers are queuing up for tickets.

Nineteen years on, Hewitt said he was still battling the pre-grand slam nerves and trying not to think about the Duckworth match as possibly his last.