�SCAR FORNET
El Mundo Deportes
January 24, 2025

Versi�n Espa�ol

MADRID.-Hewitt does not serve like Sampras, nor is his volley as sweet as Federer's, neither do his approach shots take after Rafter's; his two-handed backhand is not as effective as Agassi's, and his forehand is worse than Nadal's. But he is a winner who supplies his shortages with legs and sangfroid, and thus he showed the Mallorcan, who didn't lose face in the match (7-6, 7-6, 6-2) until the last set and who will contentedly leave Australia after having equaled his best effort in a Grand Slam.

"I leave with a great feeling for I have been on the brink of winning against one of the best players in the world and this always gives confidence, I was not that far away. The match was decided by little things," he said. Just one tipped the balance to the Australian, who adds to his win-loss record to mark a 8-0, which augurs well for a better effort for the current exercise after the bad results harvested in 2003, Davis Cup aside, that made him tumble down to a world #15. Nadal only was below Hewitt's level when playing the big points, especially in the two tiebreaks that gave the opponent the first two sets. In both of them he started off by breaking his rival's serve for a 2-0 lead, but he ended up handing over the first by 7-2, the second by 7-5, among other things, by some rushing and badly executed shots by which he tried to force the quick winner.

Before the two tiebreaks, Nadal showed he is not far away from being a top ten player, who, besides having at his disposal (a signature shot/ a direct hit) that Hewitt lacks (his forehand is almost as effective as Moy�'s) emerges in every match as a thoroughbred player, just as the player from Adelaide has that quality written all over him. Against Mario Ancic he reached 0-5 in a tiebreak, against Ascione he saved three set points and he made Hewitt play a six games all twice when he had his head in the noose.

Nadal showed maturity only when he was trailing, but when he was ahead, he showed inexperience, his pulse started to rush: "Experience is important in this type of natches", he reasoned, "I have played few matches at this level, with a player this good, and I lack experience for the decision to win. But I'll pick it up as I go and play more of these sort of matches."

Positive stats

After failing to take advantage, everything seemed bigger to him; the court, the crowd, even Hewitt himself...... Too many obstacles for an under age tennis player, who still has problems moving correctly on the court, which make him run more kilometers, and a player who, in spite of his already developed potential, still lacks the resilience needed to take on long matches. Nothing that time won't solve.

What happens is that besides his inexperience, Nadal has no faith in his serve. In spite of hovering around the 70%, against Hewitt's 53%, of well placed first serves, he only won the point in 65% of them, which means he doesn't risk much (an ace) he gets them in but they are soft, the fastest speed being 182 k/h. He returned well with his forehand and lost more than necessary with his two-handed backhand. However, he marked more winners than his rival, had fewer unforced errors and won almost as many points at the net. The Australian "Fanatics" cheered him almost as much as they cheered their local idol. His loss, at least, means the first of the high level duels of the tournament: Hewitt-Federer.