Hewitt Receives Australia’s Highest Tennis Honor

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 2nd December 2013

Hewitt Receives Australia’s Highest Tennis Honor

epa03866103 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia returns the ball to Lukasz Kubot of Poland during the Davis Cup World Group playoff match between Poland and Australia in Warsaw, Poland, 13 September 2013. EPA/BARTLOMIEJ ZBOROWSKI POLAND OUT |

Lleyton Hewitt has broken the dominance of fellow Australian tennis player Sam Stosur by winning the fourth edition of Australia’s top tennis honor, the Newcombe Medal, after his female counterpart lifted it in the first three years.

Hewitt, a 32-year-old battler who still stands as an Australia’s icon despite a 60th ranking, was honored in ceremonies at the Crown Palladium casino in Melbourne.

Hewitt has been a long-time Davis Cup regular, still basing his concluding seasons on the ATP around the worldwide team event which enjoys a status in Australia like few other places in the tennis world. “For the Davis Cup boys to get back into the World Group was a huge goal for us this year and it was so great to be able to do that, and then beating del Potro at the US Open, that’s what I still play for – to go out there and experience that rush,” said Hewitt as accepted his award.

“It really means a lot to be up here… it’s a fantastic thing that we started four years ago and I hope it goes on for many more years.”

The gong is named after John Newcombe, former Davis Cup coach and legend of the game. Hewitt spent 2013 after finally ridding himself of pain from multiple foot surgeries, in lifting his ranking from outside the top 100 into its current 2013 level.

His best ATP showing was finalist on grass last summer in Newport, in the US before reaching the fourth round of the US Open.

Hewitt sparked Australia to a Davis Cup victory over Poland which put the nation back into the elite World Group after years in the wilderness. “To win an award named after the great John Newcombe is a huge honor and one that caps off a great year,” said Hewitt. “Obviously I’ve been fortunate enough to have a long career and there have been plenty of highs and some definite lows as well, but this is up there as high as it gets.”

Added Newcombe: “This has been a remarkable year for Lleyton. His first for some time without the impediment of injury, and he’s made the most of it, posting some tremendous results, unexpected to almost everyone but him. He doesn’t get on the court unless he believes he can win, and his passion and commitment, particularly for Davis Cup, are an inspiration to us all.”

Topics: 10sballs.com, Atp, Davis Cup, John Newcombe, Lleyton Hewitt, Newcombe Medal, Sam Stosur, Tennis, Tennis News, US Open

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yvessimonsevy says:

December 2, 2013 at 10:58 am

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