Hewitt gets Federer, again, in final
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-09-12 09:19

The question has dogged him for two weeks now in four different interviews at the National Tennis Center.

How does Lleyton Hewitt's US Open run compare to the title surge he made three years ago?

He was asked about it before he even played a match. He was asked about it after his second-round victory over Hicham Arazi. He was asked about it after his fourth-round victory over Karol Beck, and replied, "Well, I'll answer it for the 15th time this week."

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates his win over Tim Henman of Great Britain after their semifinal match at the 2004 US Open in New York, September 11, 2004. Federer defeated Henman 6-3 6-4 6-4 and will face Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the final. [Reuters]

And he was asked about it yet again after his semifinal victory over Joachim Johansson on Saturday.

Does all these questions about 2001 bother him?

"Not really," Hewitt said after dispatching Johansson 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 in the Open semifinals. "I feel like I'm wasting my breath, but that's it."

The answer to the question that keeps getting asked is very simple: Hewitt played great in 2001, and is playing great again. The real question: Can he get a Slam out of it? He will play Roger Federer in the final on Sunday.

Hewitt hit his stride after winning the Open three years ago. He held No. 1 in the ATP rankings for 75 straight weeks from Nov. 2001 to April 2003. He turned his hot play into a Wimbledon title in 2002.

However, Hewitt decided to spend much of 2003 focusing on the Davis Cup. He helped Australia win the title, but took eight weeks off from the ATP Tour.

Playing an abbreviated schedule, Hewitt was not even the top-ranked Australian -- Mark Philippoussis, at No. 9, had that honor. Hewitt played in the fewest tournaments (13) and matches (46) since his rookie year in 1998.

But in helping the Aussies win the Davis Cup title, Hewitt had victories over Juan Carlos Ferrero and Federer. Those wins helped him keep his game at a high level.

"You know, in hindsight, (the Davis Cup) probably helped me this year," Hewitt said earlier in the tournament. "I feel strong now, towards the last third of the year, and put myself in position to hopefully make the Masters (Series) at the end of the year."

This year he has played well, winning four tournaments (Rotterdam, Washington, Long Island, Sydney). He also won the recent U.S. Open Series title.

And he's been relentless at the Open. He has yet to lose a set, and with his consistent baseline game, he dominated Johansson, who had stunned Andy Roddick in five sets just two days earlier.

Hewitt had just five break point opportunities against the hard-serving, 6-foot-6 Swede Johansson -- and converted three of them, one in each set. Johansson, on the other hand, had just one break chance and could not convert. Hewitt has not lost a set in the tournament.

Hewitt is three sets away from history -- no man in the Open Era has won the U.S. Open without losing a set.

The U.S. Open semifinal was a bit awkward for Hewitt and Johansson. Johansson's longtime girlfriend, Jaslyn, is Hewitt's sister. She sat in a neutral box during the match.

"He already made a few comments to me in the locker room," Hewitt said of Johansson, who he practices with on occasion. "He's not going to get me a Christmas present. He reckons that was mine today, so anyway..."

Without a doubt, Hewitt faces his toughest test of the tournament against Federer, who has already won two majors this year. Hewitt is 8-5 lifetime against Federer, but lost to him in the round of 16 at the Australian Open and in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. In fact, if Hewitt falls to Federer on Sunday, he would have lost to the eventual winner in all four majors. He lost to Gaston Gaudio in the French Open quarterfinals.

"This whole year I've been playing pretty well," Hewitt said. "The guys that I lost to in the Slams, I lost to both Roger (Federer) in both the Aussie and Wimbledon. Those two matches I felt like I played extremely well. Was probably a little unlucky that I drew him in the earlier rounds."

"If he's playing like this," Johansson said, "it's going to be tough for the other guy."

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