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Lleyton Hewitt has always been a controversial character. Ever since he won the Sydney ATP event at 16 he has been brash, in-your-face and generally hell to play. He is often described as the ultimate competitor.<br />
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For some reason, this seems to have come to a head at this aussie open. Why now? I have no idea. For years he has been doing the same thing. “C’mon!” he screams, partly to pump himself up, partly to unsettle the opponent. Now, is it just me, or did Connors and McEnroe play that card 20+ years ago?<br />
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Hewitt has had something of a tricky relationship with, well, everyone. First, it was the Aussie press. Then all the press. Then it was the ATP, who he refused to do interviews for, and ended up in a long legal battle. <br />
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Along the way, he pissed off the fans – especially when implying some black bias at the US Open when comparing a linesman to his opponent, James Blake. So some of the fans don’t like him. But all along, even when #1 in the world, he seemed popular with his fellow professionals.<br />
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Not now. Chela spat at him in their match at the Aussie Open. Nalbandian trash-talked him before their quarter, and the pair had words during the match. Unless this is some Aussie-Argentine thing, it seems he is losing friends. Perhaps he lost mates when he said that the aussie open should tailor the surface speed for him (see below). <br />
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The problem is, Lleyton is half the player when he calms down. He needs the edge, the battle. So this will run and run. He may become something of a panto-villian, but tennis will always be better for having him in the mix.