Lleyton Hewitt will handle the scrutiny of his private life as he tries finally to land the Australian Open in Melbourne next month, his younger sister, Jaslyn, said on Monday.
Tennis coach Peter McNamara has also backed the world number three, who bounced back from his much-publicised break-up with Belgian tennis star Kim Clijsters to reach the season-ending Masters Cup final against world number one Roger Federer in Houston.
Hewitt’s private life is expected to be a media focus at the year’s first grand slam tournament from January 17.
”I don’t think he has got anything to worry about,” Jaslyn said at a Tennis Australian function in Melbourne on Monday.
”Nothing ever changes … his will to win; his will to compete has never changed.
”He always copes well, I think — under how much pressure he gets, I think he does a superb job.”
Hewitt lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open last January and was out of the top 10, but regained ground in the rankings over the past few months.
McNamara lauded Hewitt’s mental strength, describing his return to top form in the past six months as incredible.
”Lleyton’s had a hell of a year, really,” McNamara said on Monday.
”I mean, he finished third in the world and if you’d said that at the start of the year, you’d have probably said, ‘No, he wouldn’t’.
”He’s got as much chance as anybody of winning the Australian Open. He’s going to prepare himself like he always does perfectly for the Australian Open.
”When he plays in front of his home fans, I think he gets a bit nervous. He wants to win so badly and he puts too much pressure on himself.
”We’d love to see a Hewitt-[Roger] Federer final, without question.
”The last six months have been incredible, considering where he came from.”
McNamara hinted at Hewitt taking a new approach to the Open to cope with the inevitable scrutiny regarding his personal affairs.
”I think there’s a lot of guys whose private lives are going to be delved into in the next few weeks — not that it’s very fair,” he said.
”But he might come out with a different approach to the Australian Open. He might do things a little bit different.
”[About] his private life, he’d say [it is] none of your business, but everyone knows that we all want to find out what’s going on in their lives.
”He’ll come out with a fresh approach and train hard as he has done before, and I expect him to be thereabouts in the final.” — Sapa-AFP