Hewitt preparing for season ahead

World number four Lleyton Hewitt has been preparing for the Australian summer of tennis by training hard in hot Australian conditions and becoming reacquainted with the country’s rebound-ace courts.

Hewitt is scheduled to play at the Next Generation International in Adelaide, followed by the Medibank International in Sydney, and finish the summer playing in the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.

During a teleconference with Bay Area media about the confirmation of his participation at the 2006 SAP Open in San Jose, Hewitt said he had been working hard to be in an ideal condition for the warm summer ahead.

“I’ve just been training a lot, five or six weeks now, obviously getting my body in as good a shape as possible,” he said. “A lot of time spent in the gym and on the track.”

Hewitt’s training has moved on to the court in a quest to get used to the rebound ace in Australia, hitting in sweltering conditions that can only help his body acclimatise to the customary heat of the Australian summer.

“I've been fortunate. It's been extremely hot the last few weeks. I'll be well prepared going into the three tournaments, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.”

The 24-year-old played the same three tournaments last year, making the quarterfinal in Adelaide, winning his only title in 2005 in Sydney, and falling short in the final of the Australian Open to Russia's most talented and internationally recognised player, Marat Safin.

Going into this summer, Hewitt has only played the one tournament since his four-set US Open semi-final loss to Federer.

Hewitt also enters the new season as a father, as he and wife Bec celebrated the birth of their first child, daughter Mia Rebecca, on November 29 in Sydney. Hewitt expressed his delight in being a father and appears comfortable with the role.

“I think the biggest thing for me is just the amazement of seeing a child of Bec and myself born, someone to look after for the rest of your life. That's probably been the most amazing thing,” he said.

Hewitt also said that Federer, who has had a strangle hold on the number one ranking for the last couple of years, will again be the player to beat in 2006. However, he also said the Swiss genius could be beaten.

“I think a lot of the guys are capable of pushing him out there. It's just a matter of doing it on the big stage in the big matches,” said the Australian.

“That's where Roger has been so good in the last few years,” he added.

Hewitt will be hoping that he can repeat the impressive start he had in 2005 and if his current training regime and personal happiness are any indication, all signs point towards another successful summer for Australia’s leading player.

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