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| Coming into the Australian Open unseeded, Hewitt could have drawn a higher seed and one that would be nearly impossible to upend given that he is just coming off hip surgery, but with that said, facing 2007 finalist Gonzalez in the opening round is a very difficult task. In his prime, playing at home, this is just the type of match that Hewitt would be expected to win, as he was a mentally tougher player who made a living off withstanding barrages from more powerful foes. But back in 2000-2001, when the Adelaide native ruled the tennis world, he was quicker than he is today and was much more sure that his groundstrokes and return of serve would prove more effective in the long run. But he has a ton of experience which he’ll use to his advantage. | Gonzalez has a new coach, Argentine Marcelo Rodriguez, who will try to steady his mental approach. The 13th seed is an enigmatic player with a ton of firepower but one who many think has underachieved. Given what an excellent all-around player he can be when his head is in a match, it’s amazing that the 28-year-old hasn’t won more big titles. | |
| Hewitt had a decent start to the Aussie summer. He scored two solid wins in Sydney over the talented Julien Benneteau and Janko Tipsarevic, before falling in a tough two setter to eventual champion David Nalbandian. | Gonzalez had a mediocre fall and chose to play the Koyoong exhibition rather than a tour event. | |
| Now, at the age of 27, and coming off of two seasons when he was consistently dealing with decent-sized injuries and was unable to establish much rhythm, Hewitt is searching for the right mix of shots that will allow him to climb back to the top. He can still give a clinic with his backhand and his return of serve, but it’s whether he can have a great tournament off his forehand side and with his serve that will be the key to his success. | Gonzalez's most feared shot is his ferocious forehand, with which he can paste winners from everywhere. He has a sizeable first serve, a steady one-handed backhand and he's become a serviceable volleyer. On a great day, he can blow just about anyone off the court, which he did for most of the 2007 Australian Open, until Roger Federer muted him the final. | |
| The key for Hewitt will be to serve consistently well, dictate with his stellar two-handed backhand, and take some risks with his forehand and pound away at the Chilean's second serves. Hewitt has to get the crowd on his side immediately and make the contest as mentally challenging as possible. If Hewitt can make Gonzalez feel the enormity of the moment, test the Chilean's legs and take him out of his comfort zone, he'll walk away the winner. But if he allows Gonzalez to tee off him too often, Hewitt's stay in Melbourne will be short-lived. | The Chilean has to go hard at the Hewitt forehand, mix up his serve and take advantage of any short ball. He also has to close as many points out at the net as possible. Gonzalez can get down on himself and lose his way, which is why the backboard Hewitt, despite his lack of play over the past six months, has a terrific chance to pull off a so-called upset. | |
| The two have played five times, most recently at the 2007 Australian Open, when the Chilean faced down the Aussie in four sets in the third round. | Gonzalez owns a 3-2 edge, winning two other matches on clay courts, while Hewitt took two on hardcourts, including their first meeting in the 2002 Cincinnati semifinals. |
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