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A Davis Cup Era Comes to an End as Lleyton Hewitt's Green and Gold Falls



Scan the list of Australia’s Davis Cup players and you’ll find all-time greats that are legends of the game. Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Ken Rosewall, the Woodies, Pat Cash, Pat Rafter, Norman Brookes, Jack Crawford—the names read like shrines in a Hall of Fame corridor. And on top of them all is Lleyton Hewitt. In a country known for its lust for Davis Cup, the 34-year-old Aussie has lusted more than any other player. Amongst all those legends it is Hewitt’s name that shines the brightest. His 58 career wins are most all-time, as are his 42 singles wins, 41 ties played and 17-year tenure.

Nobody in Australia has ever done it better.

Hewitt’s fantastic Davis Cup career came to an end this weekend in Glasgow but the warrior went out with guns blazing in an epic doubles battle with Andy and Jamie Murray that went down to the wire. When the dust had settled Hewitt went out without winning a third Davis Cup title. But he left with the immense respect and admiration of his adversaries and teammates alike.

"It's a shame that he's retiring but I've spoken to him a lot over the past couple of years, and practiced with him a lot, and he's definitely got everything out of his body," Murray said on Sunday, according to ABC News Australia. “He's got an incredible attitude, he fights so hard in every match and yesterday was a very good example of that, how well he played considering how little tennis he has played in the last 18 months.”

Murray added: "(He's had) a number of surgeries and various issues and still always given his best when he's played the Davis Cup.”

Even at 34, Hewitt was able to create another milestone when he led the Green and Gold to victory from a 2-0 deficit in July against Kazakhstan. It was the first time that an Aussie team had achieved the feat in 76 years, and only the ninth time it had happened in World Group history.

"What do you say about Lleyton?” Captain Wally Masur said on Sunday. “It's always been there to see. He's put everything out on the court and it was no different yesterday. The very first point I saw him play was as a junior at the US Open. He hasn't changed a bit since then. He's full of enthusiasm. He's like electricity.”

Hewitt will leave the Davis Cup arena as a player but he’s certain to return as the Aussie Captain in the not too distant future. Thankfully for fans, he’s not done yet as a player on tour. He’ll keep competing all the way through next year’s Australian Open, giving fans a chance to see his throwback fire, which is still burning brightly despite is impending retirement. 

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