Flashback US Open: Lleyton Hewitt beats Pete Sampras to lift US Open crown

Born in 1981, Lleyton Hewitt followed the achievements of another super talented youngster in the early 2000s, Marat Safin, cracking the top-100 at 17 and playing a breakthrough season in 2000 when he entered the top-10 after 61 ATP wins, still as a teenager. Just like Safin, Lleyton became world no. 1 at 20 in 2001 after competing in 98 matches (Marat played an incredible 100 a year earlier) and winning 80 of those, including titles at Queen's, the US Open and the Masters Cup! The Aussie won back-to-back titles on grass in June and advanced into the semi-final in Cincinnati before going all the way at the US Open for the first Major title at such a young age. In another similarity to Marat Safin's 2000 season, Lleyton defeated Pete Sampras in the title match 7-6, 6-1, 6-1 in an hour and 54 minutes on September 9 to become the fourth and so far the last U20 champion in New York!

A year earlier, Sampras halted him in the semis, and Hewitt was just too good this time around, suffering one break in the entire encounter and leaving great champion miles behind in sets two and three. The youngster grabbed 45% of the return points and seized six breaks from 13 chances, racing towards the finish line after winning a tight opener in the tie break that gave him a lot of boost against the more experienced rival. The American held serve in 87 straight games before the title clash, and that streak had to go down in the first game against the Aussie, in a clear sign of what was about to come. Lleyton stayed in touch with a big server in the shortest points and outplayed him entirely in the more extended rallies to keep Pete at only five groundstroke winners and almost 40 errors! Hewitt kicked off the match with a forehand down the line winner that gave him an instant break, only to get broken at love in the second game after a double fault.

Lleyton Hewitt defeated Pete Sampras in 2001 US Open final.

Pete saved a break chance at 2-2 with a service winner and had the opportunity to move in front in the next game, denied by a solid attack from Lleyton who leveled the score at 3-3, staying composed in the most significant encounter of his career up to that point. Both players served well in the rest of the set, and Hewitt grabbed the tie break 7-4 after a volley error from Pete, proving to himself that he can play on the level terms with one of the greatest players of all time. The American defeated three former champions to reach the final, but there was nothing left in the tank for Hewitt after that opening set, with the youngster covering the court beautifully and forcing Sampras to play an extra shot and apply a risky approach that drew a lot of errors. Sampras had to save two break points in the second game of the second set, firing two service winners to avoid the setback before Hewitt found the way to break him in game four for a 3-1 advantage.

With no free points from serve, a four-time champion had to battle with the error-free machine from the baseline, which turned into a disaster for him, spraying another volley mistake to give Lleyton a break in game six. The Aussie closed the set with a service winner for a 6-1 in just over 30 minutes, and nothing stood between him and the maiden Major crown now, playing on a much higher level than Sampras and showing no sign of nerves. A backhand crosscourt winner sent Hewitt in front in the third set's opening game, and there was no way back for Sampras from there, passed by another groundstroke winner from the Aussie in game five to trail 4-1. Hewitt held with a service winner in game six and completed an impressive triumph with another break a few minutes later, blasting a backhand return winner to start a huge celebration of his first Major crown, leaving Sampras empty-handed at home Major for the second straight year. After conquering the Masters Cup at home in Sydney later in November, Lleyton became the youngest world no. 1 since the ATP ranking was formed in 1973, completing an incredible season and building the foundation for another one in 2002. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3hvaB1E