It’s going to be interesting, Hewitt
It’s going to be interesting, Hewitt 
Former Australian Captain December 31, 2007
AFTER completing the most gruelling pre-season of his glittering career, Lleyton Hewitt’s moment of truth has arrived.
Confident he is fitter than ever and insistent an elusive Australian Open title is within his grasp, Hewitt begins his summer campaign Monday at the Adelaide International.
His sedate opening sortie - a doubles match with fellow Australian Nathan Healey against American Eric Butorac and Canadian Frank Dancevic - will give way Tuesday to frenetic singles action.
Cutting an imposing physical figure after eight weeks of training with coach Tony Roche and gruelling sessions under fitness guru Nathan Martin, Hewitt is brimming with expectation.
A finalist at Melbourne Park in 2005, Hewitt this season failed to reach the quarter-final of a major for the first time since 1999 as injuries cut his effectiveness.
But, back at the site of his first professional win, the South Australian is steeling himself for a roller-coaster summer - both for himself and the Australian public - as he attempts to reimpose himself on the sport.
“There are changes in my game,” he said. “But the public probably won’t pick up on them. The players will notice.
“I’m feeling as strong and as fit as I’ve ever been. I’ve done all the hard work with Rochey and Nathan and I’ve really enjoyed it.
“I just want to get out there now.”
With Wayne Arthurs retired, Mark Philippoussis heading for injury-induced oblivion and our best juniors still developing, Hewitt remains the Australian most likely to succeed at the highest level.
The Wimbledon and US Open winner hasn’t tasted major success since 2002 but he remains defiantly confident another grand slam title is not far away.
Since leaving coach Roger Rasheed 11 months ago, Hewitt linked up with Scott Draper and then, from August, the masterful Roche.
A tough, flinty figure outwardly, Hewitt is a sentimentalist at heart.
Having won his first Adelaide title as a 16-year-old schoolboy, there is nothing more he would like than to help farewell the tournament in style by winning it for the third time.
“It would be great to win again here,” he said. “It would be a good start. I have got to look towards mid-January and the Australian Open.”
Hewitt faces Israel’s world No.64 Dudi Sela in the first round and is in the same quarter as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Jose Acasuso, who both defeated him in their last meetings.
The tournament, which moves to Queensland in 2009, will be contested on Plexicushion.
Hewitt intends to be less predictable and less defensive when he emerges from a three-month singles break.
He said Roche, who took Ivan Lendl, Pat Rafter and Roger Federer to multiple majors, wanted him to be more adventurous.
“I want to be less predictable and more attacking,” Hewitt said.
“It’s going to be interesting.”
