Flashback: Before Federer Beat Sampras, Hewitt Defeated Federer
Flashback: Before Federer Beat Sampras, Hewitt Defeated Federer
The 2001 ‘s-Hertogenbosch semi-final between Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt was a glimpse of the future.
Hewitt was already entrenched in the Top 10 of the FedEx ATP Rankings and fresh off a triumph at Queen’s Club. Nineteen-year-old Federer, six months younger than the 20-year-old Aussie, won his first ATP Tour title earlier that year in Milan. That day was the pair’s fifth of 27 ATP Head2Head meetings, and it would be the most lopsided in Hewitt’s favour. The Australian only needed 75 minutes to dispatch Federer 6-4, 6-2.
“I’ve come to know the grass-court surface very well,” Hewitt said that week.
Federer has gone on to win 19 grass-court tour-level titles, including eight Wimbledon trophies. But that day in The Netherlands, Hewitt broke the Swiss’ serve five times, and Federer was only able to win 57 per cent of his first-serve points.
“I’m learning to play better and better on [the grass] all the time,” Hewitt said.
Federer has played 214 tour-level grass-court matches, and that first-serve winning percentage is his second-lowest. The Swiss only won 45 per cent of his first-serve points in a straight-sets loss against Byron Black at 1999 Queen’s Club, Federer’s first ATP Tour event on grass.
Hewitt vs. Federer Stats – 2001 ‘s-Hertogenbosch
| Stat | Lleyton Hewitt | Roger Federer |
| First-Serve Points Won | 70% | 57% |
| Second-Serve Points Won | 47% | 35% |
| Break Points Converted | 5/8 | 2/6 |
Hewitt went on to lift the ‘s-Hertogenbosch trophy, defeating Guillermo Canas in the final. Although Nicolas Escude upset the Aussie in the fourth round at Wimbledon, Hewitt enjoyed the best season of his career.
The 20-year-old won his first Grand Slam title at the 2001 US Open, triumphed at the Tennis Masters Cup, and reached World No. 1 for the first time. Hewitt won 80 matches that season, and he claimed the Wimbledon title the next year.
Federer was not put off by his loss in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. He earned the biggest win of his early career one week later at Wimbledon, where he upset Pete Sampras in the fourth round to snap the American’s 31-match winning streak at The Championships.
“This is my biggest win in my life,” Federer said.
Although Hewitt’s victory against Federer in ‘s-Hertogenbosch wasn’t the most gripping of their rivalry, it was an early look at two future legends.