Stella Artois Championships Sunday Preview
Back to list >Lleyton Hewitt v James Blake
PLAYED: Seven times, Hewitt winning six. Never played on grass.
Goran Ivanisevic's thoughts on the final: This is going to be a great final – lots of exciting rallies from two players that really know how to play from the baseline. I played Lleyton in my last match at Wimbledon and he is one of the best there is. I like the way he plays - he is everywhere. When you think you have hit a good shot he is there and eventually you can’t think where you can put the ball to win a point! But, I was happy to play my last match against him because he is a great player – someone who has won Wimbledon, and someone who I respect a lot. James is in the same position as I was in 1997 – about to play his first final here at the Stella Artois. I hope he does better than I did because I had my ass kicked by Mark Philippoussis! James is a good player and a good guy – he has had a lot of bad luck with injuries but to beat Roddick on grass here shows how well he is playing. I think it’s going to depend on how many winners Blake can hit. He is going to go for it, hit huge forehands, and Lleyton will be running after the ball trying to counter-attack. I think James will just about hit enough winners to take his first title. The Stella Artois Championships are always good preparation for Wimbledon – I’m sure James and Lleyton will both do well there after this. For me it was the other way round – the year I reached the final here, I lost in the second round at Wimbledon, and when I won Wimbledon in 2001, I had lost in the first round here! But that is me – I am not normal. I would love to be courtside to watch the final because it’s going to be a great one, but Croatia are playing against the United States in the World Cup at 2pm. Fortunately, I have a solution. In the Players’ Lounge are two big-screen tv’s, side-by-side. I will be there, watching the tennis and the football at the same time. If you hear someone in the distance screaming and going crazy when it is quiet on-court, it will be me from the Players’ Lounge, and it will mean Croatia have scored! After the doubles final, I will get my chance for revenge against Michael Stich and I can’t wait. He always used to beat me on the tour – I could never tell where his serve was going - but this is the first time we played each other on grass and it is going to be different. I am ready!
Goran's prediction: Blake in three sets
Previous matches
2006 Las Vegas Blake 7-5 2-6 6-3
2005 Australian Open Hewitt 4-6 7-6 6-0 6-3
2003 Dusseldorf Hewitt 6-3 6-3
2002 US Open Hewitt 6-7 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3
2002 Miami Hewitt 6-4 6-1
2001 Tokyo Hewitt 6-4 6-0
2001 US Open Hewitt 6-4 3-6 2-6 6-3 6-0
Paul Hanley(Australia) and Kevin Ullyett(Zimbabwe) v Jonas Bjorkman(Sweden) and Max Mirnyi(Belarus)
Hanley and Ullyett qualified for the doubles final at 8.55pm last night with an ace from Hanley, signifying the end of long and thrilling day on the centre court which debut singles finalist James Blake described as the best in the world. Today's doubles pairings also have to be counted among the best in the world and have earned their place in the final on the back of some adventurous,disciplined,and ambitious tennis. Hanley and Ullyett, semifinalists in the Australian Open this year, runners up in Adelaide,and the champions in Rotterdam,Dubai,and Hamburg,are a relatively new pairing but Ullyett has years of experience as a top doubles player. Last night they beat the formidable Bryan twins who were seeking a third successive title here. Bjorkman and Mirnyi teamed up for the first time last year and won their first Grand Slam title in the French Open, a title they retained earlier this month. Bjorkman has won all four Grand Slam doubles with partners other than Mirnyi including three in a row with Todd Woodbridge at Wimbledon starting in 2002.
Verdict: Bjorkman and Mirnyi to win here for the first time.