An unwavering self-belief in being able to rise for the big occasion is deeply entrenched in Lleyton Hewitt’s psyche.
It’s a belief that no matter how many surgeries and consequent battles to make up lost ground in the rankings, you will still have your days when everything just falls into place.
You’ve been there before. There’s still cause to believe you can do it again.
And there was no better case in point than the 2014 Brisbane International when the 33-year-old Australian strung together his best result in years.
In stifling humidity he upended Kei Nishikori in the semifinals before stunning top seed Roger Federer in the decider.
It marked his second straight victory in a final over Federer (after Halle four years ago), with the Swiss legend’s last triumph in a final over his long-time rival coming way back in 2005.
Make no mistake though, Hewitt was the underdog.
A rankings gap of 54 places, a head-to-head record skewed 18-8 at the time in Federer’s favour and 18 Grand Slam singles titles to the Australian’s two.
The opportunity to win a title before a packed Pat Rafter Arena though, in a city on home soil where he had never held the winner’s trophy was catalyst enough.
“It doesn’t feel that long ago to tell you the truth. It was fantastic. A dream come true to win another title in Australia,” he said. “It was an epic final against Roger Federer, one of the greats. It’s going to be hard to eclipse this year.”
His triumph in Brisbane was all the more special having not titled since the aforementioned Halle final in 2010.
Hewitt would go on to win in Newport later in 2014, the first time in a decade he had won multiple titles in the same season.
Hovering at a ranking of No.50 though and playing a limited schedule, he is realistic about the spanner in the works a tough draw could present be it in Brisbane or in weeks to come at the Australian Open.
“I still feel like I could knock out some of the higher seeds and then you can take their section of the draw,” he said. “Once you’re in the second week (of a Grand Slam event) anything can happen. You just saw what happened with (Marin) Cilic and Nishikori at the US Open.
“Sometimes that gives you an easier path to get to the second week.
“Those top three or four guys are still going to be the ones to beat going into the first major but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
The defending Brisbane champion had his first hit back on Pat Rafter Arena last week and his sense of pride and patriotism at seeing the event go from strength to strength each year was clear.
“It’s hard to get much stronger than it has in the last couple of years,” he said of the field for the 2015 Brisbane International.
“It is fantastic for Australian tennis and we want to draw the biggest names we can.”
With Federer also making the return, the two great rivals will cross paths before any on-court rematch eventuates.
The two 33-year-olds – who often practise together during the season – have more than tennis to discuss these days.
“Most of the time we talk about family. He’s overtaken me with four with another set of twins,” Hewitt said.
The family chat will be cast aside if the rematch does eventuate.
“I hope I get the opportunity to play him again in the final,” he said. “I’ll take that any day of the week.”
You can catch Lleyton Hewitt in action at the 2015 Brisbane International presented by Suncorp and supported by Tourism and Events Queensland. The event will be held at the Queensland Tennis Centre from 4-11 January. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketek.
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