“Australianism”, wrote John Arlott, the revered cricket commentator, “means single-minded determination to win – to win within the laws but, if necessary, to the last limit within them. It means where the ‘impossible’ is within the realm of what the human body can do.”
Looking at Lleyton Hewitt, you have to agree – he may even be one of the greatest specimens of Australianism.
The man is 33 and his battered body has been through 18 seasons of tennis, but he refuses to quit.
He has had five major surgeries over the past six years – on both hips and the chronically arthritic and badly misshapen big toe on his left foot that required a metal plate to lock it into position. But he chooses to continue.
A former world No 1, Hewitt had watched his ranking plummet to No 233, but he has battled back to No 41. A two-time grand slam title winner, the Australian has reached beyond the fourth round at the majors just once in his past 28 appearances – a quarter-final at the 2009 Wimbledon – but he still dares to dream.
Most of his contemporaries have long left the scene and he is a father of three now, but Hewitt goes on. He keeps fighting, and winning.
After failing to win a title in three years, Hewitt won his second final of 2014 on Sunday, beating Ivo Karlovic in Newport before coming back to win the doubles. In January, he defeated Roger Federer for the Brisbane title.
“We’ve had some tough times with surgeries the last few years, but it’s nice to know that all that hard work has paid off,” Hewitt said after the Newport win. “I’d like to think if things go my way I can still contend for a slam [title].”
Pat Cash, a former Wimbledon champion, is one of those who believes in his chances. “He’s still very, very competitive,” Cash said at Wimbledon.
The Australian said that Hewitt and Rafael Nadal “are two of the greatest competitors I have ever seen in my life”.
A huge fan of the Rocky movies, Hewitt indeed has been one of the fiercest competitors tennis has seen.
“It’s a movie, but for me I love that fighting spirit, that never-say-die attitude and I think it comes across in the way I play the game,” Hewitt said a few years ago as he talked about his love for the Sylvester Stallone movie series.
“I’m not the sort that gives up very easily. Every time I go out on court, I’m prepared to go to the limit and to put in 150 per cent effort.”
Australianism in a nutshell. As the character Rocky Balboa said: “It ain’t about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.”
arizvi@thenational.ae
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The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
ROUTE TO TITLE
Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2
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PETER PAN & WENDY
Director: David Lowery
Stars: Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Joshua Pickering
Rating: 3/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
SCORES IN BRIEF
Lahore Qalandars 186 for 4 in 19.4 overs
(Sohail 100,Phil Salt 37 not out, Bilal Irshad 30, Josh Poysden 2-26)
bt Yorkshire Vikings 184 for 5 in 20 overs
(Jonathan Tattersall 36, Harry Brook 37, Gary Ballance 33, Adam Lyth 32, Shaheen Afridi 2-36).
