LONDON — The last Wimbledon singles contest of 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt's career was a back-and-forth, 4-hour tussle in which he saved three match points before finally succumbing 11-9 in the fifth set.
He might have lost. He did not go gently.
Felt fitting. Even to Hewitt himself.
"Pretty much sums up my career, I guess. My mentality — going out there and, you know, 'never say die' attitude. I've lived for that the 18, 19 years I've been on tour," Hewitt said. "As I tell people, it's not something I work at. I'm fortunate that I have a lot of self-motivation to go out there and get the most out of myself, whether it's in the gym, behind the scenes, whatever.