How Lleyton Hewitt made Australia vs Argentina tennis’ biggest tinderbox

Lleyton Hewitt vs. Argentina was the biggest tinderbox in world tennis. Spitting, shoulder charges and death threats in Buenos Aires. JAY CLARK recounts one of the biggest rivalries the sport has known.

It was the biggest tinderbox in world tennis.

When Australian champion Lleyton Hewitt clashed with his Argentinian foes almost two decades ago, the biggest rivalry in the game spilt way beyond the baseline.

There was the spit which rocked the locker room, a fifth-set clash of shoulders and the Davis Cup death threats which were yesterday branded “very real” by Hewitt’s former manager David Drysdale.

Whenever Hewitt faced off against Juan Ignacio Chela, David Nalbandian and Guillermo Coria, there was always some “Argie bargy”.

And on Saturday, Australia’s Alex de Minaur, 25, is expecting fireworks of a different kind when he takes on Argentinian powerhouse Francisco Cerundolo, 26.

Lleyton Hewitt, left, and Argentina's David Nalbandian hold their trophies, after the Men's Singles final at Wimbledon in 2002. AP Photo/Ted S. Warren.

“Be ready for a battle,” de Minaur said on-court.

“It’s going to be tough, he is a quality opponent with lots of firepower.”

De Minaur might be the nicest guy on the tour, and a fire blanket to any ill-feeling as he vies to become the country’s first Australian Open champion since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

But when Hewitt was the king of Melbourne Park, the tension between Australian and Argentina caused confrontations on the court and lit a fuse in the South American stands at a Davis Cup tie in 2006.

And the flashpoint came in the third round of the 2005 Australian Open when Hewitt, the country’s favourite sporting street fighter, launched into a trademark “come on” after a Chela error into the net.

Lleyton Hewitt lets out a trademark “come on” during his third round match against Juan Ignacia Chela. AAP Image/Julian Smith.

Clearly unhappy at the gibe, Chela, who was down two sets to one, then fired a thunderbolt serve directly and deliberately at Hewitt’s body.

The US Open (2001) and Wimbledon (2002) champ jumped to avoid the light green fluffy missile.

And when Hewitt broke Chela’s serve on the next point with a backhand smash, the Argentinian spat at Hewitt when they crossed paths on the change of ends.

“He apologised at the net after the match, and I accepted his apology,” Hewitt said.

“I don’t think it’s the right thing, no. It’s unfortunate because we’re having a good dogfight match out there.

“We’re both competitive blokes. We were going for it.”

Chela, who was fined $2600 for an act labelled as “disgusting” by Jim Courier on Channel 7, said he followed up with Hewitt behind closed doors.

rgentina's Juan Ignacio Chela, left, appears to spit as he walks past Australia's Lleyton Hewitt during a break in their match at the Australian Open at Melbourne Park, in 2005, Picture: Photo/Rick Rycroft.

“It was a very tense moment in the match and we sorted it out later in the locker room,” Chela said.

“I did spit, but not in his direction.”

Regardless, Hewitt said his coach Roger Rasheed “went ballistic in the locker room at Chela, his coach and his trainer”.

Two matches later against another Argentinian rival Nalbandian, the fire became an inferno on another change of ends.

This time, deep in the fifth set, Nalbandian and Hewitt bumped shoulders as they brushed past each other.

Hewitt, who beat Nalbandian in the 2002 Wimbledon final in straight sets to claim his second grand slam title, told the Courier Mail “the bump” was the end of their relationship as occasional hitting partners.

Lleyton Hewitt after his 2002 Wimbledon win. Picture: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.

“I won the first two sets and lost the next two and in the middle of the fifth set we bumped shoulders,” Hewitt said.

“Nalbandian turned around as if to say “what have you done?”

“I won 10-8 in the fifth and have never spoken to the bloke since (and) I probably never will.

“I am not a big fan of the guy. I have heard some stories about him.”

Nalbandian returned serve, saying “nobody is a friend of him (Hewitt).” He dubbed the Australian “ungentlemanly”.

And in the Davis Cup the following year in 2006, there were genuine concerns for Hewitt’s safety as Australia prepared to play in hostile territory in Buenos Aires.

It was reported Hewitt received death threats at the time, prompting Tennis Australia to provide unprecedented security measures for the Australian, including two permanent personal guards for Hewitt everywhere he went.

And in the stands, Argentinian soccer mega star Diego Maradona, who wore dark glasses and an Argentina shirt, helped whip fans into a frenzy, saying “we have to ruin him (Hewitt). We have to bring him to justice on the court.”

Australian Lleyton Hewitt walks away as Argentine team captain Alberto Mancini approaches to greet him after the former lost to Argentine Jose Acasuso at Parque Roca stadium in Buenos Aires in 2006. Picture: Daniel Garcia/AFP

Hewitt’s former manager Drysdale told the Herald Sun on Friday the safety fears were genuine.

“They were very real,” Drysdale said.

“And Maradona was one causing a lot of problems in the stands.

“His (Hewitt’s) security team at the time were very concerned at that stage.

“There was a bit of feeling between the two (camps) and Maradona made it very difficult.”

The pressure on Hewitt and the weight he shouldered carrying the nation’s tennis hopes perhaps took its toll as Argentina won the Davis Cup tie comfortably 4-1.

The home side’s players celebrated on the court after the victory.

They were wild times for the Hewitt camp, but Drysdale says a new era in Australian tennis has arrived in de Minaur.

With Hewitt firmly in de Minaur’s corner, the baton has been passed as the bulked-up Sydneysider seeks a drought-breaking Australian Open crown.

While Hewitt’s trademark celebrations sometimes irked his opponents, de Minaur “is a different character” according to Drysdale.

The No. 8 seed did not drop a set in his first two wins over Botic van de Zandschulp and Tristan Boyer ahead of the Cerundolo battle on Rod Laver Arena.

But De Minaur said he was wary of Cerundolo’s main weapon, his forehand.

“Yeah, he’s a very dangerous player, very tricky. He’s got a lot of firepower from the baseline with that forehand,” de Minaur said.

“He’s had some big scalps on tour. He’s not afraid to play some big matches. I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s going to be a really tough one. I’ve got to be up for it from the very first point, bring that intensity, play some aggressive style of tennis.

“Just bring out a better version of myself, which I think I’m doing every day.”

Originally published as How Lleyton Hewitt made Australia vs Argentina tennis’ biggest tinderbox