Roger Federer has lavished Lleyton Hewitt with the ultimate send-off from the All England Club, saying the baseline warrior has showed a generation of champions how to master the art of modern-day grass-court tennis.
Bidding for a record eighth Wimbledon crown, Federer hailed Hewitt as a grass-court pioneer who deserved to be remembered for the “unbelievable” impact he has had during his 17-year professional career.
Preparing for his Wimbledon swan song, Hewitt was the last player to win the singles in 2002 before Federer - and to a lesser extent Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray - dominated.