The former world No. 1 was upset with performance in the Australian Open final against Novak Djokovic on Sunday. Speaking about the Spaniard, on Channel Nine Hewitt said: He was just a shadow of himself early on and I think Novak sensed that, and thats when he went really hard straight away.
Hewitt was also shocked by Nadal missing a ball on the forehand side in the seventh game of the first set: Ive never seen it from Rafa. Well see it occasionally, if the winds blowing and stuff, it does affect it but on Rod Laver Arena, its great conditions to play out there.
He just looked out of sorts. I thought it was the movement early on, he never looked balanced, he never looked settled, and thats what he really struggled with. He needs time, he needs to be in the right position to be able to go after those big swinging shots.
Hewitt was also surprised with Djokovics tactics: Its unusual: not many people will go into the Nadal forehand. But he (Djokovic) was hitting so hard into that side that it was taking time away from the big swing that he wants to have on the left-hand forehand.
That lasso finish that he (Nadal) has, he wasnt able to do it, so then he ended up pushing it a little bit shorter and thats when Novak could really step in and open up the backhand side as well. ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal: Worse players than David Ferrer won a Grand Slam title
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