Former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt is ready to go into retirement but not before playing in front of his countrymen one more time in the 2016 Australian Open. Will the 34-year-old tennis star avoid an early exit right in the first round? Or will James Duckworth send Hewitt packing?
Read on for more about this matchup. You can also check out our preview of Anett Kontaveit vs. Garbine Muguruza.
[sc:TennisArticles ]Lleyton Hewitt vs. James Duckworth Betting Preview
Where: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
When: Monday, January 18, 6:00 PM ET
Line: Lleyton Hewitt (-180) vs. James Duckworth (+150) – view all Australian Open Men’s Singles lines
Betting on Lleyton Hewitt
[sc:AUS15-250 ]Hewitt is aiming to finish his career with a bang having previously announced that he is going to retire after this edition of the Australian Open.
Including this tournament, Hewitt would retire with 20 Grand Slam appearances. He certainly has the edge in experience against the much younger James Duckworth but experience can only bring Hewitt so far.
Among Hewitt’s concerns heading into his matchup with Duckworth is his dwindling success on hard-surfaced courts. Last year, Hewitt went just 3-5 on hardcourt matches, just the third time in his career that he had a losing record on that type of court.
But this being Hewitt’s last tournament, expect the former No. 1 to be buoyed by a sentimental crowd eager to see Hewitt reach the second round of the Australian Open.
Hewitt lost to Bernard Tomic 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 5-7 in the second round of last year’s U.S. Open, the most recent singles event the Australian had played in.
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Betting on James Duckworth
Duckworth knows hardly anyone will be cheering for him when he faces a local legend playing on the twilight of his career. But while it’ll be a pleasure and a great experience for Duckworth to play Hewitt, Duckworth also knows that he might be the one to send Hewitt into retirement for good.
In any case, Duckworth needs to take down Hewitt in order to reach the second round of the Australian Open for just the fourth time since turning pro in 2010.
In Duckworth’s last preparation for the Melbourne event, the 23-year-old reached the second round of the ATP & WTA Apia International Sydney, where he lost to Jeremy Chardy 6-7 (5-7), 4-6. Last year, Duckworth went 9-11 in singles matches, winning no titles.
Thus far in his career, Duckworth has a 73% rate on first serve points won and 48% on second serves on hardcourts. His return game isn’t good on the same surface, though. He’s won just 25% of first serve returns and converted just 37% of break point opportunities.
Writer’s Prediction
Duckworth upends Hewitt.
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