Former Australian Davis Cup coach Tony Roche believes Lleyton Hewitt has been harshly treated by the All England Club which named him third seed for Wimbledon despite his world ranking of No 2.
As the third seed, Hewitt is lined up for a semi-final against top seed and defending champion
Roger Federer, who is currently coached by Roche.
Hewitt is disgruntled at the decision by tournament organisers to promote world No 4 Andy Roddick to second seed using their formula based on grass court form over the past two years and Roche believes he has a point.
"I realise why Wimbledon do it and it's important they have the right to do that because of the way the men's game is," said Roche, who lost the 1968 Wimbledon final to fellow Australian Rod Laver.
"But I'm not sure that's the correct one with Lleyton. I don't see any reason why he shouldn't have been second seed. He's had a pretty good year.
"There's two sides of the argument, but I think when there's something that close, why tamper with that?"
With only 50 ranking points separating Hewitt (3640 points), world No 3 Rafael Nadal (3600) and Roddick (3590), organisers gave the American the nod because of his win at the Queen's Club last week and the fact he reached the Wimbledon final last year and the semis in 2003.
Hewitt, on the other hand, lost in the quarters at Wimbledon last year and the first round in 2003, while he lost in the third round at Queen's on his return from a 10-week lay-off following toe surgery and cracked ribs.
Roche believes the 2002 champion, who opens his tournament against Christophe Rochus on Monday, is the type of player who would benefit from a break.
"It can work two ways," Roche said.
"One is you're little bit rusty, you haven't had the match play. On the other side of the ledger is you're pretty keen, you should be jumping out of your skin.
"I'd imagine that'd apply to Lleyton and I'd say he's very keen to get stuck in here."
Hewitt believes only a handful of players are capable of winning the tournament, including himself.
"Roger's the favourite and so he should be," Hewitt said.
"Andy Roddick, Tim Henman, they're probably the next tier below Federer.
"Then you've got dangerous guys like Ivo Karlovic, Wayne Arthurs, Mark Philippoussis."
Philippoussis has returned to form at the right time, reaching the semi finals of the Ordina Open in Holland with a 7-6(7-2) 7-6(7-0) win over Italian Davide Sanguinetti today.
The world No 188 needed a wildcard to enter Ordina at the last minute after Roddick knocked him out in the second round at Queen's.
The Victorian has not dropped a set on his way to the semis which marks a substantial boost for the former world No 8 who had not won a second round match since Wimbledon last year.
Philippoussis came back from 5-2 down in the second set to win his fifth tiebreak in succession and enter his first semi final since September 2003.
"Considering I wasn't even going to play here, I am pretty pleased with how it's going," he said.
"I am at my best when I am aggressive.
"I served well at the important moments and was aggressive in the tiebreaks."
Philippoussis plays Slovakia's Karol Beck in the opening at Wimbledon.
- AAP
Former Australian Davis Cup coach Tony Roche believes Lleyton Hewitt has been harshly treated by the All England Club which named him third seed for Wimbledon despite his world ranking of No 2.
As the third seed, Hewitt is lined up for a semi-final against top seed and defending champion
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.