Australian Tennis Hall of Fame: Lleyton Hewitt | Australian Open 2024

Intro and welcome everybody to be inducted into the Australian tennis Hall of Fame is the greatest honor that can be bestowed upon an athlete membership is limited exclusively to the top Echelon of Australian tennis players and those that have championed the game on and off the court this year's inductee needs little introduction he's our current captain of the Davis Cup team he led Australia to two Davis Cup victories he's been a former world number one and winner of two grand slam singles titles would you please take a look at the career of Leighton Highlights [Applause] [Music] hu Inc effort from a this man going to [Applause] [Music] that's out and that's it right quickly for the 16-year-old [Applause] lightning that's it Lon hu in straight sets breaking Pete sanis to end the match never ever ever run him [Applause] off I think he's going to be in the Hall of Fame so a Hall of Fame player deserves to play as long as they want to play part of what made him so tough is that he believed in himself and maybe others didn't believe in him as much cuz he wasn't tall enough and strong enough for whatever reason it was and he he he overcame [Applause] that lightning here ladies and gentlemen the great aan champion Induction that's right give him a massive Round of Applause I was fortunate enough to play against Leighton to play with Leighton and be in Davis Cup teams with Leighton would you please welcome the Australian Hall of Fame inductee to the court ladies and gentlemen Leon Hu uh thanks Teddy um this is a unbelievable honor uh for me to think back where my journey started and some of the videos up there um you know when as a 15-year-old coming here and qualifying for the Australian Open for the first time I always dreamt to to just be able to play once here uh at the Australian Open and to end up playing 20 years in a row um and now to to get this incredible honor and be alongside uh all the greats who I looked up to in Australian tennis over so many years um a lot of those guys were like big brothers or even father figures to me um out there so I owe so much to the Australian tennis community um I'd like to thank my family as well uh Beck and the kids for all their support over the years my parents my sister all my friends that are here tonight to enjoy this moment um it's something incredibly special and uh yeah what a tournament this is and it's a great honor that it can happen here so thank you okay Leon I think it's time that you uh unveil go for Reveal it well it's got the hat backwards doesn't it well we now induct Leon into the Australian tennis Hall of Fame this bust will be placed alongside all of the other Hall of Fame inductees in Garden Square here at Melbourne Park and on behalf of tennis Australia and The Wider tennis community congratulations to you Leon no one deserves it more well [Applause] played [Music] e the [Music] [Music] Happ I [Music] again congratulations [Music] the