ON Hewitt can be difficult. He can be contrary. Throughout his career, which now stretches back a decade, he's regularly clashed with rival players, tournament directors and the media, even close friends.

His "my way or the highway" attitude is admired by those close to him, but his fiery on-court attitude and the constant "C'mons" leave many fans outraged or, worse for the sport, ambivalent.

Even though his Davis Cup record is unmatched by another Australian player, he's won two grand slams and is indisputably our finest player, not-so-little Lleyton is largely unloved by the sporting public, despite those close to him proclaiming his character and loyalty.

With Hewitt entering a three-month break from the game, forced on him by a niggling knee injury, there are unmistakeable signs that he is at last feeling comfortable within his skins, showing a real willingness to make an effort in areas he has previously ignored.

The portents were there during the week at the launch of the Medibank International, to be held at the Sydney International Tennis Centre from January 7 to 13. Hewitt is a four-time winner of the event and will face a field that includes French Open champion Rafael Nadal and defending champion James Blake.

Hewitt, with slicked-back hair and comfortably casual clothing, chatted amiably to Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard, exchanged pleasantries with Sports Minister Sandra Nori and even answered some curly questions from the media in a considered and approachable manner. He seemed to genuinely enjoy himself, giving careful, considered answers, even cracking a joke about the Sydney Swans.

Afterwards I asked why he suddenly appeared so relaxed, so amenable.

"I'm not sure what it is," he said. "I feel comfortable with everything off the court and also when I [am fit and] get on the court, so I guess you put things into perspective in a lot of ways."

Happily married to Bec Cartwright and with a 10-month-old daughter Mia, Hewitt has done a lot of growing up over the past 12 months.

The fact he deigned to attend a tournament launch and talk to the media, something he has always regarded as a chore to be avoided where possible, points to a real change of attitude.

"[I don't mind] doing things like this," he told The Sun-Herald. "I've always felt a lot of support from the Sydney tournament and the Sydney people and if I can give back and help the tournament in any way, that's what I want to do."

Hewitt accepts that being a settled family man has changed his outlook.

"I think having family helps sometimes," he said. "It's all good fun off the court, anyway."

Nori commented on how open and intelligent Hewitt is. Brian Cooney, the IMG senior vice-president who has watched his career unfold, spoke of how much easier to deal with he has become; almost laid-back.

This is a far cry from the Hewitt of old - the cold, reserved one, quick to hold grudges.

One tennis journalist who travels the world says Hewitt has been at loggerheads with every Australian tennis writer at one stage or other of his career. "It's the 'I hate' club," says the writer, who describes Hewitt's actions in the past as bewildering.

Hewitt's longstanding disagreements with former Australian Open tournament director Paul McNamee were legendary, but Medibank International tournament director Craig Watson notices a change in Hewitt's demeanour and says he is a pleasure to deal with.

"I've been very impressed with the way he handles himself," Watson said. "He's great to have around.

"There are a lot of players that are hard work, but Lleyton's a pro. He works tirelessly at his game but he never presents you with any problems. He's good for Australian tennis and he's very personable. He's also very loyal."

The changes to the Hewitt persona are eerily reminiscent of the way Andre Agassi turned around his career and image. Agassi went from denim-clad punk to philanthropist, from fast-food fiend to fitness freak, from pouty kid to a worldwide phenomenon.

Hewitt's adventures have been much publicised and, like Agassi, he lives his life under a constant spotlight, one with which he has not been comfortable.

However, some of the pressure is of his own making, particularly the lucrative deal with New Idea magazine, which features the minutiae of the lives of Lleyton and Bec in excruciating detail.

"Things went very wrong after the New Idea deal," the journalist says. "Lleyton had always been suspicious of the media, and then he had a deal to protect."

Now, having apparently cast off his shackles, Hewitt is thriving in the role of father and clearly enjoying life a whole lot more.

As ATP Tour International Group CEO Brad Drewett said, Hewitt may be ranked 18th in the world, but he's won 25 career titles and was an Australian Open finalist in 2005.

He has plenty of time to turn around his career, and image.

"If he's fit, he's still one of the top players in the world," Drewett said.

Hewitt is adamant his career is not on the slide. "I want to be 100 per cent and have a real crack at next year," he said.

"I've had niggling injuries throughout this year. I'm trying to look for positives and while I'm not happy with my ranking, I don't have a whole lot of points to defend early next year in Adelaide, Sydney or Melbourne, so I'm going to treat [the break] as a pre-season.

"There are still small areas of my game that I can work on to make myself a better player.

"I was No.1 or No.2 only 18 months ago and getting back there, that's what drives me."

Maybe it would help if we all loved him just a little bit more. C'mon.

Post this story to:   del.icio.us  |   Digg  |   Newsvine  |   NowPublic  |   Reddit