Hewitt euphoric after runaway victory

Euphoric champion Lleyton Hewitt woke after a night of Wimbledon celebrations to declare on Monday "If I don't win another tournament again, it won't matter."

The Australian swapped his tracksuit for a tuxedo to celebrate his maiden grasscourt Grand Slam crown at the Wimbledon ball, just hours after crushing Argentine David Nalbandian 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 in the most one-sided final for 18 years.

The 21-year-old -- the first Australian to win Wimbledon since 1987 -- carried on partying at his south west London base with "a few mates and a few beers".

"I slept pretty well last night for a couple of hours," he smiled as he glanced at newspaper headlines spread out before him at his breakfast table.

"It is starting to sink in now. Yesterday everything was a little bit unclear, it is a hard thing to describe.

"I've only just started believing it and realising it actually happened. You dream about winning this tournament. They don't come any bigger than Wimbledon.

"Pat Cash won it last in 1987. You don't know if you are going to get an opportunity to win it again. I am going to enjoy this for as long as I can.

"To be a member of the All England Club is great. I don't know if I will be wearing the club tie, though. I haven't worn a tie since I was at school.

"But now I will be able to come back here when I am 65 and sit in the members' stand and watch. It's great."

OVERWHELMED

The world number one, who does not return home until after the defence of his U.S. Open crown in September, spent the early hours on the phone to some friends and radio stations back home, and he is overwhelmed by the Australian reception.

"I haven't spoken to too many people, but the ones I have spoken to said the country has gone absolutely crazy.

"When you start your career you would love to win a grand slam, get to world number one and win the Davis Cup.

"Now I have won two Grand Slams and one is Wimbledon which is probably the biggest tournament in the world."

Although Hewitt says it would not be "the end of the world" if he does not win another tournament, that scenario is an extremely unlikely one as he threatens to dominate the sport for years to come.

Certainly that is something the young Australian would love.

"To dominate tennis like Tiger Woods has dominated golf would be amazing," he said, referring to his sporting hero.

"But what he has done it just incredible. Sure, I have some pressure and expectation on me but it's nothing compared to him.

"I thrive on the pressure, though, I'm certainly not shy of it."

Hewitt feels there is plenty of room for improvement, which is not good news for anyone with any designs on the majors in the next few years.

"I have won all these big tournaments now but I still feel there are areas I can work on. There are definitely areas I can make better and add another dimension to."

That, and his best friend's lucky shirt, should see Hewitt safe for the forseeable future.

Late last year Hewitt asked former school friend Haydn Eckerman to leave his job in his father's Adelaide property firm and travel the world with the tennis player.

"He didn't need much persuasion," smiled Hewitt. "Now he has got this shirt which he wore yesterday. He has worn it to 10 finals and I have won them all.

"He thinks it is a lucky shirt, although he says he may retire it now."