Hewitt shoots to No. 1 - three
years early

Lleyton Hewitt started the year with ambitious goals for a 20-year-old, to reach the top five in the world and make a Grand Slam semi-final.

No one doubted his ability but most, including Hewitt, thought he was still a few years away from achieving his aims.

But as the season draws to a close, there are no more doubts.

Not only did the Australian claim his first Grand Slam title by winning the U.S. Open, but he also became the youngest man in history to finish the year ranked number one in the world.

"I think it's come as a bit of shock to most of us," Hewitt said, after clinching the No.1 spot with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Patrick Rafter at the Masters Cup on Friday.

"My coach Darren Cahill and I were working on my game for another three or four years down the track when I would be playing my best tennis.

"It's an unbelievable feeling. For me to do it at age 20 and to do it in Australia, you just couldn't have written a better script."

Hewitt overtook Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten in the rankings to reach No.1 on Friday at the age of just 20 and eight months.

The youngest player prior to Hewitt to finish the season as No. 1 was American Jimmy Connors who was 22 years three months when he achieved the feat in 1974.

"To now have it out of the way and to say you've been number one in the world and won a grand slam, I can retire happy now," he said.

YOUNGEST EVER

Hewitt has been earmarked for greatness since he qualified for the 1997 Australian Open at 15 years 11 months, the youngest player ever.

Twelve months later he became the youngest winner on the ATP Tour in a decade when he won a title in his home town of Adelaide, and the lowest-ranked winner (550) in ATP history.

A year later, he won one title, at Delray Beach, and reached three finals and was a member of the Australian Davis Cup team that beat France in the final.

Hewitt began to make his move up the rankings in 2000, capturing four title and reaching the U.S. Open semifinals, but made his mark this year when he beat Pete Sampras in the U.S. Open final.

"I guess it's something that I dreamt of as a young kid. When I first picked up a tennis racket and watched so many of the great players on TV, I just wished that one day I could win a grand slam or be the number one player in the world," Hewitt said.

"My whole goal back then was to be in this position," .

"They're two dreams that when you're very young and running around on a tennis court."

Rafter, who held the No.1 ranking for a week in 1999, said Hewitt had always been destined for greatness.

"I am sort of surprised and not surprised because we have been waiting for it for a while," Rafter said.

"It's been a strange thing because we have all been saying when is he going to win one (a major tournament). He was bordering on winning a lot of tournaments but wasn't winning the big matches yet.

"Then all of a sudden within a couple of months it happened so quickly."

Rafter said he was still amazed by Hewitt's maturity but felt his greatest asset was his mental strength.

"At the end of the day he's only 20, youngest man ever, so wow," Rafter said.

"He does not miss. He reminds me of a Michael Chang, but better and stronger and quicker."