Subjects: Lleyton Hewitt's Wimbledon win.
E&OE...........
JOURNALIST:
Lleyton Hewitt';s victory?
PRIME MINISTER:
It';s fantastic. I think there will be millions of very happy Australians this morning. It';s a tremendous performance at such a young age. A very convincing win. He';s got an enormous future in front of him. He';s a very resilient sportsman. He';s got great determination and I';m just so delighted.
JOURNALIST:
Have you spoken with Lleyton since his win?
PRIME MINISTER:
I just tried to reach him on the phone and he';s on the way to where I rang, and I';m going to try and speak with him in a few minutes.
JOURNALIST:
You';re in Europe. Were you tempted to go over for the game?
PRIME MINISTER:
I was but duty called. I had other things to do and it is important that I do those. But it was on our minds and he was very much in our thoughts and he';s made it. And it gives Australians great pride when somebody as young as that and as talented as that can win the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world.
JOURNALIST:
What will be your message when you finally speak to Lleyton?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well just warm congratulations and he';s made millions of Australian sports lovers very happy. I spoke to him last night to wish him well, and he was confident without being cocky about it, which is always good. And I';m just so delighted it';s come off for him.
JOURNALIST:
He does occasionally stray into not so good behaviour though. Is that a concern if he';s representing Australia?
PRIME MINISTER:
Goodnight.
JOURNALIST:
Could I ask you how you rate him? You';ve seen a lot of great Australian tennis players…
PRIME MINISTER:
It';s too early to get into those comparisons and I don';t want to burden a young player with premature comparisons. He is a very talented tennis player in his own right and it is never helpful for anybody, particularly somebody in my position, to say well he';s another X or another Y. He is not another X or Y. He is Lleyton Hewitt, outstanding young tennis champion.
JOURNALIST:
Would you like to see Pat Rafter back for perhaps an even better final next year?
PRIME MINISTER:
Well I';ve got great fondness for Pat, as many Australians have. What he does with his future is a matter for him and I';ll tell you what, if he did decide to come back, he';d make a lot of people happy.