Newly-crowned Wimbledon men's singles champion Lleyton Hewitt will receive a hero's welcome with a street parade when he returns to his hometown of Adelaide later this week.
Hewitt became the first Australian since Pat Cash 15 years ago to win Wimbledon when he outclassed Argentine David Nalbandian in Sunday's final 6-1, 6-3, 6-2.
It is the second major title for the world number one, who conquered Pete Sampras to claim the US Open in New York last September.
South Australian Premier Mike Rann said today a parade would be a more fitting way to honour Hewitt than a formal state reception, as it would enable all members of the state's public a chance to acclaim his achievement.
Hewitt has been warmly embraced among Australian tennis greats with some claiming the feisty 21-year-old is still a grasscourt work-in-progress despite his systematic dismantling of Nalbandian.
Three-time Wimbledon champion John Newcombe said baseliner Hewitt was still to be convinced as to how to play a serve-volley game on grass.
"You could see him start to come to the net and loosen up a bit after the (quarter-final) first set against Tim Henman, but he's not convinced yet," said Newcombe, who commentated for Australian television on the final.
"That's the next dimension to his game and that's a little bit frightening to other players, that he has another dimension that he can take his game to, on grass or any surface."
Fred Stolle, the three-time Wimbledon singles finalist, believes Hewitt can do even better on grass. "Lleyton can still get a lot better on grass once he learns to get in and serve and volley a little bit more, and I think he will do that in the next couple of years," Stolle said.
Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald also sees room for improvement, predicting a long career at the top for the baseliner, who had never passed the fourth round at Wimbledon before.
"It's a pretty scary thought, really, but he can get better in a couple of areas, so therefore if he doesn't get a major injury, then there's no reason why he can't win several major championships," Fitzgerald said." I think he has a chance of winning all four."
Yet for all his extraordinary achievements at such a young age, Hewitt still polarises sections of the Australian sporting public with his feisty court antics.
His coach Jason Stoltenberg has called on compatriots to appreciate Hewitt's tennis rather than criticise his combative personality.
"I'm not sure what's caused it or what's going to happen to improve it, I just wish people would sit back and appreciate the fight and the will to go out there and play for Australia every single time he has the chance," Stoltenberg said today.
"In the heat of the moment people might say things or do things and if that's what's happened to him, that's a bit unjust. Just to sit back and enjoy the way he plays the game, that should be enough."
Stoltenberg said the intense on-court character will have no problems relaxing off the court and enjoying his Wimbledon triumph.
"He'll enjoy it all right. You see him on the court, he's pretty intense, but off the court I know that he's tickled pink, I know he is," Stoltenberg said.
"Off court he's quiet and low key and sticks to himself. On the court he's so feisty and it's just his natural fight that's inside him."
Hewitt has been adversely compared to his mentor and Mr Nice Guy, Patrick Rafter. His final even attracted a million fewer late-night Australian television viewers than losing finalist Rafter did the previous year.
Channel Nine national ratings released on Monday showed 2.1 million viewers stayed up into the early hours to watch Hewitt's victory over Nalbandian, although that had to be taken in context.
Rafter's final against Goran Ivanisevic, which averaged 3,036,289 viewers nationwide, was staged in prime time on a Monday night after the match had been rained out the previous day.
Reigning Australian Of The Year Rafter is toying with the possibility of returning to the circuit after quitting the sport late last year. - AFP