Bec & Lleyton SEPARATED FOR 42 DAYS
Bec is left behind as the tennis champ moves back to the Bahamas
With tension in their marriage at breaking point, tennis champion Lleyton Hewitt is building a new life for himself overseas after flying out of Melbourne to escape the constant fights and bickering with wife Bec.
He’s been soaking up the sun in the Bahamas, swimming and playing golf, on top of hanging out with his tennis buddies in New York. He’s revelling in his freedom, while Bec is looking under increasing strain as she struggles to cope with all the pressures of motherhood in Melbourne.
“They argue a lot, but it’s been worse lately as he’s been spending more and more time drinking with his mates to avoid home – and Bec – who hates it when Lleyton drinks,” reveals one close friend. “His home life is filled with conflict a lot of the time.”
Lleyton, 36, was last seen in Australia on August 5, and has since been posting updates on life in the Bahamas as he prepares for his new career at an elite tennis academy. He has no plans to rush home to Melbourne, meaning he and Bec are effectively apart for almost six weeks.
“He’s in New York for a week or so, then he heads to Belgium for the Davis Cup,” says the friend. “It really is like he and Bec are leading separate lives. He’s set himself up in the Bahamas and she’s been left in Melbourne.”
The fairytale ended long ago for Lleyton and Bec, 34, who fought constantly over their gypsy lifestyle when he was competing. They hoped a move to Melbourne would save their marriage.
But that hasn’t been the case and the strain began to show this year after Bec was caught having a number of very public meltdowns, while Lleyton has been busy building his new life.
“Their battles are legendary,” claims our source, who says the last straw came when Lleyton took the job in The Bahamas and d made it clear he’d be spending a lot of time there – without Bec. .
“Their fights are often over what you or I would think of as trivial, and it hasn’t eased over the years, if anything it’s got worse. Bec doesn’t shout, but she holds a mighty grudge, and she’s not one to back down.”
The couple fell in love quickly – soon after Bec split with her fiance, actor Beau Brady – andd she was pregnant when she and Lleyton wed in 2005.
But the honeymoon was soon on n over as Bec struggled to adjust t to life on the tennis circuit andd resented the constant presence e of Lleyton’s parents, Glynn and Cherilyn, who he confided d in more than his young wife.
“They’ve never really bonded closely with Bec, and they’re not t the sort of people to keep their opinions to themselves,” our source says. “They opposed it to start with just because the courtship was too quick – and more importantly Lleyton didn’t insist on a pre-nup.
“The Hewitts still worry about would happen if they divorced, and drop huge clangers in this regard, which Bec naturally resents. They also criticise her all the time, saying she isn’t strict enough with the kids [Mia, 11, Cruz, eight, and Ava, six] and complain that all three aren’t playing enough tennis.”
And there is a lot at stake, with Lleyton worth $60 million at last count. “Lleyton’s well aware of how costly a divorce could be. He considered leaving years ago when they were going through a particularly rough patch, but because he never got Bec to sign a pre-nup, he knew it’d ruin him.”
‘Lleyton’s awaree of how costly a divorce could be’ ’