Lleyton Hewitt looking for a fresh start in attempt for his maiden Australian Open title
Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt from Australia said on Monday that he is looking to play well in the warm up event to Australian Open, the 2011 Kooyong Classic Men’s tennis tournament to be held in January.
The 29-year-old Australian, who made his debut on the ATP tour back in 1998, is competing in the Kooyong Classic event on the very first occasion in his career in a revamped preparation for the year’s opening Grand Slam, the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Hewitt has so far reached the final at the Aussie back in 2005 and reached the round of sixteen on two more occasions on the tour.
Currently ranked number fifty five in the South African Airways ATP list, Hewitt started his 2010 campaign by playing at the Medibank International where he finished quarterfinalist at the hands of ultimate winner Marcos Baghdatis. At the Australian Open,
the right hander was toppled by the world number two Roger Federer in the fourth round in three sets. The final match score was 6–2, 6–3, and 6–4.
After remaining away from the tour due to his wrist injury, the Australian tennis star made a comeback on the tour at the United States Men’s clay court tournament as the singles defending winner. He triumphed in his opening clash, beating Somdev Devvarman
of India in three sets. The final match score was 1–6 6–0 7–6. Hewitt then lost at the hands of Juan Ignacio Chela in straight sets with a score line of 6–4 6–3.
His season best performance include a title battle victory in Gerry Weber Open, where he dispatched off Roger Federer in the final in three sets.The final match score was 3–6, 7–6 (4), 6–4.
He has been sidelined since September due to his hand injury on the tour and will return on the tour at the Kooyong Classic next year in January.
A couple of injuries have seen the Australian drop to number fifty four in the rankings however he along with his coach is quite hopeful that Kooyong Classic will be a good start to the season.
"It is all about scheduling and what I believe to be the best preparation to win a Grand Slam for me. It is also about trying something different. The January 1-8 Hopman Cup in Perth and Melbourne's Kooyong Classic would guarantee me at least three matches
in both events, if not four. That gives me great preparation, I feel, for the Australian Open," he said.
Hewitt further added that the injury setbacks had made him think about retirement however he is still not sure when he is going to announce his retirement on the tour.
"This won't be my last, but I do not have a number. If I play a full year I would like to finish in the Masters Cup. If I do what I think I am capable of in the bigger tournaments and especially the Grand Slams then I think it is a realistic goal,” said
the former Wimbledon and United States Open winner about his Australian Open goals.
Jurgen Melzer from Austria, who is currently ranked number eleven in the world along with Nikolay Davydenko from Russia, were also named in the last two spots for the January 12-15 Kooyong event on Monday.
Tomas Berdych of Czech Republic, Russian Mikhail Youzhny, Fernando Verdasco from Spain and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils are already confirmed for the eight man field.
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