Retired Hewitt takes tilt at Aussie Open doubles

MELBOURNE: Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt will come out of retirement to play doubles at next month’s Australian Open in Melbourne, reports said Friday.

The 36-year-old will partner Sam Groth, 30, who has announced that the January 15-28 Grand Slam will be his last tournament.“It’s going to be a bit of fun — that’s what the Australian Open is about,” Hewitt told the Melbourne Herald-Sun newspaper.

“I’m going to really enjoy it. We’ve been hitting a lot of balls, hitting every day, and we’re not just going out there making up the numbers. We want to give it a fair crack.”Hewitt, a US Open and Wimbledon singles champion, retired from top-level tennis after his home Grand Slam in January last year.

It is not the first time he has has returned to action since. In last year’s Davis Cup tie with the United States, Hewitt and John Peers, came close to upsetting Bob and Mike Bryan in an epic doubles five-setter.

Groth said: “It’s something Lleyton and I have talked about and it’s perfect for me.“I was there when ‘Rusty’ (Hewitt) retired in 2016 and it’s great that he’ll be there with me when I bow out.”