Hewitt To Play in Melbourne Warm Up

Written by: Staff on 23rd October 2012

Hewitt To Play in Melbourne Warm Up

epa03436668 Australia's Lleyton Hewitt returns the ball to Finland's Jarkko Nieminen of Finland during their match at the Stockholm Open tennis tournament in the Kungliga Tennishallen in Stockholm, Sweden Wednesday October 17 2012. EPA/SOREN ANDERSSON SWEDEN OUT |

Australian tennis stalwart Lleyton Hewitt heads the field at a decidedly low-key AAMI Classic as the eight-man special event in Melbourne prepares for its 25th edition.

A pre-Australian Open tuneup which could formerly rely on the likes of Roger Federer, and – back in the day – Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick must be hoping to lift the excitement factor when the last four names are eventually announced.

Hewitt, still an Aussie tennis hero, sits outside the to 100 on 102 as his career inevitably winds down as he approaches his 32nd birthday next February.

The two-time Grand Slam winner a decade ago, who has had his spats in the past with tournament promoter Colin Stubs, has returned to the event in recent years, winning it in 2011.

Also in the first wave of announced competitors are Argentine Juan Del Potro, Japan ‘s breakthrough ace Kei Nishikori and former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis.