New Injury Creates Doubt In Hewitt’s Future

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 9th October 2013

New Injury Creates Doubt In Hewitt’s Future

epa03849718 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia reacts as he leaves the court after losing to Mikhail Youzhny of Russia during their match on the ninth day of the 2013 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 03 September 2013. The US Open runs through Monday 09 September, a 15-day schedule for the first time. EPA/JUSTIN LANE |

Lleyton Hewitt’s continued travels on the ATP World Tour are thanks to the miracles of science after surgeries to his feet and hips have prolonged the former world no.1’s playing career. But now the 32 year-old Australian is facing new problems with a wrist injury that is threatening to curtail his schedule.

Hewitt’s immediate future will be determined by scans on a wrist injury he is likely to undergo very soon. The joint that has bothered him in recent weeks and he was way below par in his 6-4, 6-1 exit from the Shanghai Rolex Masters to Italian Andreas Seppi.

“I’ve had a bit of a niggle for the last couple of weeks,” said Hewitt who has only played two tournaments since the US Open but beat world no.12 Tommy Haas in Beijing last week. “I’m going to get that assessed and make a decision from there.”

Hewitt’s participation in next week’s Vienna staged Erste Bank Open seems very much in doubt. His main thoughts are currently a lot more long term and he said: “Obviously for me the next focus is the Australian Open and then the Davis Cup tie against France straight after that.”

Meanwhile Hewitt was praised for his determination by immediate contemporary Roger Federer after the pair have become regular practice partners of late. “It’s inspiring for me to see him working hard, enjoying the game, still being around,” said the Swiss.

“Especially as many of our generation of players have retired , like [David] Nalbandian just the other day. “I was really happy for him when he beat del Potro at the U.S. Open, even though I like Juan Martin a lot.”

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andreas Seppi, Atp World Tour, Erste Bank Open, Juan Martin Del Potro, Lleyton Hewitt, Roger Federer, Shanghai Rolex Masters, Tennis, Tennis News, Tommy Haas, US Open