Hewitt Withdraws From Kooyong, But Will Play There on Friday Against Andy Murray

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 7th January 2014

Brisbane International Tennis Tournament

Hewitt Withdraws From Kooyong, But Will Play There on Friday Against Andy Murray

epa04008734 Australian Lleyton Hewitt returns a ball to Switzerland's Roger Federer during their Men's final match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane, Australia, 05 January 2014. EPA/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY |

Lleyton Hewitt has decided not to risk his fitness with the Australian Open starting in less than a week. The 32-year-old made a precautionary withdrawal from the Kooyong exhibition and was replaced in the field by a teenaged unknown.

Hewitt said his title in Brisbane at the weekend over Roger Federer was,played in three sets in high heat and humidity took it out of him. As a result, he needs to rest to insure he is top-fit as he enters an 18th Australian Open on Monday.

The eight-man event was without a home player until organizers managed to get Aussie promising teenager Jordan Thompson, the No. 320. He becomes the junior in a field comprised of Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, who started 2014 with the Chennai title in India. Fellow top 10 players Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and France’s Richard Gasquet are also part of the field, supplemented by Frenchman Gilles, Spain’s Fernando Verdasco and Kei Nishikori of Japan.

Hewitt will try and keep the punters satisfied as he plays an exhibition against Andy Murray on Friday, with the Scot in desperate need of matches prior to the start of the major. “For the last four days in Brisbane, I played some tough matches in extreme heat,” said Hewitt, who turns 33 next month. “I have to do what’s right for my body before the biggest event in my country. I take pride in having won this event twice. I want help support Australian tennis. I’m thrilled to get a practice match against another top player.

“I want to enter the Australian Open in top shape, and the older you get the tougher it gets. It was really hot up in Queensland, not like Melbourne here (21 Celsius). The sun was brutal, there was no breeze and it was humid. Going into the first major of the season, you have to do what’s right for your body.”

Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, Australian Open, Brisbane, Fernando Verdasco, Kooyong, Lleyton Hewitt, Richard Gasquet, Roger Federer, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych