By Chris Oddo | Thursday December 14, 2017
Encore! Lleyton Hewitt will come out of retirement to partner mate Sam Groth at the 2018 Aussie Open.
Photo Source: AFP
Lleyton Hewitt is coming out of retirement so that his Aussie mate Sam Groth can be properly ushered into his. Hewitt announced that he will play doubles at next year’s Australian Open with 30-year-old Groth, who will be playing his last event on tour.
Hewitt, 36, played his last singles match at the 2016 Australian Open when he fell to David Ferrer in the second round. He won 616 singles matches over the course of his career, including 148 at the Grand Slams.
Groth topped out at No.53 in the world, winning 38 singles matches and becoming a go-to Davis Cup doubles stalwart.
“It’s something Lleyton and I have talked about and it’s perfect for me,” Groth, 30, told the Herald Sun. “I was there when ‘Rusty’ retired in 2016 and it’s great that he’ll be there with me when I bow out. He’s not just someone I know through tennis, he’s a great mate.”
It’s not the first time that Hewitt has come out of retirement. The former World No.1 played the March 4 Davis Cup tie against the U.S. for Australia in 2016, pairing with John Peers to take the Bryan Brothers to five sets.
The legendary Aussie also took a wild card to play doubles alongside Jordan Thompson at Wimbledon in 2016. The pair reached the second round.
Hewitt remains Australia’s Davis Cup Captain and his nation's most successful Davis Cup player. He played 42 ties and won 58 rubbers, including 42 singles, for the Green and Gold.