Hewitt Begins Injury Comeback at ATP Adelaide
Posted on January 1, 2006Aussie former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, who missed the last leg of the 2005 season including the year-ending Masters Cup due to groin and foot injuries and the birth of his daughter, kicks off his 2006 campaign as the top seed this week at the Next Generation Adelaide International.
"I've just been training a lot, five or six weeks now, obviously getting my body in as good a shape as possible...hitting a lot of balls as well as trying to get used to the Rebound Ace courts here in Australia and the hot conditions," Hewitt said. "I've been fortunate. It's been extremely hot the last few weeks. I'll be well prepared going into the three tournaments."
A two-time winner in Adelaide, Hewitt will be favored over the top "B"-level tour talent including fellow seeds Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty of the Slovak Republic, Spaniard Tommy Robredo, Davis Cup championship team member Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic of Croatia, resurgent American James Blake, Czech Tomas Berdych, Finn Jarkko Nieminen, and Gaucho Juan Ignacio Chela.
Opening-round matches to watch for will be Aussie wildcard Chris "Penthouse" Guccione vs. talented German comer Philipp Kohlschreiber, unseeded Brit-Scot Andy Murray facing a qualifier, (4) Baby Goran vs. French veteran Arnaud Clement, (7) Nieminen vs. hot-handed Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, (3) Robredo vs. Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, (8) Chela vs. "Dr." Ivo Karlovic, and (WC) Mark Philippoussis vs. "Rappin'" Vince Spadea.
Hewitt's testers en route to the final would include (6) Berdych or Murray in the quarterfinals, and (4) Baby Goran or (6) Blake in the semis.
Swede Joachim Johansson, still out with a shoulder injury, beat Taylor Dent for the 2005 title.
Hrbaty (2004) and Hewitt (2000,'98) are the lone returning champs in the field.
On court Monday are Calleri vs. (6) Berdych, Kohlschreiber vs. (WC) Guccione, Xavier "X-Man" Malisse vs. (WC) Luczak, Melzer vs. (3) Robredo, and (4) Ancic vs. Clement.
"I've just been training a lot, five or six weeks now, obviously getting my body in as good a shape as possible...hitting a lot of balls as well as trying to get used to the Rebound Ace courts here in Australia and the hot conditions," Hewitt said. "I've been fortunate. It's been extremely hot the last few weeks. I'll be well prepared going into the three tournaments."
A two-time winner in Adelaide, Hewitt will be favored over the top "B"-level tour talent including fellow seeds Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty of the Slovak Republic, Spaniard Tommy Robredo, Davis Cup championship team member Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic of Croatia, resurgent American James Blake, Czech Tomas Berdych, Finn Jarkko Nieminen, and Gaucho Juan Ignacio Chela.
Opening-round matches to watch for will be Aussie wildcard Chris "Penthouse" Guccione vs. talented German comer Philipp Kohlschreiber, unseeded Brit-Scot Andy Murray facing a qualifier, (4) Baby Goran vs. French veteran Arnaud Clement, (7) Nieminen vs. hot-handed Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, (3) Robredo vs. Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, (8) Chela vs. "Dr." Ivo Karlovic, and (WC) Mark Philippoussis vs. "Rappin'" Vince Spadea.
Hewitt's testers en route to the final would include (6) Berdych or Murray in the quarterfinals, and (4) Baby Goran or (6) Blake in the semis.
Swede Joachim Johansson, still out with a shoulder injury, beat Taylor Dent for the 2005 title.
Hrbaty (2004) and Hewitt (2000,'98) are the lone returning champs in the field.
On court Monday are Calleri vs. (6) Berdych, Kohlschreiber vs. (WC) Guccione, Xavier "X-Man" Malisse vs. (WC) Luczak, Melzer vs. (3) Robredo, and (4) Ancic vs. Clement.