Lleyton Hewitt wil return to competitieve action alongside Nick Kyrgios in the doubles at London's Queen's Club next month.

22 May 2018 | Tennis Australia

Four-time champion Lleyton Hewitt will join forces with Nick Kyrgios at the Fever-Tree Championships at London’s Queen’s Club after the Australian duo received a doubles wild card.

Hewitt retired from singles play in 2016 after winning the singles title at Queen’s in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2006.

However, the 37-year-old Davis Cup captain has teamed up with fellow Australians to play three doubles events in 2018 – in Brisbane with Jordan Thompson, at the Australian Open with Sam Groth and in Estoril with Alex de Minaur.

Next month, he will return to the Queen’s Club grass courts and the scene of some of his greatest performances, including his 6-4 6-4 win over Pete Sampras in the 2000 final as a 19-year-old.

It will mark only the second time that Hewitt and Kyrgios have played together at a tournament, the other being Montreal in 2015.

Hewitt, who followed up his 2002 win with victory at Wimbledon three weeks later, said the tournament in west London “will always have a special place in my heart”.

He added: “The memories I have of beating Pete Sampras in the final when I was a teenager are as vivid now as they’ve ever been.

“The grass is always perfect, they look after the players, and it’s just a really special tournament to me, and I think to everyone that’s played there.

“I still love to compete, I can still play a bit, and to be given the chance to get out there with another Aussie is something I’m really looking forward to.”

The Fever-Tree Championships get under way on June 18th.