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By Scoop Malinowski

I first suggested this rumor to you months ago after reading a cryptic Instagram comment from Aussie player Matt Reid who seemingly joked on one of Lleyton Hewitt’s posts that the officially retired Davis Cup captain might play the 2018 Australian Open.

It struck me enough to mention it here a couple of times and also in an e-mail to my editor of an Australian Tennis Magazine, who expressed that the possibility was highly unlikely.

But less than an hour ago published reports say Hewitt will indeed play the next Australian Open in doubles with Sam Groth.

Hewitt, 36, retired at the Australian Open in 2016 but has played two matches since, at Wimbledon in doubles and in Davis Cup doubles.

It was clear this year in Davis Cup action that Hewitt is still as competitive as ever, judging by his fierce intensity on the side bench while captaining the Australian Davis Cup team which reached the semifinal round. Hewitt, with his animated fist pumps and shouts of Come on as a captain, clearly still yearns for the battle like his old friend and rival Roger Federer who still competes at a, ahem, very high level.

It will be interesting to learn Andy Roddick’s reaction to this. Roddick was rejected by the USTA in 2014 when he requested a doubles wildcard with Mardy Fish a month before the tournament.

Hewitt and Groth partnering at the next Aussie Open…let’s get ready to see Hewitt rumble.

comeback · Lleyton Hewitt

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