EASTBOURNE, England (AP)—Lleyton Hewitt retired from his opening match at Eastbourne on Tuesday, putting his Wimbledon participation in doubt.
The 30-year-old Australian aggravated an existing injury while losing to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the quarterfinals in Halle last week, and walked off the court Tuesday while trailing Olivier Rochus 6-2, 3-0.
Hewitt, the 2002 Wimbledon champion, said he would have intensive treatment on the injury in the hope of playing at the All England Club when the tournament begins on Monday.
“I’d want it to be a lot better than it is today to be able to play Wimbledon,” Hewitt said. “It was touch and go whether I’d be able to play here anyway.
“So since then I’ve just been trying to get treatment and do all the right things. I’ve been talking with the doctors here. You know, it just hasn’t quite improved as much as I would have liked by today, but I wanted to come out and try anyway.”
Hewitt has seen his world ranking slump to 130 after winning just six matches this season and failing to defend his title in Halle. After losing in the first round at Indian Wells in March he was off the tour for three months following foot surgery, until returning in Halle.
Hewitt’s game relies a great deal on his speed around the court, and he said the pain he was suffering made it impossible to play on against Rochus. Now he will focus all his efforts on getting fit enough to play at Wimbledon, which begins Monday.
“I still feel like in another week I can, another five days or whatever, I feel like I can still get good treatment,” he said. “You know, with the right people behind me and have a couple easier days, as well, hopefully I can start getting a little bit better.”