Aug 20, 2008, 13:06 GMT
New York - Lleyton Hewitt will miss the US Open for the first time in his career after finally undergoing last-chance hip surgery.
The former number one, who won the tournament in 2001, told his website that he would now hope to return to the game at age 27 in time for January's Australian Open.
'I'm shattered that I can't lead the Australian Davis Cup team in Chile (September 19-21) in our bid to rejoin the World Group, and hope that the boys can still come through with a great win,' Hewitt said.
The surgery performed in Australia consisted of a hip arthroscopy and repair of a hip labral tear, problems which have bothered Hewitt for months and kept him a part-time player in 2008. The hip labrum is a form of cartilage along the rim of the hip9s socket
His last event was a second-round loss at the Beijing Olympics to Rafael Nadal.
After exhausting every other possibility Hewitt found it impossible and frustrating not being able to continue to play and be competitive at the highest level.
'Surgery was always the last resort, but unfortunately that's what it came down to.' he said.
The Australian who also owns a Wimbledon crown, will now turn his focus to rehabilitation as his wife awaits the birth of the couple's second child.
'I'm looking forward to playing again in January in my home country, and using that as a springboard to compete at my best again on the world stage for at least a couple of more years,' he added.
Hewitt has played just four events since April, Paris and Wimbledon plus Queen's and the Games.
The Australian, now ranked 55th - his lowest since his rise through the table as a teenager nearly a decade ago - would have been unseeded at a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2000 Australian Open had he been able to play the Open which begins on Monday.
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