Hewitt to play through pain

Australia's former world number one Lleyton Hewitt will play through the pain at this month's French Open as he returns to tennis after surgery, his coach Tony Roche said on Monday.

Hewitt, 30, is planning to contest the claycourt grand slam at Roland Garros which starts on May 17 despite not playing for more than two months.

The two-time grand slam champion underwent foot surgery in March but the 66th-ranked Hewitt is once again prepared to play through the pain barrier.

"I think he's used to that. Look, he'd be the toughest competitor that I've seen," Roche told reporters.

"He's had a lot of setbacks over the last couple of years but he keeps bouncing back.

"He keeps wanting to improve and he's so keen, which is great for Australian tennis because we need him to hang in there."

Last year, Hewitt was sidelined for almost four months following a second round of hip surgery and a knee operation before upstaging Roger Federer on grass in the Halle final and then almost beating Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon.

SYDNEY,AFP