ADELAIDE, Dec 30: Former world No 1 Lleyton Hewitt will be back where his glittering career began when he takes to the court for the Adelaide International tennis tournament beginning here on Monday.

Hewitt first announced his arrival on the international scene when he won this tournament as a precocious 16-year-old wildcard 10 years ago.

He will be looking to use his home town tournament as a launching pad for the 2008 season as he bids to claw his way back into the top 10 following a disappointing 12 months which saw him slide to his current world ranking of 21.

“It doesn’t feel that long ago,” Hewitt said of his first win as a professional. “It would be great to win again here, it would be a good start.

“I have got to look towards mid-January and the Australian Open but obviously this would be a fantastic way to kick off January and the start of 2008.”

Hewitt defended the strength of the field, which does not feature one player from inside the world top 20.

“There is going to be a lot of tough matches throughout the week,” Hewitt, the tournament’s top seed, said.

“I actually don’t think the draw is weak here at all.

“Maybe you don’t have anyone in the top 20 at the moment but you look at the guys throughout ... I don’t think it’s going to be easy for anyone.”

Hewitt takes on Israel’s world No.64 Dudi Sela in the first round, but could then face Argentina’s Jose Acasuso in the second and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in the quarter-finals, both of whom beat the Australian in their most recent encounters.

Hewitt will be pushed hard for the title by second seeded Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu and Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen, the third seed.

Mathieu, world No 25, had his best ever year in 2007, winning two ATP titles on his way to a career-high ranking of 19 in October.

He takes on countryman Julien Benneteau in an opening round featuring six Frenchmen.

Joining Mathieu, Benneteau and Tsonga in the first round are fourth seed Gilles Simon, eighth seed Sebastien Grosjean and Michael Llodra.—AFP