Melbourne - Lleyton Hewitt has vowed to fight on with his career after suffering a heartbreaking early exit at the Australian Open. The 27-year-old is ready to take his game to the American indoor courts next month after losing to Fernando Gonzalez.

With a ranking which will now stand close to 100 for the former number one and double Grand Slam champion, prospects admittedly look grim.

Hewitt said that had he intended to give up the game, he would not have gone through summer hip surgery and five months of tough rehab. "If I was going to retire, then I wouldn't have had the surgery done.

"It wasn't something that was going to affect me in everyday life for the rest of my life. It was something that, if I want to still play tennis, then it had to be done."

Hewitt is due to play indoors at San Jose and Memphis, then shift onto outdoor hardcourts for Masters 1000 events at Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami.

He will have to leave America in early March between event to play for Australia in a Davis Cup zonal round against Thailand. (dpa)