Tennis-Hewitt season over after hip surgery

BRISBANE, Australia, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Australia's Lleyton Hewitt will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome hip, the former world number one announced on his website.

Hewitt, who has withdrawn from this month's U.S. Open, did compete at the Beijing Olympics where he was a second-round loser to gold medallist Rafael Nadal in the singles and was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the doubles with partner Chris Guccione.

"Surgery was always the last resort, but unfortunately that's what it came down to," the 27-year-old Hewitt said.

"I am also shattered that I can't lead the Australian Davis Cup team in Chile (in Santiago from Sept. 19-21) in our bid to rejoin the world group, and hope that the boys can still come through with a great win.

"I am 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." (Writing by Andrew Stevens; Editing by John O'Brien)