SYDNEY : Australia's Lleyton Hewitt will head to Paris for the French Open, hopeful that a hip injury will not stop him playing in the event, he said on Monday.

The two-time Grand Slam winner said he has not yet decided whether he will participate in the tournament which begins on May 25.

But the 27-year-old intends to spend the coming week practising on Roland Garros clay with coach Tony Roche in the hope that he is fit enough to compete.

"I thought it best to go to Paris and start my originally planned preparation, in the hope that the hip will be OK for me to compete," Hewitt said on his website.

"I am being optimistic about playing the French and also the grass court season, especially Wimbledon."

He added: "I've now just got to prepare as well as possible and hope the body holds up for me."

Under the worst case scenario, the nagging hip injury which has sidelined the former No. 1 for a month could force Hewitt out of the entire grass court season, including the French Open and Wimbledon.

Hewitt, currently ranked No. 26 in the world, last played in April when he helped Australia complete a 5-0 sweep of Thailand in their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone Group I second round tennis tie.

The former US Open and Wimbledon champion was doing everything in his power to compete in both Grand Slam tournaments, manager David Drysdale said earlier this month.

"Grand Slams are well and truly the highlight of a tennis player's year, particularly an athlete as competitive as Lleyton," he said.

"He hasn't given up on them, but is just frustrated that he can't be already out there competing and preparing."

- AFP /ls