'Rocket Rod' rates Hewitt's chances

The great Rod Laver, back in Australia for the first time since he suffered a stroke, believes teenager Lleyton Hewitt could become the first home winner of the Australian Open men's singles title for 25 years.

The open will start tomorrow.

Hewitt, who a month away from his 20th birthday had his seventh tournament victory at the adidas International in Sydney on Saturday, goes into the championship with the hardest draw of any of the 16 seeds in Melbourne.

But Laver thinks the youngster has the ability to lift a trophy last in Australian hands when Mark Edmondson became one of only five unseeded players to take a Grand Slam title since the sport went open in 1968.