SAM Groth has vowed to fight to the end as he chases a fairytale finish to his playing career with Lleyton Hewitt in the Australian Open men’s doubles.
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Groth and Hewitt will play No.11 seeds Juan-Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in the quarter-finals on Tuesday with the former Albury player desperate to stay in the tournament.
“It will be fun,” Groth said.
“We are both emotional guys.
“We are not backwards in coming forwards.
“When we do that, we play our best.
“We'll be competitive out there and think about each match.
“We will fight to the end.
“There are people who won’t see Lleyton Hewitt play again.”
Groth convinced his good mate Hewitt to come out of retirement to play alongside him in what will be his farewell tournament.
They were awarded a wildcard into the men’s doubles and haven’t disappointed with their victories including an epic three-set thriller over Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 on Saturday night.
Tecau and Rojer won the US Open doubles last September.
Former coach Phil Shanahan was in the crowd at Melbourne Park.
“I’ve never been to a match with such a great atmosphere,” Shanahan said.
“It was an unbelievable game.”
Groth and Hewitt then breezed into the quarter-finals after 22 minutes against Spanish pair Pablo Andujar and Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who retired at 3-all with Ramos-Vinolas unable to continue due to injury.
Groth has been partnering Sam Stosur in the mixed doubles.
He reached a career-high singles ranking of 53 in 2015 with the big-serving former Border player winning the John Newcombe Medal in the same year.
He is considering playing football later this year after enjoying his stint with Vermont’s reserve grade side in the Eastern Football League during a break from tennis in 2011.