Hewitt offered London finale

Former champion Lleyton Hewitt will begin his preparations for his final bow at Wimbledon this year at the Aegon Championships after organisers of the Queen's Club grasscourt event guaranteed the Australian a wildcard.

The unusual move to hand out a wildcard before the entry list is known is reward for the 33-year-old former world number one who has won the Wimbledon warm-up event four times.

Hewitt, who will retire after next year's Australian Open, is winding down his career and will only play two tournaments this year, Queen's and Wimbledon as well as the Davis Cup.

"It took us roughly two seconds to decide to guarantee Lleyton a wild card!" said tournament director Stephen Farrow.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Toby Davis)