INDIAN WELLS, California - Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt said on Thursday he was eager to represent Australia at this year's Olympic Games.

Lleyton Hewitt of Australia speaks to the media in a press conference during the Pacific Life Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. Hewitt is looking forward to representing Australia at the Beijing Olympics, but says he understands Andy Roddick's decision to skip the Games prior to the US Open. [Agencies]

But Hewitt, who missed the 2004 Games in Athens, said he fully understood why American Andy Roddick had opted not to go to Beijing.

"At this stage, I am planning on playing in Beijing," Hewitt told reporters. "It's exciting to play in the Olympics and to play for Australia whenever possible."

Roddick said on Tuesday he would miss the Games to defend his Washington Open title from Aug 11-17 and help his build-up for the US Open which begins two weeks later.

"I can totally understand Andy's reasons," the 27-year-old Adelaide native said during preparation for this week's Pacific Life Open.

"I did not play in the Athens Olympics due to the schedule lead-up to the US Open and what I thought was the best preparation for me to have. It definitely paid off that year as I won in Washington and also in Long Island.

"I can identify with Andy's decision not to play if he thinks his best chance of success is by playing in Washington on the same surface and in the same conditions as the US Open."

Although playing in Beijing would be one of Hewitt's highlights of the year, he has always regarded the four grand slam events as the ultimate challenge.

MAJOR PINNACLE

"In tennis, it's probably more like golf. We have big events every second week, including the four majors, which are the pinnacle of our sport.

"For any tennis player, the four majors are what we play for and I will always work with what I think will be the best preparation for those four tournaments."

Hewitt, who clinched grand slam titles at the 2001 US Open and at Wimbledon the following year, is delighted to be fully fit for the opening Masters Series event of the season.

A double champion at Indian Wells, where he is seeded 24th this week, he lost in the second round last year after struggling with injuries.

"I had a small ankle injury and a back issue coming into here last year which hindered my performance and I had to pull out of Miami the week after," he said.

"This year, I feel pretty good. It's just a matter of getting through my first match or two to build confidence and match toughness, and then I definitely can make a run here."

Hewitt will meet American Sam Querrey, who won his first ATP title at last week's Las Vegas Open, or Peru's Luis Horna in the second round.