THE Argentine mob spilled on to centre court at Parque Roca yesterday, encircling Lleyton Hewitt, and it seemed for a crowded moment that his worst-case security fears were unfolding.

But it is amazing what an act of kindness can do for a previously sworn enemy of the Argentines.

Hewitt, who had fretted over being as welcome here as George W Bush in the Tora Bora caves, had earlier hit tennis balls into the stands to the delight of children and signed autographs and, now, suddenly, he was being feted like a rock star amid chaotic scenes.

"It's unbelievable," La Nacion journalist Maxi Boso said. "It's like The Beatles are here or something."

Perhaps it is not in the introverted Hewitt's nature to bond with the masses like a Pat Rafter, but he pulled off quite a public-relations coup.

First, by bringing some joy to the lives of the children from the mostly poor surrounding suburbs who had been allowed to attend yesterday's practices and then by defusing what could have been an explosive news conference before the Davis Cup semi-final which starts on Saturday (AEST).

The media in Argentina has not been kind to Hewitt for the admittedly ill-informed notion that the country is inherently dangerous, or some kind of southern outpost of Baghdad's green zone, as player Jose Acasuso charged.

The years, marriage and fatherhood have matured Hewitt.

There was a time he might have bitten, very hard - and to his detriment - when baited by some of the questions thrown at him yesterday. But he remained composed throughout, patiently constructing considered responses.

Of the overwrought security fracas, Hewitt, 25, said: "I think it's more that everyone built it up into probably a bigger thing than it is.

"I've only been to South America once. I've been to Brazil a couple of years ago for Davis Cup, and didn't have any problems whatsoever.

"It's probably more what I've heard from the Swedish team before that have come to play, so that was probably my biggest question mark.

"But ever since I've been here the public, the people at the hotel, the people around the courts and that have been fantastic."

He also played down the role of the two bodyguards travelling with him.

"There's only two guys with us for the whole team," he said.

"They're two guys I've known since I was 16. Obviously I trust them a lot and they travel with me to a lot of events and a lot of tournaments. In terms of that, it doesn't have a great deal to do with probably Argentina.

"I think Tennis Australia probably looked at it as a whole before coming over and made the decision to take two security guards just for our team and I think that was the right thing to do.

"It's not like they've made a big scene or anything, I wouldn't have said.

"It's basically just looking after the team with everything we do and I don't think it's a whole heap different to a situation where we've gone to Spain or Brazil or these countries and played big matches in the past."

Another Spanish inquisitor wondered whether Hewitt really was the bad boy of tennis.

"Obviously, when I get on the court, I like to show a lot of emotion and that's when I play my best tennis," Hewitt said.

"I think some people probably take it the other way sometimes, but I've always done that ever since juniors.

"And I think it's more playing with passion and your heart on your sleeve and obviously that comes out with Davis Cup and in all my Davis Cup matches that I've played in the past.

"There's no doubt that when I got thrown in at 17 into Davis Cup, that's one of the biggest things that helped me was playing with that passion and that never-say-die attitude out there and I think that's won me a lot of matches as well."

Hewitt refused to be drawn into a war of words with Argentine No.1 David Nalbandian, with whom he has feuded since they were teenagers.

Nalbandian, who said yesterday Hewitt had no friends in the locker room, repeated his assertion that his presence would make no difference to Argentina.

"I hope it makes some difference otherwise I shouldn't have hopped on the plane," Hewitt deadpanned.

"We are the underdogs, there's no doubt about that. It's a tough situation for anyone. I know that Argentina haven't lost for eight or nine years playing at home and that's a great record to have.

"But one day things are going to change and whether that's this weekend, who knows, but we've got to put our best team forward, which we've done with the four guys here, and we believe we've got an outside chance of pulling off a memorable victory."

Hewitt would not be drawn into a verbal battle with Nalbandian, going the other way by praising the world No.4 who led Argentina to its quarter-final win over Australia in Sydney last year.

"I know Argentina knows what's at stake, they've never been through to a Davis Cup final before so there's a huge prize at the end of this," he said.

"There's no doubt we're the underdogs (and) we were disappointed to lose last year, but they beat us fair and square and obviously Nalbandian had a lot to do with that, winning his three matches.

"We understand the situation and it was a good effort by them to win away from home and it's going to be just as tough for us to do it this weekend."

Hewitt also said he had never thought of shirking this tie but wanted to see whether his ailing right knee would allow him to play.

Australia captain John Fitzgerald reminded everyone that the last time Australia won the Davis Cup, in 2003, the team consisted of three of the four players here. Hewitt, he said, was pivotal to Australia's chances.

"Maybe I have a biased opinion but over the last eight years, he's been the best Davis Cup player in the world, bar none," Fitzgerald said of Hewitt.

Nalbandian, however, was far from done with talking.

"I'm not (Hewitt's) friend, nor is anyone else, but that doesn't worry me," Nalbandian said.

"My victory in Australia over him (in last year's quarter-final) was very important, not only for me but for the whole team. We won in Australia and we are going to win here