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2005 round 1 articles
SYDNEY, March 6 AAP - Revenge is on the agenda after Australia today set up a
potentially spiteful Davis Cup quarter-final against Argentina in July.
Todd Woodbridge and rookie teenager Chris Guccione completed a 5-0 whitewash of
Austria with victories in the two dead singles rubbers on the portable
grasscourt at the Sydney International Tennis Centre.
With Lleyton Hewitt and Wayne Arthurs enjoying a day off after helping establish an unassailable 3-0 lead in the first round tie, Woodbridge stepped up to beat Marco Mirnegg 6-3 4-6 7-5 before Guccione debuted with a 6-3 6-4 win over Alexander Peya.
Australia's triumph atoned for a 5-0 humbling at the hands of
Austria in Vienna 1989 and confirmed a much-anticipated showdown with Argentina,
which will again be contested on grass in Sydney.
If ever there was a country Australia would like to hammer it is Argentina.
Apart from the bad blood between Hewitt and several of the South American
contingent at this year's Australian Open, Argentina inflicted a rare 5-0 defeat
on an understrength Australia in Buenos Aires in 2002.
Woodbridge, who lost a doubles cliffhanger with Arthurs 10-8 in
the fifth set of that first-round claycourt tie, said he couldn't wait for
another crack at the Argentines.
He recalls being forced to play the doubles "on probably the wettest claycourt
I've played on" and said it was payback time.
"There was torrential rain with no covers on (the court) and
then we played on it an hour and a half later. And we're going to be throwing
that back at them - surface-wise and them coming down here," Woodbridge said.
"They'll be getting everything as much as they dislike as what we got over
there."
Australian captain John Fitzgerald was a little more respectful, but admitted
"it's a big difference having the home-court advantage".
"But you could never underestimate a team like Argentina. They're probably the
second strongest nation in the world in men's tennis now."
Argentina has Guillermo Coria, David Nalbandian, Gaston Gaudio, Guillermo
Canas and Juan Ignacio Chela all in the top 25.
Fans will remember Chela spitting towards Hewitt during their fiery third-round
clash at the Australian Open and then Nalbandian and Hewitt bumping angrily into
each other during a changeover in the quarter-finals.
Nalbandian later bit his tongue and played down the incident, but Canas was
happy to speak on happy of the Argentines when he publicly questioned Hewitt's
sportsmanship at Melbourne Park.
There is certain to be no love lost between the two nations when they face off
the week after Wimbledon.
Fitzgerald said it was vital Australia had its strongest possible line-up at the ready and was hopeful Mark Philippoussis would be back in the mix, which would relegate Wayne Arthurs to doubles duty only despite his singles heroics in this tie.
"There's four in a team, and what you want ideally is any number of players
competing for four spots. That's what's healthy," Fitzgerald said.
"From Mark's point of view, we just hope he can get his body right now and start
getting a lot of matches under his belt.
"That would certainly give us an added strength. He's a high-quality player and
he likes this surface - and I imagine we'll play on this surface in July, so he
brings a lot to the table."
Argentina booked its quarter-final berth by taking a 3-0 lead over the Czech
Republic in their first-round tie in Buenos Aires.
The only other nation certain to advance from a weekend of world group fixtures
around the globe is the Slovak Republic, which opened up a 3-0 advantage against
depleted defending champion Spain.
The Netherlands led Switzerland, which was without world No. 1 Roger Federer,
2-1 overnight, Russia was ahead 2-1 over Chile, Belarus was up 2-1 in
Romania, Croatia led USA 2-1 and France led Sweden 2-1.
SYDNEY, March 6 AAP - Wayne Arthurs has next to no time to bask in the glory
of the most memorable week of his tennis career.
After snaring his maiden ATP singles title last Sunday in Arizona, Arthurs
overcame jetlag and Davis Cup pressure to steer Australia into the
quarter-finals with two brilliant victories against Austria.
On Wednesday he'll be back to the harsh reality of tour life when he joins
the battlers and up and comers in the qualifying tournament for the Masters
Series event in Indian Wells, California.
Arthurs' straight-sets defeat of Austrian spearhead of Jurgen Melzer, ranked 39
places above him at world No.34, and success with Todd Woodbridge against Melzer
and Julian Knowle in the doubles gave Australia's its winning 3-0 lead and a
spot in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.
It also improved Arthurs' record in the competition to a commendable 15-7
since debuting at age 28 in 1999.
A month short of his 34th birthday, Arthurs now stands at 9-3 in Davis Cup
singles and 6-4 in doubles.
But his six-match winning streak amid the best form of his career will count for
little when he flies out tomorrow.
"It's been a great couple of weeks for me, but unfortunately I haven't got
time to savour it because I am going to Indian Wells on Monday and off to
qualies on Wednesday," He said.
"At some stage I will have to stop and pat myself on the back, but not just
yet."
Fellow Australian veteran Woodbridge also earned two points for Australia in
its 5-0 destruction of Austria.
Woodbridge, like Arthurs in the shadows of his 34th birthday, was called on to
replace Lleyton Hewitt for today's first dead singles rubber against Marco
Mirnegg.
The doubles specialist wasn't overly happy about it, but he will be pleased to
learn his 6-3 4-6 7-5 triumph edged him ahead of Hewitt with a 30-11 Davis Cup
record - 5-4 in singles and 25-7 in doubles.
Woodbridge, a nine-time Wimbledon doubles champion on grass, was at least
thankful to have been on his favourite service.
"It goes on your record and I've got a lot of pride in my record but I find it
quite stressful to go out there and play like that.
"I played pretty solid but any other surface against young guys that are zinging
it around with that heavy, high top-spin, it's tough. So I don't really enjoy
that part of it."
Hewitt who led off Australia with a straight-sets dismissal of Alexander Peya
on Friday, is now 29-6 in the team competition, boasting a record 26 singles
wins and 5 losses and 3-1 in doubles.
Teenage debutant Chris Guccione completed the whitewash with a 6-3 6-4 disposal
of Peya in the second reverse singles.
"I'm over the moon," Guccione said. "My first Davis cup win and it's my first
time in the team, so I couldn't be happier.
Australia will host Argentina in the quarter finals in July, also in Sydney and
again on a portable grass court.
Australia Win 5-0, Argentina next.
Australia handed Austria a 5-0 drubbing in the first round of
the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas just as the Austrians did to the Aussies 16 years
ago in Vienna.
"Thomas (Muster, the Austrian captain) said that to me afterwards, 'maybe we are
even now'," said Fitzgerald . "That's the farthest thing in your mind, that was
along time ago. It's a one off Davis Cup match where everyone is trying to do
their best for their country.
"I'm really proud of our guys, they have progressed to the next round. They got
past this hurdle that we failed at last year and its a good feeling to be back
in the World Group and consolidate that position with a win in the first round."
The first dead reverse singles was won by Todd Woodbridge who replaced Lleyton
Hewitt, he beat Marco Mirnegg, who replaced Jurgen Melzer, 63 46 75, and then 19
year old Chris Guccione, in his Davis Cup debut, defeated Alexander Peya 63 64.
The portable grass court that was brought up to Sydney for the tie has to some
degree been criticised in that it hasn't quite stood up to the three days of
competition as it did when it was used for the final in December, 2003.
The point being made is that the surface has not been playing like a typical
grass court but a bit more like a clay court. The ball has been sitting up
rather that skidding away. The term the Australian team has been using is
"propping up" which allowed the Austrians to smack the ball, something that was
very evident during the doubles.
However with the court, which is made up of 150 modules each weighing 1.8 tonnes,
remaining in Sydney for the quarterfinals against Argentina the general feeling
is that it will improve.
However, John Fitzgerald and Wally Masur, the Australian captain and coach
respectively would be discussing ways to make the surface more friendly to the
home side, because if it remains the way it is then the Argentines will probably
have a field day. Woodbridge suggested that maybe the grass should be allowed to
grow longer and be played on rather than being mowed down.
That way the grass should spread itself more.
"It will be good for us to try and get the court slicker and take slice more,
especially (with us) coming off Wimbledon," said Woodbridge. "Not all the
Argentineans play there so it is in our favour. It will be interesting to see
what type of field, player wise they bring down. Maybe not all their top ranked
players will come but even their second string is tough."
As was the case against Austria in 1989, the last time Australia played
Argentina was in 2002 in Buenos Aires and the Argentines won 5-0 on what was
probably the wettest clay court ever. The Australian's are looking for similar
revenge.
"We played well but there was torrential rain and no covers on the court so it
was very slow," said Woodbridge. "We'll just give it back to them."
Fitzgerald said he could not understand why the court played differently to 2003
but he expected changes to be made. His attention will focus on the strength of
the Argentinean side.
"You never underestimate a team like Argentina," said Fitzgerald. "They have
five players in the top 35 and they can play doubles, they will be hard to beat
no matter what surface you play on but certainly moreso on clay. We expect an
absolutely difficult quarterfinal. They have depth, they have quality and they
are fit and strong. You really have to earn the right to beat them. It's a very
tough match but we are at home with the home court advantage."
SYDNEY, March 5 AAP - Veteran campaigners Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge propelled Australia into the Davis Cup quarter-finals today with a nail-biting doubles triumph over Austrian left-handers Julian Knowle and Jurgen Melzer.
Arthurs and Woodbridge, both a month shy of their 34th birthdays, outlasted
Knowle and Melzer 4-6 6-3 2-6 6-4 7-5 to give Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead
in the best-of-five-rubbers grasscourt tie at the Sydney International Tennis
Centre.
Revelling in the form of his career, Arthurs again starred, carrying his more
illustrious partner home in a strange match that started under grey clouds,
featured 11 service breaks, a 90-minute rain stoppage and ended in bright
sunshine.
While Woodbridge, the winner of a world-record 83 doubles titles including
nine Wimbledon crowns, struggled throughout to hold serve, Arthurs was
rock-like, and, ultimately the South Australian's powerful southpaw delivery
proved the difference in the three-and-a-half-hour cliffhanger.
Arthurs, fresh off his landmark ATP title in Scottsdale last week, won 13 of his
14 service games and showed no adverse effects of his recent hectic schedule as
he dominated with an athletic display.
Facing early elimination from the 2005 competition, Austrian captain Thomas
Muster had sprung a selection surprise by replacing Alexander Peya with Melzer
through their crucial third rubber.
Despite being the Austrian No.1 with a respectable world ranking of 34, Melzer
could hardly have been high on confidence after his straight-sets singles loss
to Arthurs on Friday.
He had also lost all four previous Davis Cup doubles matches partnering
Knowle and his call-up today left the 23-year-old facing the maximum workload in
the tie.
Still, the Austrians were desperate and their gamble looked a distinct
possibility of paying off when rain forced a suspension of play with Melzer and
Knowle holding a 4-1 lead in the third set and Arthurs under pressure serving at
15-30.
The Austrians duly returned after the interruption to take the third set and
must have fancied their chances of causing a boilover considering Woodbridge had
dropped four of his six service games in the opening three sets.
But the Australians regrouped and broke Melzer's serve to take the fourth set
and, when Melzer double-faulted to drop serve again at 5-5 in the decider, it
was left to Woodbridge to clinch the tie.
He did so nervelessly with an ace to give he and Arthurs their sixth success
from nine Davis Cup matches as a unit.
Australia will play either Argentina or the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals
and the South Americans were leading the Czechs 2-0 overnight in their
first-round tie in Buenos Aires.
Sydney has already been confirmed as the venue for any quarter-final against
Argentina.
Day 1
SYDNEY, March 4 AAP - Lleyton Hewitt and Wayne Arthurs had Australia bound for the Davis Cup quarter-finals after surging to straight-sets singles wins on day one of the first-round grasscourt tie against Austria today.
Hewitt, the world No.2, outclassed 144th-ranked Alexander Peya 6-2 6-3 6-4 before the rejuvenated Arthurs turned the screws with a memorable 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 6-4 defeat of Austrian No.1 Jurgen Melzer.
Australia can clinch a last-eight showdown with Argentina or the Czech
Republic with victory in tomorrow's doubles at the Sydney International Tennis
Centre.
Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge were named on Thursday to play Peya and Julian
Knowle in the potentially decisive third rubber, but Australian captain John
Fitzgerald said a team talk tonight would determine whether or not Hewitt was
called on for doubles duty.
Arthurs rode the high of his breakthrough ATP title success in Scottsdale on
Sunday to upstage Melzer, a player ranked 31 places above him at world No.34.
But the veteran left-hander, who turns 34 this month, may be rested from the
doubles after having just two days to recover from his long-haul flight back
from the US.
Both Hewitt and Arthurs said they were feeling strong enough to partner
Woodbridge.
"At the moment, I'm planning that Wayne and Todd will play," Hewitt said.
"They're the two that were named. I will still prepare myself for the fourth
rubber like it's going to be a live match against Melzer. But if they decide to
put me in, I'm feeling fresh enough after today's match."
Hewitt's effortless win over Peya was his 24th straight at the venue and
enhanced his record as the most successful singles player in Australian Davis
Cup history.
The 24-year-old has now won 26 of his 31 singles matches in the competition,
two more than Australia's war-time champion Adrian Quist.
Yet it was Arthurs who stole most of the accolades.
He rated his win, under the circumstances, alongside his stunning defeat of then
Australian Open champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov on his Davis Cup debut in 1999 - and
Fitzgerald agreed.
"That was one of Wayne's best wins, I think, at Davis Cup level," Fitzgerald
said.
"He's probably not quite the name player as Kafelnikov was, but I've got a lot
of respect for Melzer. He's a quality player and to beat him in straight sets is
no mean feat."
Arthurs was over the moon.
"Very satisfying, actually," he said.
"To be able to come out there and play as well as I did ... to be able to get
off the plane and recover in 48 hours and then play as well as that, it's one of
the most pleasing matches I've been apart of."
It was Arthurs' second defeat of Melzer in two weeks after downing his fellow
southpaw 7-6 7-6 in Memphis two weeks ago in their only previous career meeting.
And he paid tribute to Hewitt for easing the pressure.
"To have a back-up like Lleyton, you know you're pretty much going to be one up
every time you go out second on court," he said.
Fitzgerald was thrilled and relieved to be in such a commanding position in
the tie.
"It takes a bit of pressure off. At one-all, it's a whole different ball game.
It's a very handy position to be in," he said.
"Whenever you go into the second day of a Davis Cup tie at 1-1, in some respects
it's a toss of the coin. It's a relief to be 2-0."
Austrian captain Thomas Muster said he was expecting Melzer to beat Arthurs, but
refused to be disappointed.
"We didn't come here expecting to win 5-0," Muster said.
"It's a learning process for us. There's doubles to play tomorrow and I'm
looking forward to that."
SYDNEY, March 4 AAP - Lleyton Hewitt continued his affinity with Olympic Park to give Australia a blazing start to its 2005 Davis Cup campaign today.
Hewitt outclassed Austria's world No.144 Alexander Peya 6-2 6-3 6-4 to extend
his remarkable winning run to 24 matches at the Sydney International Tennis
Centre.
Throw in Hewitt's five victories at the 2001 Masters Cup at the Sydney Superdome
and the South Australian is unbeaten in his past 29 matches at the Olympic
precinct.
His lone defeat at the arena came against Belarussian Max Mirnyi at Sydney 2000.
And what's more, the world No.2 has constructed his imposing record on four
different court surfaces.
Hewitt's comfortable win today came on a portable grass court, he's prevailed
on 22 previous occasions on Rebound Ace, the venue's regular surface, once on
clay in the 2003 Davis Cup first-round tie against Great Britain and five times
on an indoor hard court at the Masters Cup.
While Hewitt admitted to feeling somewhat bullet-proof on the Homebush Bay
centre court, the Australian Open runner-up struggled to put a finger on exactly
why he had been so successful in his beloved 10,000-seat arena.
"I don't know ... I don't know. I really don't," said the four-time Sydney
International champion.
"I enjoy playing here but I think once you start playing well at a stadium or an
arena, you like going back there. It makes it a lot easier to play well there if
you have good memories.
"There's a lot of tournaments throughout the year that I prefer to play at, not
necessarily because of the tournament but because I've been there and played
well in the past.
"And that's had a big part to do with it here. You go through and have a
little bit of luck in some tight matches here and there and you start thinking
you're unbeatable.
"I feel pretty comfortable out here ... but it's a great stadium. They based it
on court one at Wimbledon and it really is an awesome place to play tennis."
Who could argue after Hewitt rolled past Peya in little more than an hour and a
half to enhance his status as the most successful singles player in Australian
Davis Cup history.
The 24-year-old has now won 26 of his 31 singles matches in the competition, two
more than Australia's war-time champion Adrian Quist.
After netting his first two groundstrokes against Peya, Hewitt reeled off 12
straight points to assert his authority and establish a 3-0 lead in the opening
set.
He never looked back.
Hewitt may not be required again this weekend after Wayne Arthurs backed up just
three days after flying in from the US, where he won his maiden ATP title, to
beat Austrian No.1 Jurgen Melzer 7-5 (7-5) 6-2 6-4 to put Australia 2-0 up in
the tie.
Arthurs said he was feeling fit enough to meet his appointment with Todd
Woodbridge in tomorrow's doubles rubber against Peya and Julian Knowle.
A doubles win would clinch Australia a quarter-final against either Argentina or
the Czech Republic in July.
lead up articles
SYDNEY, March 3 AAP - Hungry as ever for Davis Cup, Lleyton Hewitt today
threw down the challenge to Austria on the eve of Australia's World Group
first-round tie in Sydney.
World No.2 Hewitt launched into attack mode after being drawn to meet
144th-ranked Alexander Peya in tomorrow's opening singles encounter on grass at
Sydney International Tennis Centre.
In-form world No.63 Wayne Arthurs will take on Austria's No.1 Jurgen Melzer, ranked 34, in the second singles rubber and Hewitt was bent on easing the pressure on his teammate while applying the blow torch to the underdogs.
"Hopefully I can go out there and give the boys a one-nil start and put the
pressure on Melzer. I think that could be a huge bonus for us," Hewitt said.
"If I can go out there and get the job done ... Melzer knows he's going to have
an extremely tough match anyway but if they're one-love down, it's a bit of a
must-win for him.
"So hopefully I can put Wayne in that position and, with the confidence he's
picked up over the last week and a half, hopefully we're in for a big day
tomorrow."
Hewitt, barely 24 but already Australia's most successful Davis Cup singles
player, offered only qualified respect for the Austrians when asked if he was
surprised to be playing Peya and not the more experienced Julian Knowle, who has
been relegated to doubles only.
"I saw (Peya) play a couple of matches at Wimbledon last year. He ended up
losing to Roddick in the third round. He pushed Roddick a bit in that match, so
he can play on grass. He's a dangerous player, a lot more dangerous than Julian
Knowle," said the two-time grand slam champion.
"So I was expecting him to play, purely because I've played Knowle once
before and thrashed him whereas Peya I've never played.
"I thought they'd throw Peya in and I look forward to the challenge tomorrow
morning."
The Australian Open runner-up was desperate to atone for Australia's first-round
home loss to Sweden last year.
"It's an amazing honour just to play Davis Cup at any stage and it's fantastic
to be back playing a World Group match again after losing last year in the first
round and winning it the year before and having to concentrate on playing a
relegation match for six months or so," Hewitt said.
"So it's good to be back in the World Group now and you don't want to let
these opportunities slip by. I know myself and the rest of the team are looking
forward to the challenge and getting through to the quarter-finals."
Arthurs, fresh from his maiden singles title win in Arizona last week and a 7-6
7-6 victory over Melzer in Memphis last month, was also pleased with the draw.
"It's good for me coming up second, with Lleyton being a very hot favourite
in the first match and I'll hopefully be able to come out with Australia one-nil
up and hopefully play as well as I have for the last week and a half," Arthurs
said.
"Obviously when you win a tournament, you have a different mindset. The
confidence just sort of oozes out of you.
"It's nice to come into this tie knowing that I am the second singles player and
that I've earned that by right. It really is."
Two weeks shy of his 34th birthday, Arthurs said he felt "at home" on the
specially-laid grass court at Olympic Park.
And he will need to feel comfortable because Australian captain John Fitzgerald
also named the evergreen left-hander to once again partner Todd Woodbridge in
Saturday's doubles against Peya and Knowle.
Melzer insisted he wasn't carrying most of the burden for Austria.
"At the end, we need three points. It doesn't matter how we get them," Melzer
said.
"My match (against Arthurs) isn't more important than Alex's against Llyeton."
Fitzgerald sprang a surprise today when he drafted in teenager Chris Guccione
into Australia's four-man team at the expense of fellow southpaw Scott Draper.
He said Guccione was a better prospect considering the "potential match-ups" the
tie might throw up.
SYDNEY, March 3 AAP - Aged 30 and trying to combine tennis with a professional golf career, Scott Draper is realistic enough to accept he may have played his last Davis Cup match for Australia.
Australian captain John Fitzgerald today looked to the future when he dropped
Draper for this weekend's first-round tie against Austria in favour of
19-year-old Chris Guccione.
Draper was as magnanimous about his axing from the four-man team as world
No.280-ranked Guccione was chuffed. "It was a surprise," Draper told AAP.
"It panned out like it did because last night the team had to be decided
before it was named at today's draw, so Fitzy and (coach) Wally (Masur) came to
my room and told me they were going for Gooch (Guccione).
"Obviously they felt he was a better option if it came to a fifth rubber.
"I understand. There's no problem. I still want to be a good team man and I'll
be here cheering them on.
"I'm happy for Gooch. He's got a big game and I'm a risk. That's fine.
"Hopefully they won't need Gooch anyway. That's not from a negative standpoint.
It's just that hopefully Lleyton and Wayne will have done the job."
Guccione was not named to play any matches when the draw was announced today
but could be called in to debut in a final day reverse singles tie, especially
if Australia has already wrapped up a quarter-final berth.
Guccione is a former Wimbledon junior runner-up blessed with a power serve made
for grass courts, the surface in use at the Sydney International Tennis Centre
this weekend.
The tall left-hander last year upset former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero on
the Olympic Park centre court, albeit it a hard surface then, and is fresh from
a Challenger tournament win last month.
Yet Guccione was still shocked to learn of his 11th-hour promotion to
represent his country for the first time at senior level.
"I was surprised when I found out last night. I've been practising really well
all week but obviously Scotty Draper's a great player and I was thrilled to be
nominated," he said.
"I'm over the moon about it, to be part of my first Davis Cup team, to be
actually in the team. It's a great experience and a great feeling and hopefully
I'll be in the team a lot more times."
Although still hopeful, Draper wasn't expecting to be picked too often, if
ever, again.
"I might have played my last (Davis Cup match). I'm getting a bit old to be a
hitting partner," Draper said.
"To play Davis Cup again would be wonderful. If my results are okay mid-year,
around the French Open and Wimbledon, they might pick me straight up.
"But if my ranking doesn't improve, I might have to hang `em up (and retire from
tennis)."
Draper plans to resume his budding pro golf career at next week's NSW PGA
Championship at Pambula-Merimbula before returning to tennis during the European
claycourt season about a fortnight before the French Open.
Applying his injury-protected ranking of 104, Draper is limited to eight
tournaments this year and has already played one, the Australian Open, where he
combined with fellow Queenslander Samantha Stosur to win the mixed doubles.
Fitzgerald described Draper's relegation as a "a line-ball decision".
"It went right down to the wire ... we had to pick a four-man team that, as a
whole, you think gives you the highest percentage chance of winning the tie.
"But I want to say publicly that Scotty has been just a wonderful team person.
It was a tough call on him, but he has a great character. He's taken it very
well."
SYDNEY, March 3 AAP - Wayne Arthurs has given all veteran sportsmen hope this
week.
And now Australian captain John Fitzgerald has pinned his faith in the in-form
left-hander, nominating Arthurs to carry his team's heaviest workload during
this weekend's Davis Cup tie with Austria in Sydney.
Arthurs, coming off his breakthrough ATP title in Scottsdale on Sunday, will
play Austrian No.1 Jurgen Melzer in tomorrow's second singles rubber before
teaming with Todd Woodbridge in Saturday's doubles.
If the tie is still alive and it all hasn't become too much for Arthurs, who
turns 34 this month, the late bloomer will back up and play Alexander Peya in
the deciding singles match on Sunday.
Arthurs is, as they say, taking it one match at a time and focusing on Melzer,
a fellow leftie who the Australian edged out 7-6 7-6 in Memphis on hard court in
their only career meeting last month.
"I've got a real tough match tomorrow against Jurgen Melzer," Arthurs
acknowledged.
"I played him a couple of weeks ago and it was a very tight match.
"It's good for me coming up second, with Lleyton being a very hot favourite in
the first match and I'll hopefully be able to come out with Australia one-nil up
and hopefully play as well as I have for the last week and a half.
"I hit the ball very well yesterday for my first hit on the grass on this
site.
"I felt like I was at home stepping back onto the grass. I had a set with
Lleyton (Hewitt) and pushed him quite hard and I'm just going to take what I've
picked up in the last week, confidence-wise, into this match tomorrow and
hopefully that will get me through."
While Arthurs claimed a slight psychological edge over Melzer, courtesy of
his recent victory over the world No.34, he was banking more on an improved
attitude to get him home.
Long regarded as a bit of an on-court moper when things aren't going his way,
Arthurs has decided to look on the bright side of life - and it paid off big
time in Scottsdale, where he became the oldest first-time titlist in 15 years.
"There's been no real significant changes (in my game)," he said.
"I probably went back in my thinking and thought about how I was playing my
best, probably in 2001, and maybe thought about those sort of things and not the
negative sides of my game and it just seemed to flow really well last week.
"Any break point chances that I had against me I was very confident, stepped up
to the plate and played my game aggressively and that's what I think I'll have
to do tomorrow.
"Obviously when you win a tournament, you have a different mindset. The
confidence just sort of oozes out of you.
"It's nice to come into this tie knowing that I am the second singles player and
that I've earned that by right. It really is."
SYDNEY, March 2 AAP - Austria will not be disadvantaged by the grass court chosen for this week's first round Davis Cup tie against Australia, captain Thomas Muster believes.
Even though they are facing a home team with a fine grass court pedigree
(former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt, huge-serving Wayne Arthurs and
doubles specialist Todd Woodbridge), the Austrians are not dismayed by the
drop-in court at Sydney International Tennis Centre.
"For us it is not a disadvantage to be playing on this surface," Muster said
today.
"That's part of Davis Cup - having the home advantage and choosing the surface.
"Every home nation has the right to take their advantage, and so does Australia.
It's there, and it's good.
"I'm in a lucky situation. There are four guys who all can play on grass (Jurgen
Melzer, Alexander Peya, Julian Knowle and Marco Mirnegg).
"We came here to win. We're a young team, we're confident and we've prepared
very well for this tie.
"We believe we have a great chance."
Muster is pinning his main hopes on world No.34 Jurgen Melzer, who has been
steadily climbing the ATP rankings in recent years but whose Davis Cup record is
modest.
Melzer has won only three of his 13 Davis Cup singles matches and his scoresheet
from last year was 0-4, though he had the misfortune to run into the likes of
Andy Roddick, Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski.
Melzer admits he has the job ahead of him.
"It's always tough to play Lleyton, especially on home soil. It's very hard. But
I try to do my best and if I play all right there is always a chance," he said.
As for Arthurs, who is currently in the best serving form of his life: "You
do a lot of walking left and right and just picking up balls. You've got to stay
focused and take the chances you have."
The other singles berth is between Peya and Knowle, who is handy enough on grass
to have made a Wimbledon doubles final and was Hewitt's third round victim en
route to his 2002 Wimbledon triumph.
The Australians are overwhelming favourites to atone for their 5-0 defeat the
last time the two teams met in Vienna in 1989, on a wobbly indoor clay court
laid over carpet. Muster led the Austrian charge against a team which included
Australia's current captain John Fitzgerald and coach Wally Masur.
It lends an extra edge to a tie which represents a milestone for Australia,
as this year marks the centenary of its Davis Cup participation.
Australia, the second most successful Davis Cup team behind the United States,
made its Cup debut (as Australasia) on the grass courts of Queen's Club in
London in July 1905.
As unlikely as it seems, the opponent was Austria.
The result: Australia won 5-0.
SYDNEY, March 1 AAP - Davis Cup hero Lleyton Hewitt feels refreshed and ready to shoulder a full workload in this week's opening round tie against Austria in Sydney.
The two-time grand slam winner has not played a match since losing the Australian Open final to Russian powerhouse Marat Safin at Melbourne Park in January.
Hewitt said his home slam had been the most draining tournament of his career and he enjoyed a three-week break last month. But the fiery baseliner, who has won the most Davis Cup singles matches for Australia, said he had the fitness to play the doubles rubber on top of his commitment in the two singles matches.
"Fitness should not be a problem because I lasted the Australian Open, mate,"
Hewitt said after training in Sydney today.
The 24-year-old's chances of partnering doubles supremo Todd Woodridge have
increased after Wayne Arthurs only arrived in Sydney from the United States
today.
The rangy left-armer is now ranked 63rd in the world after collecting his
first ATP title on the weekend in Arizona and will have enough on his plate as
the No.2 singles player.
Hewitt expected the temporary grass court to speed up if the sunny weather
continued at Olympic Park this week.
"I feel good at the moment," Hewitt said.
"I am just trying to get the motivation and adrenaline back in the body.
Obviously you are on auto-pilot a little bit during the (Australian Open)
tournament, (then) you hit the wall. Just trying to back bounce now."
World No.3 Australia is expected to comfortably account for the 13th-seeded
Europeans but home captain John Fitzgerald expected a tough weekend.
He was unsure whether world No.142 Alexander Peya or doubles specialist Julian
Knowle would be Austria's No.2 singles player behind the 34th-ranked Jurgen
Melzer.
"They have some quality in their team and I am not sure how much you have seen
of Jurgen Melzer, but he is a world-class player," Fitzgerald said.
"They have a player who was in the Wimbledon final in the doubles last year (in
Knowle) and a lad who won matches on grass at Wimbledon (in Peya)."
The big-serving Arthurs said the Scottsdale win on hardcourt had given him a
confidence boost before the tie against Austria starting Friday.
"It cuts down my practice time on the grass but the confidence factor is going
to outweigh the lack of practice I have on the court," Arthurs said.
"I am a little bit of a confidence player and to get those matches under my belt
was important."
It will be the first Cup tie between Australia and Austria since 1989 when the
Europeans smashed the visitors 5-0 in Vienna on clay.
The winner of the tie will play the winner of Argentina and Czech Republic in
the quarter-finals in July.
February 22 - Optus Australian Davis Cup Team captain John Fitzgerald today confirmed that Lleyton Hewitt will spearhead the singles for the forthcoming the First Round Tie against Austria in Sydney with the option of either Wayne Arthurs or Scott Draper as the second singles player.
The fourth member of the Team will be the world’s most successful doubles player Todd Woodbridge for the Tie which will be played on the grass at the Sydney International Tennis Centre, Sydney Olympic Park from 4-6 March.
Speaking on the Team selection, Fitzgerald said, "With Mark Philippoussis having been out with injury since early January, Wally (Masur) and I felt that at this point the priority for him was that he focused on getting his body and his fitness right so he’d be ready for our next Tie.
"We’ve decided to stick with the core of the team that won the trophy for Australia on this surface in 2003 and add Scott Draper into the mix as a further option.
"This Team also offers a number of very good doubles options as this is an
area where Austria have shown they can cause an upset," he said.
The Austrian doubles partnership of Julian Knowle and Alexander Peya defeated
Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski to put Great Britain out of the World Group at the
end of 2004. It had been five years since Henman and Rusedski had lost a doubles
match in Davis Cup.
Arthurs currently holds an 8-3 win-loss record in Davis Cup singles with grass a particularly successful surface for the big serving left-hander following his famous defeats of Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin on his Davis Cup debut in the 1999 semi final against Russia in Brisbane.
In Memphis, USA last week, Arthurs defeated Austria’s Jurgen Melzer 7-6(5)
7-6(4) who came into the tournament on a high having beaten Andre Agassi in
straight sets in San Jose earlier that same week.
Draper played holds a 1-2 win-loss record in Davis Cup singles having made his
debut for Australia against Argentina on clay in 2002. He pushed Argentina’s
No.1 player Guillermo Canas to five sets, and then in the World Group Qualifier
against India in Adelaide the same year he defeated Rohan Bopanna in straight
sets on Rebound Ace.
Currently coming back from a long-term break following knee surgery, Draper won the Australian Open mixed doubles trophy in January partnering fellow Queenslander Samantha Stosur.
Hitting partners for the Tie will be another two left handers, Chris Gucionne - who recently won the Uncle Tobys Challenger in Burnie and at the weekend reach the semi final of the Uncle Tobys International in Wollongong - and 17-year-old Carsten Ball whose father Syd Ball represented Australia in Davis Cup in 1974. Ball, who has grown up in the USA, reached the quarter finals of the recent Australian Open Junior Championships and won the Loy Yang Power ITF Victorian Junior Championships in Traralgon in the lead up. Joining them will be Sydneysider Todd Reid who reached the final in Wollongong at the weekend and made his Davis Cup debut against Morocco in Perth last September.
The First Round Davis Cup Tie against Austria will be played on the same Tennis Australia-StrathAyr Portable Tennis Court used in the successful 2003 Davis Cup final at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, which has now been installed at the Sydney International Tennis Centre, Sydney Olympic Park.
Australia last used the Sydney International Tennis Centre for the First Round Tie against Great Britain in 2003 when a temporary claycourt was laid at the venue. The existing Rebound Ace surface was used in the successful 2001 semi final Tie against Sweden.
With the installation of grass for this Tie, this makes the Sydney International Tennis Centre the first ever venue in the world to host Davis Cup ties on three different Grand Slam surfaces.
This will only be the third meeting between Australia and Austria in 100 years of participation in Davis Cup.
Back in 1905, the Australian team – then competing as Australasia – contested its first Davis Cup Tie, coincidentally also against Austria, on the grass at Queen’s Club in London. The Australasian team, consisting of Sir Norman Brookes, Tony Wilding, and playing captain Alfred Dunlop, defeated the Austrians 5-0.
Australia last played Austria in 1989 in Vienna when an Australian team, which included current captain John Fitzgerald, Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde, lost 5-0 to a team led by current Austrian captain, Thomas Muster, and Horst Skoff.
Lleyton Hewitt has declared himself ready for the Australia’s forthcoming challenge of winning the Davis Cup in the year that marks the centenary of first Australia’s participation in the competition.
Since 1905, Australia has won the Cup 28 times and been a finalist a further 19, which includes recent victories in 1999 and 2003, and a finalist in 2000 and 2001.
Australia’s first hurdle in their 2005 campaign comes against Austria in just over two weeks, when the Optus Australian Davis Cup Team, led by captain John Fitzgerald, takes on an Austrian team, captained by tennis legend Thomas Muster, on grass at the Sydney International Tennis Centre (SITC) from 4-6 March.
Whilst the court being used for the Tie holds a special affection for Australians, being the same portable court installed on Rod Laver Arena for the successful 2003 Final against Spain, the choice of Sydney and the SITC holds an added affection for the Australian No.1.
"I’m looking forward to playing in Sydney. I’ve had a lot of success in the venue but it will be a different challenge on grass," said Lleyton Hewitt who most recently won the Medibank International there in January to notch up his fourth title at the Sydney tournament.
"Davis Cup is very important to me and I’ve missed it since we last played in September. Sydney has always been so supportive and it would be great to see a full house out there barracking for Australia," he added.
With neither team expected to be confirmed until next Tuesday, which marks the regulation 10 days out from the Tie, Austria has recently announced that they have put in an appeal to reduce the three month suspension imposed on Stefan Koubek following a doping infringement to allow him to play in the Tie.
If successful, Australia could face the unusual prospect of a team dominated by left handers, with the potential of Koubek and Jurgen Melzer in singles, and Julian Knowle in doubles.
"We won’t be underestimating Austria," said Hewitt. "If Koubek wins his appeal and plays, then with Melzer this is a dangerous combination. That would mean playing two left-handers which will be difficult."
Australia last used the Sydney International Tennis Centre for the First Round Tie against Great Britain in 2003 when a temporary claycourt was laid at the venue. The existing Rebound Ace surface was used in the successful 2001 semi final Tie against Sweden.
With the installation of grass for this Tie, in the form of the Tennis Australia-StrathAyr Portable Tennis Court, this makes the SITC the first ever venue in the world to host Davis Cup ties on three different Grand Slam surfaces.
Series tickets and Single Session tickets for the forthcoming Tie are currently on sale through Ticketek outlets (listed on www.ticketek.com), by phone on 13 28 49, or on the internet at www.ticketek.com. All disabled bookings can be made on 02 8736 2770 from 9am-5pm, Monday – Friday.
Australia last played Austria in 1989 in Vienna when an Australian team, which included current captain John Fitzgerald, Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde, lost 5-0 to a team led by Thomas Muster and Horst Skoff.
Tennis Australia announced today (Monday 8 November) that the Optus Australian Davis Cup Team will play Austria on grass at Sydney International Tennis Centre, Sydney Olympic Park, in the World Group First Round Tie on 4-6 March 2005.
Australia will use the same portable grasscourt which proved so successful in
Australia’s Davis Cup Final win over Spain in 2003 which is currently being
maintained at StrathAyr’s property in Seymour, country Victoria.
The Tennis Australia-StrathAyr Portable Tennis Court is made up of 160
modules, each weighing 1.7 tons and measuring 2.4 x 2.4 metres in size. The
modules will be transported by truck to the Sydney International Tennis centre
around 2-3 weeks before the Tie and laid in place on flooring covering the
existing Rebound Ace surface, allowing sufficient time for the grass to re-knit.
Australia last used the Sydney International Tennis Centre for the first round Tie against Great Britain in 2003 when a temporary claycourt was laid at the venue. Australia’s most recent Tie on grass was in the World Group play-off against Morocco in September 2004 in Perth.
Australia last played Austria in 1989 in Vienna when an Australian Team, which included current captain John Fitzgerald, Pat Cash and Mark Woodforde, lost 5-0 to a team led by Thomas Muster and Horst Skoff.
Optus Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald said, "We look forward to returning to Sydney and the International Tennis Centre which is a venue with a great atmosphere, and one in which we’ve enjoyed previous success.
"The venue has already shown it is able to host a Davis Cup tie on clay and Rebound Ace and now we can add a third Grand Slam surface to that list with grass."