a fan's perspective by Leanne Ortiz Robyn Lakemans report
Lead up
Moya and Ferrero Get the Call
The draw for the 2003 Final of the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas has been made, and
the order of play is as follows:
Friday (11:00 local time start)
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) v Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
Mark Philippoussis (AUS) v Carlos Moya (ESP)
Saturday (14:00 local time start)
Wayne Arthurs/Todd Woodbridge (AUS) v Alez Corretja/Feliciano Lopez (ESP)
Sunday (11:00 local time start)
Mark Philippoussis (AUS) v Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) v Carlos Moya (ESP)
So after days, if not weeks of speculation, finally we know who will line up in
Friday’s singles rubbers of the 2003 Final of the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas.
Despite a growing feeling that visitors Spain would take a bold gamble by
replacing either Carlos Moya or Juan Carlos Ferrero with Davis Cup rookie
Feliciano Lopez, Captain Jordi Arrese and his colleagues have decided to stick
with their number one and two ranked players, Ferrero and Moya, for the singles.
“It has been hard,” said Arrese, “but it was a joint decision. We feel that we
have a very competitive team, we have four great players and they are really
quite impressive in any case.”
“It’s a bit tough for him [Lopez] to come out and expect him to play under a lot
of pressure,” was Philippoussis’s assessment, while Todd Woodbridge said he felt
that although Lopez’s left-handed serve was a weapon, experience – or lack
thereof – was the more important factor here.
“We have predominantly been preparing for the two right handers,” agreed Captain
John Fitzgerald, “so it’s all according to our plan I think.”
Thursday’s draw, held in crisp early-morning sunshine on the grass court in Rod
Laver Arena, determined that Australia’s number two, Lleyton Hewitt, would face
Spanish number one Juan Carlos Ferrero in Friday’s opening match. Although the
Australians emphasised that they didn’t mind who was up first – Fitzgerald went
so far as to call the draw ‘over-rated’ – Hewitt certainly seems the most eager
of any of the players to get on court.
This hunger has been sharpened by an eight week lay-off from the tour, mainly to
focus on this tie but also to cure a troublesome wart on his right foot. The
Australian has the chance to ‘crack open’ the tie which he has been talking
about this week.
“I am looking forward to this I guess since I came off the court in the last tie
and nothing has changed. It’s been a long eight weeks for me, and all my focus
and training has been on this tie, and probably especially this match knowing
that I was going to play Juan Carlos on day one.”
Ferrero for his part says he has forgotten his wretched form at the Tennis
Masters Cup in Houston, where he lost all three of his matches.
“I think the Tennis Masters Cup was a long time ago, I have forgotten all about
it. I am feeling good here and I am ready to go.”
Although Ferrero enjoyed a more successful grass court season earlier in the
year, reaching the round of 16 at Wimbledon compared with Hewitt’s shock first
round loss to Ivo Karlovic, Hewitt obviously boasts a superior career record on
the surface. The 2002 Wimbledon Champion has a 51-11 lifetime win/loss on grass,
while Ferrero’s win/loss record on it is 6-4.
For Hewitt too this match is a chance to avenge the defeat that Ferrero
inflicted on him in their last clash, a 46 63 76(5) 61 loss the quarterfinals at
the US Open this year. Hewitt said that he felt that was as well as he had seen
the Spaniard play but that even so, he had been a bit unlucky not to capitalise
on a set point for two sets to one.
Friday’s second match will see Carlos Moya take on Mark Philippoussis, in what
will be the Spaniard’s first match on grass for nearly 18 months.
“I can’t remember,” was Moya’s succinct answer when asked about his last outing
on the surface.
For the record, it was a 63 63 defeat to Stefan Koubek in the first round at
Halle last year. Moya’s last win on grass came at Wimbledon in 2001, when he
defeated Neville Godwin in the first round before falling to eventual champion
Goran Ivanisevic in the second round, while his overall win/loss record on the
surface is an unimpressive 9-13.
Philippoussis on the other hand was runner-up on the lawns of the All England
Club this year, even if he has lost his three most recent matches. He says he
feels relaxed here in his home town of Melbourne, more so than he was for the
Davis Cup semifinal here against Switzerland because he feels his preparation
has been better, and the surface suits him more.
The Australian leads their head-to-head record 4-2, with his four wins having
come on faster hard surfaces, while Moya’s – in their two most recent matches –
having come on slower clay.
Saturday’s doubles will, as expected, pit Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs
against the relatively untried partnership of Alex Corretja and Feliciano Lopez.
Corretja explained that his job will be to help Lopez relax and try to play his
best tennis.
Woodbridge, meanwhile, said that he felt that he and Arthurs’ greater experience
of playing together would help them, especially now that they know how each
other will react under pressure. If he does play, Woodbridge will take sole
possession of the record for most number of ties played for Australia: he is
currently tied with Adrian Quist on 28.
Sunday is more of an unknown quantity. It is still possible under Davis Cup
rules to substitute players for the reverse singles, so Lopez could come in to
face either Philippoussis or Hewitt. Much depends on whether the tie is alive,
how the players will have fared in Friday’s singles and Saturday’s doubles, and
whether the Spanish camp feel they can risk Lopez in what will be a massively
pressurised situation.
The stage is set for a great weekend of tennis, and you won’t miss a thing here
at Daviscup.com with our live scoring, reports, photos and interviews.
----------------------------------------------------
Davis Cup: Hewitt, Ferrero lead off Friday
November 26, 2003
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia will
play Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain to open the Davis Cup final Friday on a
temporary grass court at Rod Laver Arena.
Following the draw Thursday, Mark Philippoussis, Australia's No. 1 player, will
take on Carlos Moya in the second opening singles Friday. On Saturday, Feliciano
Lopez and Alex Corretja will lead Spain in doubles against Todd Woodbridge and
Wayne Arthurs.
In Sunday's reverse singles, Philippoussis takes on Ferrero and Moya plays
Hewitt.
Australia holds a 3-1 edge in Davis Cup finals between the countries. Spain,
which has faced Australia only when it has advanced to the final, beat the
Aussies three years ago in Barcelona.
----------------------------------------------------
Ferrero, Hewitt to start Davis Cup final
Thu 27 November, 2003 01:47
By Greg Stutchbury
MELBOURNE, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Spain's world number three Juan Carlos Ferrero
will face Australia's former world number one Lleyton Hewitt in the Davis Cup
final's first singles tie on Friday after the draw was made on a sun-drenched
Rod Laver court on Thursday.
Hewitt, who has not played competitive tennis since the Davis Cup semi-final
victory over Switzerland in September and has slipped to 18 in the world, is
Australia's second singles player behind world number nine Mark Philippoussis,
who will meet the seventh-ranked Carlos Moya in Friday's other rubber.
The 22-year-old Hewitt said he was looking forward to getting on the
specially-laid grasscourt at the home of the Australian Open and opening the
tie.
"I have been looking forward to this since I came off court against (Roger)
Federer in the last tie and nothing has changed," Hewitt told a news conference.
"(But) I don't think it was a big deal which way it (the draw) came out.
"Flip (Philippoussis) and I both know what we have to do on day one and that is
go out and play as well as we can and get Australia off to a good start.
"Obviously I'm out there first and Flip is going to be in the locker room (and)
hopefully one-nil up when he has to go out."
SURPRISE CHOICE
The choice of Moya for the singles was something of a surprise, given that
Spanish coach Jordi Arrese named 22-year-old Feliciano Lopez to the squad in
place of the more experienced Albert Costa, because of his better performances
on grass.
Moya has not played on grass since June 2002 at the Halle tournament in Germany
where he lost his only match, while the left-handed Lopez has made the fourth
round at Wimbledon for the past two years.
"I think (with) Lopez it being his first Davis Cup tie, it's a bit tough for him
it come out and expect him to play under a lot of pressure," Philippoussis said.
"(So) I don't think there is any surprise on who they picked to play."
Lopez said that the decision to opt for Moya had not disappointed him.
"I think the players chosen are going to play tough," he said. "I mean they're
going to be really good opponents and they want to win."
Moya, meanwhile, said he did not expect there to be any problem with adjusting
to a grasscourt despite not having played a match on one in almost 18 months.
"I don't remember (my last match) but I am not worried at all," Moya said. "At
(this year's) Wimbledon I had an injury but I think I have been doing rather
well in the last few days and have been putting in the amount of hours that I
wanted."
Todd Woodbridge, who is tied for the record as the most successful doubles
player since the sport went open with 78 titles, will partner big left-hander
Wayne Arthurs on Saturday against Alex Corretja and Lopez.
Sunday's reverse singles will pit Ferrero against Philippoussis while Moya and
Hewitt close out the tie.
----------------------------------------------------
Focused Hewitt ready for Davis Cup action
Thu 27 November, 2003 02:51
By Greg Stutchbury
MELBOURNE, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt is adamant
his long-layoff from competitive tennis will not affect him in the opening
singles rubber of the Davis Cup final against Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero on
Friday.
Hewitt, who has not played since the Davis Cup semi-final against Switzerland in
September, has slipped down the rankings since and is behind compatriot Mark
Philippoussis as Australia's top singles player for the tie.
"I (have been) looking forward to this since I came off court against Federer in
the last tie and nothing has changed," Hewitt told a news conference after the
draw on Thursday.
"Its been a long eight weeks for me and. all my focus has been on this tie and
probably this match, knowing that I was going to be playing Juan Carlos on day
one."
Hewitt, 22, the 2001 U.S Open and 2002 Wimbledon champion, said part of his long
break had been enforced.
"It wasn't entirely my choice. I had a foot problem and I had to get that sorted
out."
Hewitt, however, was also mindful of the experience he had in 2001 when
Australia hosted France in Melbourne on the same grasscourt as that being used
for the final this weekend.
During that tie, Hewitt was visibly fatigued after embarking on a punishing
schedule that ended with the U.S Open title, the Masters Cup and the world
number one ranking.
"I had to look whether it was worthwhile flying all that way just to play in one
tournament on a totally different surface indoors and I thought no, it's not."
GRASS ADVANTAGE
While he has slipped below his two Spanish opponents, Ferrero is third, while
Moya is seventh, Hewitt said one of his advantages came from playing on the
specially-laid grasscourt at Rod Laver Arena.
"I think grass is a great equaliser in that these guys haven't played a match on
grass, Moya hasn't played a match on grass for two and a half years," he added,
though Moya has actually not played on grass since Halle in mid-2002.
"No-one has really talked about that much," Hewitt said.
Hewitt, who has been practicing on the grass courts in Melbourne for the best
part of two weeks said the court, which was used in 2001, had improved since
then.
"It's probably playing a little bit quicker (than two years ago)," he said.
"It had been cut down to eight millimetres on the first day we practiced on it
(and) it will be down to five by tomorrow morning.
"It has been getting quicker and quicker each day and I think they have stopped
watering it to harden and speed it up as much as possible.
"Hopefully tomorrow it will be that fraction quicker again."
----------------------------------------------------
Spain taking tips off France for Davis Cup final
Thu 27 November, 2003 02:56
By Julian Linden
MELBOURNE, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Spain have turned to their old sporting rivals
France for tips on how to beat Australia in the Davis Cup final starting on
Friday.
The Spanish defeated Australia at home on clay in the 2000 final but have been
getting advice from the French on how to topple the Aussies on their preferred
surface.
Australia have tempted fate by installing the same temporary grass court they
used for their shock loss to France in the final two years ago and the Spanish
have been pestering their Latin neighbours for clues.
"We have been speaking to the French and they have told us some things that went
on when they played Australia," Spain's non-playing captain Jordi Arrese told a
news conference on Thursday.
"It's one thing to do it in Spain but it's another thing to come here to
Australia and play with the favourites."
Arrese did not say what hints the French had passed on but conceded the Spanish
were long outsiders to beat the Australians.
"They are the ones that perhaps are looking the stronger team," Arrese said.
"It is in their turf and they've been more successful at this than we have."
GLOOMY PREDICTIONS
Despite the gloomy predictions of their captain, the Spanish players are still
hopeful of pulling of an upset.
Their two singles players, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya, are both ranked
above their Australian opponents Mark Philippoussis and Lleyton Hewitt and they
have been encouraged that the grass court has been playing slower than expected
in the first few days of practice.
A slower court with plenty of bounce would suit the Spanish baseliners while the
Australians would prefer a faster surface to get the most out of Philippoussis'
booming serve.
Hewitt is also a master on grass after capturing Wimbledon last year and winning
Queen's three years in a row.
"It isn't too fast," said French Open champion Ferrero.
"The ball seems to be bouncing well so we're feeling good about it."
Spanish veteran Alex Corretja, who will team up with Davis Cup rookie Feliciano
Lopez in the doubles, is also growing in confidence.
"We are feeling really good and we are united," Corretja said.
"If we have come this far it is because we believe we are going to win,
otherwise we might as well have stayed at home.
"But be that as it may, even if we lose here, we are going to put up a good
fight."
Corretja said his main role would be to help calm the nerves of 22-year-old
Lopez, the left-handed serve-volleyer who was selected ahead of his more
accomplished countryman Albert Costa for Saturday's doubles rubber with the
experienced pair Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs.
"My duty is to make things right, make things okay, make sure that he is feeling
at ease, that he is focused," Corretja said.
"I shall try to make him feel more relaxed and reduce his stress. I just want
him to play well."
----------------------------------------------------
Hewitt opens against Ferrero
Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt will face Juan Carlos Ferrero in the
opening tie of this year's Davis Cup final between Australia and France.
Mark Philippoussis will meet Carlos Moya in the second singles match at the Rod
Laver Arena in Melbourne on Friday.
On Saturday, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs will team up for the doubles
against Feliciano Lopez and Alex Corretja.
In Sunday's reverse singles, Philippoussis takes on Ferrero and Moya plays
Hewitt.
Hewitt has not played a tournament for two months, but insisted this would not
hamper him.
"I have been looking forward to this since I came off court against Federer in
the last tie and nothing has changed," he said on Thursday.
"It's been a long eight weeks for me and all my focus has been on this tie and
probably this match, knowing that I was going to be playing Juan Carlos on day
one."
Hewitt and Ferrero have met six times, but never on grass.
"I think grass is a great equaliser in that these guys haven't played a match on
grass, Moya hasn't played a match on grass for two-and-a-half years," Hewitt
added.
Each player has three victories, although Ferrero came out on top in their last
encounter, which came in the quarter-finals of this year's US Open.
Philippoussis appears to have the edge over Moya, who has not played a
grass-court match in two years.
Spain captain Jordi Arrese said he had asked the French Davis Cup team for
advice ahead of the final.
France won away against Australia on a specially-layed grass court in the final
two years ago.
"We have been speaking to the French and they have told us some things that went
on when they played Australia," Arrese said.
"It's one thing to do it in Spain but it's another thing to come here to
Australia and play with the favourites."
Spain beat Belgium in the first round of this year's competition, then defeated
Croatia and Argentina to advance to the final.
Australia won their opening match against Britain, then defeated Sweden and
Switzerland.
Australia have won the Davis Cup 27 times while Spain's only win came in 2000,
ironically against Australia.
----------------------------------------------------
Fit Safin seeking top ranking
Posted on 26 November 2003 - 05:33
Former world number one Russian Marat Safin is itching to get back on the tennis
court and hopes to finish 2004 with a top 10 ranking after sitting out the last
six months with a wrist injury.
"I'm back and I'm healthy," Safin told AFP in Beijing where he has come to
promote the maiden 2004 China Open to be played in September.
"My goal for next year is to try to win a Grand Slam and if it is possible to
get back into the top 10 and play the Masters.
"It will take time, I have to take it slow and stay away from injuries, then I
will have a good chance." The 2000 US Open champion's left wrist injury made it
nearly impossible for him to hit a backhand shot.
After several premature comebacks, Safin said a California doctor identified the
problem and put his left arm in a cast.
Now the 23-year-old is looking at the Hopman Cup in Australia in January as the
first tournament in his latest comeback.
Safin, ranked No 2 in 2002, has slipped to 77 this year while Andy Roddick has
taken over the No 1 spot.
"Roddick has never beaten me," Safin pointed out.
"I was kind of surprised at his rise because I never expected that he would make
it so high, but he made the right decision to change his coach and his coach has
helped him out a lot." Safin, who surprised Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open
final, hopes to prove wrong the critics who have written him off.
"I have no pressure, a lot of people think I'm kind of finished but I will be
back and I will be there to beat these guys. I have to."
Fanatics haven't forgotten Spaniard
Leo Schlink
26nov03
THE Fanatics, the Australian Davis Cup team's globe-trotting supporters, have
promised Alex Corretja a rugged reception at Rod Laver Arena this weekend.
Corretja, former Spanish captain Javier Duarte and overlooked French Open
champion Albert Costa have been criticised by Pat Rafter, John Newcombe and
Lleyton Hewitt in the lead-up to tomorrow's tie for their antics in Barcelona
three years ago.
Newcombe condemned his counterpart Duarte for inciting a baying crowd, while
Rafter and Hewitt said it was the worst reception they have encountered.
Warren Livingstone, who will lead about 600 cohorts in backing John Fitzgerald's
team, said several Australian supporters were mugged in Barcelona outside the
stadium after Corretja had made a number of obscene gestures at them.
"We want him to remember what he did to us in Spain," Livingstone. "We won't go
outside the rules and we'll support our team within the spirit of the rules and
the Davis Cup, but we want him to realise that we remember what he did.
"At the end of the first day in Spain, both Corretja and Duarte said the Spanish
crowd wasn't loud enough and that the Australians in the crowd were making too
much noise.
"The Spanish took it to another level the next day. We knew as soon as we walked
in that they wanted blood.
"During that doubles match, Corretja was glaring at us and appeared to be
swearing at us. When he and Costa were on the bench during singles matches, they
would look up at us and run a finger across their throats and were saying:
'You're f...ing dead.'
"A lot of the Fanatics were mugged in Spain simply because of the stuff that had
gone on at the tennis. Pete Rafter (Pat's brother) and I had a knife pulled on
us.
"It was the worst tie I've been to in terms of being received by the locals and
Corretja was the one who stirred it up two days beforehand with Lleyton in the
newspapers, saying you've got to hate him.
"By the time the match was played, the Aussies in the crowd were taken aback by
the vitriol."
Livingstone, who first forged a link with elite Australian players at the 1997
US Open as Rafter surged to the title, said there would be more than 200
Fanatics from the Barcelona tie at Melbourne Park over the three days of the
final.
He said Corretja would not be the subject of personal abuse, nor would the group
barrack for Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Wayne Arthurs and Todd
Woodbridge in a way that is unfair to Spain.
"We simply want to remind Corretja of what he did in Barcelona," Livingstone
said. "It's OK for him to come out now and say he's apologised, but we remember
him and what he was like. The players might not be able to say how they really
feel in public about him, but we can."
Corretja, twice voted by his peers as winner of the Stefan Edberg sportsmanship
award, apologised to Hewitt at the US Open last year for his verbal attacks in
2000.
Rafter yesterday described the Spanish crowd as a "disgrace".
"Mate, as a tennis crowd they were as disrespectful as I've ever seen," the
former world No. 1 said. "They were a bloody disgrace."
Mind games fizzle out as Davis Cup opponents go warm and fuzzy
By Richard Hinds
November 26, 2003
In the Davis Cup, mind games can sometimes be telling. However, what has
preceded the final between Australia and Spain has more resembled the sort of
claim and counterclaim you might expect between two eight-year-olds arguing
about who will get the last seat in a game of musical chairs than any measured
attempt to unsettle the opposition.
So far the Spanish have said Lleyton Hewitt has not played enough - and the
Australians have said his opening opponent Juan Carlos Ferrero has played too
much. But there are whispers that Ferrero might not play at all, prompting
Hewitt to say it would be a big call to leave out the world No.3, and the
Spanish to say they have decided their singles line-up - but they are not
telling.
Meanwhile, Hewitt has still not grown weary of criticising Alex Corretja's role
in inflaming the Spanish crowd before the 2000 final in Barcelona, despite the
fact that - as the Herald revealed 12 months ago - Corretja had apologised to
Hewitt and the two agreed to let bygones be bygones.
At the same time, Australian captain John Fitzgerald does not expect the local
crowd to give the Spanish team the hostile reception John Newcombe's Australians
received in Barcelona.
"There is no way the Fanatics could behave that badly," he said, perhaps
underestimating the effects of another numbing chorus of "Oi Oi Oi."
For his part, Corretja thinks it's all water under the bridge. "If [the
Australian crowd] ... feel that I didn't behave well in Barcelona and now they
have to do it against me, then I have to accept it," he said without a hint of
rancour.
But Fitzgerald declared: "It will be played in the true spirit of sportsmanship
in this country" - which, given the Rugby World Cup, presumably means some of
the local media will be howling for the scoring system to be changed if the
Australians look like losing.
One rule Fitzgerald already wants changed is an International Tennis Federation
decision that the roof will be closed in the event of rain. That seems a strange
reaction given how much Tennis Australia likes to brag - with good cause - about
their high-tech stadium. Fitzgerald argues that playing on grass under the roof
causes a "Twilight Zone" effect, forgetting the seemingly relevant fact it was
Australia's choice to put the turf down.
This had the makings of a minor controversy, until Spanish captain Jordi Arrese
had his say. "He has it right," he said of Fitzgerald's comment, nipping the
whole thing in the bud.
All of which means the pre-cup war of words has barely created enough hot air to
fill one of the balloons in which the Davis Cup organisers are promising - or
perhaps threatening - to fly visiting reporters over Melbourne.
There have been celebrated occasions in Davis Cup when the bluffing of the
captains has produced a result. Perhaps the best example was when Newcombe
somehow trapped the Americans into excluding Pete Sampras from the final day
singles during the 1999 semi-final. Newk simply kept saying over and over how
certain he was that Sampras - selected only to play doubles - would play
singles, until the Americans were somehow forced to salvage team harmony by
keeping faith with their original choices, Jim Courier and Todd Martin.
But unlike the final here two years ago when the Australians were pensive
because of Pat Rafter's arm injury, this time both teams look happy and relaxed.
The only intrigue surrounds the selection of the Spanish singles combination, a
question that was neatly avoided during a slapstick 20-minute press conference.
Not even Mark Philippoussis, formerly a reliable source of Davis Cup
controversy, can add spice to this final. Once painfully shy and defensive, the
Wimbledon finalist is now so relaxed and comfortable that "Flip" could well be
short for flippant.
As Hewitt described how his game was different, Philippoussis chided his
famously skinny teammate: "You've bulked up too." Replied Hewitt: "Yeah, I'm
massive."
Later, as Fitzgerald pondered the origin of the team's new numbered tracksuit
tops, Philippoussis butted in: "It was too good of an idea for Fitzy to come up
with." OK, lines like that won't get Philippoussis his own Tonight Show, but
they are indicative of the strong bond in this Australian team. What value that
united front has is debatable.
In 1999, Philippoussis won a Davis Cup despite his lingering - and probably
unfair - reputation as a malcontent. In 2001, the buddy-buddy combo of Pat
Rafter, Hewitt, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs imploded.
The only certainty so far is that, in the absence of any meaningful mind games,
this looks like a final that will be decided with racquets rather than
microphones
Aussies receive the golden touch
Mark Stevens
26nov03
GOLF fanatic Lley ton Hewitt dubbed it the "gold jacket".
John Fitzgerald christened it the "golden fleece".
The Australians were talking about the new-look bright yellow team tracksuits,
complete with individual
numbers, unveiled yesterday.
Following a tradition started by Cricket Australia, every player to have been in
an Australian Davis Cup
team now has a number.
That means Sir Norman Brooks, the 1905 trailblazer, is No. 1.
Andrew Ilie, the last player to debut for the Aussies, has been given No. 91.
All players from here on will have their name and number embroidered on their
team jacket.
Hewitt, No. 89, described the initiative as "awesome".
"I am probably speaking on behalf of the whole team here, but I reckon it's
incredible," Hewitt said.
"It's something we can cherish for our whole careers, I guess."
Not quite played
OF THE 91 given numbers, 10 didn't actually hit a ball in anger for Australia.
A place in a team of four was enough to qualify.
The most recent case under the "in the team and you're in" policy involved South
Australian Brod Dyke.
Dyke, who comes in at No. 77, was picked for a tie against Yugoslavia at
Adelaide's Memorial Drive, but
didn't get a gig.
Fresh from a stint coaching in Prague, Dyke was surprised yesterday to learn of
the initiative.
"It was out of my control. I was Davis Cup captain," he said of the missed
opportunity.
"The year before, for a fair while I was the highest-ranked Australian on the
computer and wasn't
selected for the team."
Fighting fit
LLEYTON Hewitt has spent time on the practice court in a sleeveless Nike number
made famous by Carlos
Moya.
Perhaps he's feeling confident about exposing the biceps after a solid lead-up
in the gym.
"I have been training extremely hard . . . putting in a lot of hours both on the
court and in the gym,"
Hewitt said.
Teammate Mark Philippoussis chipped in: "You have bulked up, too."
"Yeah, I'm massive," Hewitt replied.
Clay breaker
QUESTION: "Carlos, what do you think of the court so far?"
Carlos Moya: "It is still a grass court."
Paid up for good
AUSTRALIAN team members Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis and Wayne Arthurs
have pledged their
long-term support for Davis Cup.
The trio each paid $1100 to become life members of the Australian Davis Cup
Tennis Foundation.
Former Cup captain and ADCTF president Neale Fraser yesterday presented the
players with their ties
during a break in practice for the final against Spain starting on Friday.
--------------------------------------------------
Brash Hewitt plans a Spanish burial
By David Reed
MELBOURNE
A BRASH Lleyton Hewitt says he is the man to break open the Davis Cup final on
Friday by beating Spain's top-ranked player, Juan Carlos Ferrero, on the drop-in
grass court at Melbourne Park.
"If I can beat Juan Carlos on day one then it gives Australia a huge advantage
and that is my focus . . . I am good enough to do it," Hewitt said.
Hewitt, Australia's No. 2 ranked player in the tie and who has slipped to No. 16
in world rankings, will find out for sure tomorrow if he will take on world No.
3 Ferrero on Friday.
Overall they are tied 3-3 head-to-head but Ferrero beat Hewitt the last time
they met in four sets in a US Open semifinal this year.
Ferrero also beat Hewitt in the reverse singles of the 2000 final to claim the
trophy for Spain.
"I have probably been given the opportunity in this tie to crack the whole Davis
Cup final wide open," Hewitt said. "Everyone talks about all the pressure
(being) on us.
"Well, they have got two guys in the top 10 who have just played in the Masters
Cup - we have got no one so we'll wait and see what happens."
Hewitt said he retained vivid, bitter memories of the 2000 final loss to Spain
in Barcelona, a tie marred by boorish crowd behaviour.
Hewitt said the crowd was the worst he had played in front of and that he had
been pelted with "stuff".
When asked if he expected the Australian crowd to give the Spanish a dose of
their own medicine, Hewitt replied: "There is no way the fanatics could behave
that badly."
Hewitt blames Alex Corretja for the hostile treatment in Spain.
"I apologised to him and Pat (Rafter) a few times and I think everything is done
and now our relationship is just polite," Corretja said.
"I don't see any reason why they (the crowd) are going to go against me or
anything. I believe it is going to be just a nice tie."
Hewitt said his lay-off from the game - he hasn't played a match since the Davis
Cup semifinal win over Switzerland in September - would not affect his game.
"Grass is a bit of an equaliser in a sense," he
said. "I have had a lot more practice on grass than any of those guys. They have
played a lot of matches but have played a lot of them indoors in the past few
months.
"I can draw a lot of confidence from the last two matches I played on this very
arena and especially against (Roger) Federer, a very worthy opponent."
Hewitt played one of the best matches of his career in the Davis Cup semifinal,
coming back from two sets to love and 3-5 down to beat Federer and put Australia
into the final.
Spain wasn't giving anything away on its singles line-up, captain Jordi Arrese
saying it would remain a secret for the time being.
November 26, 2003
---------------------------------------------------
This time we'll see fair play
Leo Schlink
26nov03
BARCELONA does not do much by halves. Sport is no exception.
From the Nou Camp to Montjuic, the Catalan city simmers with passion.
At its extremes, it is both irresistible and intimidating. The 2000 Australian
Davis Cup team has another description of its treatment: disgraceful and
vitriolic.
The final three years ago brought out the best and the worst in Spanish tennis.
While Spain could laud Juan Carlos Ferrero for a pair of sublime performances,
the behaviour of Alex Corretja, Albert Costa and former captain Javier Duarte
was obscene.
Corretja and Duarte launched a calculated attack on the Australians,
particularly Lleyton Hewitt, and a frenzied audience soon found not only voice,
but objects to throw.
The competition's partisan rule was conspicuously overlooked by officials,
despite mid-point heckling of the Australian players -- who often tried to serve
while fans yelled out during the ball toss.
Newcombe described the antics of the crowd as the worst he had seen. Pat Rafter
and Hewitt concurred.
The excitement and ardour of the moment was overtaken by the mindless behaviour
of Duarte, whose ridiculous orchestrating of the crowd would have been hilarious
had it not been so tragic.
This is the character, remember, who managed to outstrip even John McEnroe when
the sport's bad boy was the US Davis Cup captain.
McEnroe was so piqued by Duarte's demeanour he verbally abused his counterpart.
Nothing, not even Newcombe's subtle pleas, was going to stop Duarte ensuring he
was the centre of attention in Barcelona.
Fame, and possibly fortune, beckoned for Corretja's coach, and Costa, mostly
from the bench with throat-slitting gestures aimed at Australian supporters,
also made sure the crowd followed Duarte's lead.
Australian bitterness over the crowd behaviour was attributed by some English
media as sour grapes -- always a soft, ready target.
While compelling, almost spine-tingling, the atmosphere was also heavy with
cynical opportunism.
Duarte, Corretja and Costa were the villains but, then again, Spain had its one
and only Davis Cup trophy.
It will be different at Rod Laver Arena this weekend. Sport is not done by
halves in Melbourne, either. But, and our visitors are guaranteed of this much
alone, it will be fair.
---------------------------------------------------
Hewitt: Time to get even
By Leo Schlink
26nov03
THE stage is set for an explosive Davis Cup final after Lleyton Hewitt yesterday
dismissed Spain's claim he lacks match practice and vowed he had not forgotten
the harsh treatment dished out to him last time the two teams met.
The freshest and fittest he has ever been for a Cup tie, Hewitt vowed to "crack
the Davis Cup final wide open" by beating Spanish star Juan Carlos Ferrero in
Friday's opening match.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Daily Telegraph today, Hewitt accuses
current Spanish star Alex Corretja and then Spanish captain Javier Duarte of
"headlining" a personal attack against him that led to a hostile reception at
the Barcelona final in 2000.
"That was the worst crowd I've ever played in front of," Hewitt said.
"I'm the only one sitting here who actually played in that tie ... I have very
strong memories about it." Hewitt has played only sparsely compared with Ferrero
and Carlos Moya but the gritty Australian believes he knows what's best.
"I've been training extremely hard, putting in a lot of hours on the court and
in the gym and done a lot of miles running," Hewitt said.
"I've had a lot more practice on grass than any of those guys have." Hewitt has
played only sparsely compared with Ferrero and Carlos Moya but the Australian
believes he knows what's best.
Body: "I've been training extremely hard, putting in a lot of hours on the court
and in the gym and done a lot of miles running," Hewitt said.
"I've had a lot more practice on grass than any of those guys have." As Spanish
captain Jordi Arrese fretted over his team selections and contemplated gambling
on the grasscourt talents of Davis Cup novice Feliciano Lopez, Hewitt was a
study of confidence and conviction.
"I feel like if I can beat Juan Carlos on day one, then it gives Australia a
huge advantage and that is all my focus is on," Hewitt said before practising on
the portable grasscourt.
"I have been given the opportunity in this tie to crack the whole Davis Cup
final wide open on day one and I feel like I am good enough to do it.
"Everyone talks about the pressure on us. Well, they have got two guys in the
top 10 who have just played in the Masters Cup." Corretja was in no mood for
fighting yesterday, declaring he would politely cop it if the fans turn on him
in the Davis Cup final.
"I just come here to play tennis to help my team win ... I don't want to enter
into any fights because I think it doesn't make any sense for me," Corretja
said.
"I have got a lot of respect for Aussie people. I don't see any reason why
they're going to go against me or anything.
"If they feel like they have to do something against me - feeling that I didn't
behave well in Barcelona - then I will have to accept it." Confronting an
Australian team crammed with grasscourt expertise, Spain has still to settle its
singles line-up even though it appears Ferrero and Moya are notionally ahead of
Corretja and Lopez, that rarest of Latino player - an instinctive
serve-volleyer.
Arrese certainly was not letting on yesterday despite a strong suspicion Lopez
could be included at tomorrow's draw. "I don't give you ideas for the team,"
Arrese said. "Secret for the moment, but Thursday we give our ideas.
Hewitt relishes change of order
By Patrick Miles
November 26, 2003
For the first time in four years, Lleyton Hewitt is playing second fiddle for
Australia.
His slide down the world rankings and the simultaneous elevation of Mark
Philippoussis have resulted in a change in the team order.
For Hewitt, though, it makes no difference, and he sees it as an "opportunity in
this tie to crack the whole Davis Cup final wide open".
By that, he means taking on the world No.3, Juan Carlos Ferrero, in one of
Friday's singles rubbers.
As his country's No.2 player, Hewitt will meet Spain's No.1 on the first day,
while Philippoussis faces the visitors' second-ranked man.
No amount of speculation to suggest otherwise will sway Hewitt from his belief
that it will be Ferrero across the net on Friday.
"I am going to go out there and I feel like if I can beat Juan Carlos on day
one, then it gives Australia a huge advantage," Hewitt said yesterday.
"That is all my focus is on -- Ferrero on Friday."
Spain are being coy about their line-up, giving their grass-court wild-card,
Feliciano Lopez, his moment in the limelight leading up to the final.
But Ferrero and Carlos Moya are expected to be nominated as the singles players
in tomorrow's draw.
Lopez, who will definitely play doubles with Alex Corretja, has been informed of
his duties and if singles is among them, he is keeping it to himself.
"I already know who is going to play on Friday, but this is all I can say,"
Lopez said.
Hewitt and Ferrero have met six times, with honours even, but never on grass.
The last time they faced each other was in the quarter-finals of the US Open,
when Hewitt was affected by a hip injury and lost in four sets.
"That is as well as I have seen Juan Carlos ever play," Hewitt said. "Hard court
is different to grass, though.
"You always have little ideas up your sleeve, but what you see is pretty much
what you get with Juan Carlos. He is not going to come out and serve-volley just
because it's on grass."
This will be the fourth time the countries have met in a cup final. After losing
twice on grass in 1965 and 1967, Spain altered the balance in 2000 on clay in
Barcelona to win their first title.
They must be wondering about the power structure in world tennis that has forced
them to play each of their finals against Australia.
Hewitt is the only survivor of the rancorous tie in Barcelona: Pat Rafter, Mark
Woodforde and Sandon Stolle have retired, and John Newcombe and Tony Roche have
made way for John Fitzgerald and Wally Masur as captain and coach.
The fire still burns for Hewitt, who said he had stored the bitter defeat in his
memory bank.
"I have very strong memories about it," he said, when asked about the behaviour
of the crowd in Palau Sant Jordi three years ago.
On Friday, he will have the full support of the crowd, not least among them the
Fanatics, who have become regulars at Australia's ties.
Hewitt does not expect his supporters to give the Spaniards a taste of their own
medicine because "there is no way the Fanatics could behave that badly".
The Spanish players have been suggesting this week that Hewitt will be
vulnerable due to his lack of match practice. His last hit in the heat of battle
was on September 21, when he produced one of the best performances of his career
to beat Switzerland's Roger Federer and take Australia into their 47th final.
Hewitt believes he has made the right choice and that the time he has spent on
grass in the past weeks will offset the absence of match play.
"It is a different kind of match, playing on grass, so it is a bit of an
equaliser in that whole sense," he said.
"I have had a lot more practice on grass than any of those guys have. They have
played a lot of matches; they have played most of them indoors.
"I guess I can draw a lot of confidence from my last two matches that I played
(against Switzerland), and they were on this very arena.
"So I am just going to take those memories out there and hopefully get off to a
great start."
Lush grass has Spanish on high, but it's quick judgment
Mark Stevens
25nov03
Melbourne Herald Sun
THE green, green grass of home was rated slower than expected yesterday by the
Australians who hit on Rod Laver Arena for the first time.
Star acts Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis were greeted by a lush,
carpet-like surface ahead of Friday's final against Spain.
But Australian coach Wally Masur was quick to douse concerns the portable court
would play into the hands of the Spanish, who are the kings of slow court
tennis.
"The Spanish will probably walk out there this afternoon and say 'this is pretty
good,' but obviously it's only going to get quicker and quicker," Masur said.
Masur was proved correct, with Spanish superstar Juan-Carlos Ferrero later
declaring: "Today, it's slower than we thought".
"It's a bit slower than the courts at Kooyong," Ferrero said.
Ferrero's practice partner Feliciano Lopez said: "It's quite different -- it's a
good court for us".
But the bad news for the Spanish is the turf, cut to 8mm for yesterday's
session, will be shaved back to 4mm for the singles on day one.
Australian captain John Fitzgerald conceded Hewitt was surprised by the slowness
of the court, but is confident Tennis Australia turf consultant Murray McFarlane
will get it right when it counts.
"He's a turf genius. He loves it (the court). I think Murray would bet a lot of
money on this one," Fitzgerald said.
"You can't have the court exactly like you'd have it on match day. If you did
four days beforehand there'd be nothing left of it by the time match time comes
around.
"It's like if you cut your hair off two short on the beginning there's nothing
to work with afterwards. It will be different by Friday. Very different."
With almost 20 hours of practice planned for the court this week, McFarlane has
left the court lush to ensure it is at its peak on Friday.
"It was where we want it to be, but it probably wasn't where the players wanted
it to be," McFarlane said.
"It will be where they want it come Friday. I think you'll see a fast grass
court. It's not impossible.
"The surface is going to get a lot harder under foot, which I think Lleyton
appreciates."
The court was watered heavily on Sunday night as part of the process to get the
joins of the court to grow together.
"As it was rather a cool night and a very cool day, the court was quite soft for
practice," McFarlane.
"We'll be hoping for some fine weather and to have the roof open. A grass court
actually gets quicker in the sunlight. An open roof with some very bright
sunlight would be very nice."
McFarlane said the court, transported a week ago from turf company StrathAyr's
Seymour farm, would hold up better than the portable surface for the 2001 loss
to France.
"We learned a lot. That's why we've got a lot more grass on it this time -- to
take the practice," McFarlane said.
"I think we've got more control over it this time. Last time it was a little
immature and we were sort of playing catch-up football.
"We had the roof shut a lot and it got a lot of disease from the humidity. It
was never really a happy court; we were just holding it together all the time."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slow court concerns Hewitt
By Chip Le Grand and Patrick Miles
November 25, 2003
The Australian
Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald has dismissed Lleyton Hewitt's concerns about
the slow pace and softness of the grass court installed at Melbourne Park for
the final against Spain, confidently predicting the court will be "very
different" by Friday's opening rubber.
Hewitt and team-mate Mark Philippoussis had their first hit-out on the
match-court yesterday and Hewitt in particular was unimpressed with what he
found, prompting Fitzgerald to call on a leading turf consultant to reassure the
team.
Tennis Australia turf consultant Murray MacFarlane, the man responsible for the
condition of the same portable court used against France in the Davis Cup final
in Melbourne two years ago, said the court was only midway through its
preparation and would be considerably drier, harder and faster by the start of
play.
"Lleyton had a few concerns but I told them we are only half-way through the
prep and we are going to be right on Friday," MacFarlane said.
"We set ourselves a goal to get the joins closed in the first week. That has
pretty much happened and now they start practice on it and we start tuning it
for the match."
MacFarlane explained that it had been heavily watered to help the court knit
together where the separate sections join. The court will now be allowed to dry
out, resulting in compaction of the turf and greater hardness. The length of the
grass will also be cut progressively shorter each day.
Spain trained in the late afternoon with the roof open and captain Jordi Arrese
and No.2 singles player Carlos Moya concurred that the surface was markedly
slower than their Kooyong practice court.
"I feel more comfortable," Moya said after revisiting the arena where he made
his mark as runner-up in the Australian Open of 1997. "I have a special feeling
in this stadium because this is where it all began for me."
Although Hewitt still appeared less than convinced after his two sets against
Philippoussis -- a highly competitive session in which Philippoussis repeatedly
swore in Greek and Hewitt smashed a racquet on the baseline -- Fitzgerald
predicted the eventual surface would be "in the true tradition of an Australian
grass court".
"You can't have the court exactly like you'd have it on match-day," Fitzgerald
said. "If you did four days beforehand, there would be nothing left of it by the
time match day came around.
"That is the nature of a natural surface. It changes over time, particularly a
grass-court surface. It will be different by Friday, very different."
Arrese expects the surface to become harder and faster. "By Friday, it will be
different," Arrese said, "but we have time to adapt."
Australia coach Wally Masur said the court was "flat as a pancake" and would
prove more durable than the court prepared for the ill-fated 2001 final.
Choice of surface is the greatest advantage Australia have in the final against
the highly talented Spaniards. The baseline games of world top 10 players Carlos
Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero are well suited to the fast, skidding bounce of
grass.
World No.3 Ferrero yesterday shrugged off suggestions that a sinus condition
contracted on a long, cross-Pacific flight was threatening his place in the
team.
Spain face a selection dilemma, with young serve and volley player Feliciano
Lopez having adjusted well to the practice courts at Kooyong. Arrese offered a
scrap of tantalising information by saying he was still "looking for the best
combination on the court" but Fitzgerald said he would be surprised if Ferrero
and Moya were not the singles players selected on Thursday.
The Australian team has already settled into its roles but faces a dilemma of a
different kind; how to give doubles combination Todd Woodbridge and Wayne
Arthurs exposure to the match-day court within the tight, 2 1/2-hour daily
sessions allotted to each team.
While Hewitt practised for the full allotted time yesterday -- an hour and a
half against Philippoussis and then a further hour against hitting partner Todd
Reid -- Arthurs was forced to make do at Kooyong.
"It is unusual," Masur said. "We have only got 2 1/2 hours a day and of course
we do want to get all four players on there. So we will have to be a little bit
creative.
"Essentially you have got to look after the guys who are going to do the work
for you on Friday and hopefully the doubles guys can fit in."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Captain can affect results: Fitzgerald
By Richard Hinds
November 25, 2003
Sydney Morning Herald
It is the question most frequently asked about Davis Cup captains. Once a match
has started, is there anything they can do to sway the result? While he is
reluctant to take any credit, John Fitzgerald believes Lleyton Hewitt's
fight-back against Roger Federer in this year's semi-final against Switzerland
provides part of the answer.
From early in the match, Fitzgerald and coach Wally Masur noticed Hewitt was
often getting caught too far behind the baseline. It was a point made constantly
during the match, advice Hewitt later acknowledged helped him recover from two
sets to love and 3-5 down.
"You can't take too much credit with that with someone like Lleyton because he
is a street-smart kid," Fitzgerald said. "He would have worked it out for
himself. It is just reinforcing things to them."
Fitzgerald said the captain's most important job was simply to get the best team
on the court and have them ready to play.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
No more Mr Nice Guy as Fitzy toughens up
November 25, 2003
Sydney Morning Herald
John Fitzgerald congratulates Davis Cup winner Lleyton Hewitt ... then things
went horribly wrong. Photo: John French
The fairytale-turned-nightmare of 2001 left its mark on John Fitzgerald, writes
Richard Hinds.
By his own admission, before the Davis Cup final against France two years ago,
John Fitzgerald had enjoyed a smooth ride. In his playing days, he was widely
admired for his impeccable demeanour and easygoing nature. In his first year as
Davis Cup captain he had, with coach Wally Masur, taken his team to within one
step of a victory that seemed to be its destiny.
Then things went horribly wrong. The final that was supposed to provide a grand
farewell for the beloved Pat Rafter ended with the guest of honour sitting on
the sidelines nursing a sore arm and the Frenchmen holding his going-away
present, the Davis Cup.
Suddenly Fitzgerald was the target of strong media criticism, something that
left him shaken and bemused. "It was the first time I'd ever been stung," says
Fitzgerald. "I'd always had such a - I wouldn't call it uneventful - but an
easygoing relationship with the media. It was a bit hard to take."
Two years after the debacle against France, you can't help but feel a sense of
deja vu walking through Melbourne Park. Again, a grasscourt has been dropped in
to centre court. Again, Australia are favoured to beat their European opponents
- this time Spain. While there is not quite the same sense of anticipation that
Rafter's quest to win the cup created, Australia's unquenchable thirst for
international sporting glory will ensure there is plenty of pressure on the home
team to perform this time, too. And sitting courtside - again - will be
Fitzgerald. As he talks with just a slight note of defiance about the fateful
decisions made during the 2001 final, you suspect the Mr Nice Guy of Australian
tennis has developed a harder shell - even if he denies the experience had
changed him.
"I don't think it has," he says. "If you lose, you look back and you think,
'What could we have done differently?' But I know I made the right choice. I
would make the same call."
With the final locked at 1-1, his fateful call was to play Pat Rafter and
Lleyton Hewitt in the doubles instead of his doubles specialists Todd Woodbridge
and Wayne Arthurs. After they lost to French pair Fabrice Santoro and Cedric
Pioline, that decision was judged to have backfired spectacularly. What was not
revealed until the final day, when Rafter was replaced by Arthurs in the
singles, was that Rafter had a stress fracture in his right arm. He would not
have been able to play his reverse singles against Nicolas Escude, even if he
had not played doubles. Fitzgerald claims his call was straightforward. Rafter
was suffering pain only when he served. Obviously, in doubles, he had to serve
only one game in every four and Rafter and Hewitt had played well together
during the year. Equally, the relatively untested combination of Woodbridge and
Arthurs had lost to Ecuador's Lapentti brothers on grass in the first round and
scored a not particularly convincing victory over Swedes Magnus Larsson and
Jonas Bjorkman in the semi-final.
However, it was not so much the decision itself but the way it was presented
that caused much of the media criticism. Before and during the tie, the
Australian team seemed prickly and defensive. Even the usually unflappable
Rafter gave barbed replies to reasonable enquiries about his fitness. Obviously
the Australians were eager not to reveal the extent of Rafter's injury. But the
manner in which it was concealed made them seem tense and uncertain - in stark
contrast with the typically insouciant French captain Guy Forget and his team.
Yet, two years later, Fitzgerald is unapologetic. "To be honest, without being
righteous, I wouldn't handle it any other way," he says. "It's my job to win and
I'm not going to tell the opposition Pat has a stress fracture above his elbow.
"He could play doubles because he only had to serve once. It was hurting when he
served and he served well in that doubles match. That wasn't the reason we lost
that doubles match, his serve. But in singles the next day he wouldn't have
lasted. So we had to throw all our eggs in the one basket for that middle day
and, if we won, I thought we would win [the cup]."
The outcome, however, was messy. Arthurs became a sacrificial lamb, thrown into
the deciding singles match against the French surprise packet Nicolas Escude
with little preparation.
Woodbridge made comments that suggested he was unhappy he had not played the
doubles - although Fitzgerald says every member of the team supported the
decision.
Fitzgerald admits it took him a few days to recover from the media pasting he
and the team had received.
"It put me on the back foot," he says. "I wasn't ready for that criticism. I
couldn't believe it. But it's a growing experience and I think, as my wife said
to me, it's actually a lot more of a growing experience when you lose. You
actually learn more."
One thing Fitzgerald learned from the 2001 final was to guard against
expectations. Rafter's injury and the unexpectedly good performance of Escude,
who set up the French victory by beating Hewitt on the first day, rocked
Australia last time. This time, the grasscourt and, presumably, a fit singles
combination of Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis have given Australia
favouritism. But Fitzgerald notes that while the Spanish may not be as
comfortable as the French on grass, their singles players Juan Carlos Ferrero
(world No.3) and Carlos Moya (No.7) are more highly ranked.
Since 2001, perhaps the greatest achievement of Fitzgerald and coach Masur has
been to not merely get Philippoussis on board but to ensure he is a fully
functioning member of the team.
Their masterstroke has been to help forge a friendship between Philippoussis and
Hewitt, whose infectious patriotism seems to have worn off on the once reluctant
Scud.
"They are good mates, they play doubles together, they play golf together," said
Fitzgerald. "They are very different animals. But I would like to think we have
all contributed to harmonising the team and it's been great."
There is, of course, no problem getting Hewitt fired up for the final. Before
official practice began last Tuesday, Hewitt had been on the phone to Fitzgerald
every two days to talk about preparations.
So, four days before the final, Fitzgerald seems to have at his disposal a
talented, united team preparing to do battle on, quite literally, home soil. All
of which adds to the sense of deja vu.
Perhaps that, as much as the criticism he received in 2001, is why Fitzgerald
seems both upbeat about his team's chances but also prepared for the worst.
"Badly," he replies when asked how much he wants to win. "If we don't it's going
to be disappointing but life will go on. Maybe [losing would mean] the cards
didn't fall our way. I think we've got a chance. And if we win, it will
certainly be one of the greatest things that's happened in my career."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rosewall hits out at Moya's choice
By Linda Pearce
Courtside
The Age
November 25, 2003
While Lleyton Hewitt's fanatical grasscourt preparation for the Davis Cup final
is entering its fourth week, former Australian champion Ken Rosewall has
questioned the apparent turf allergy of Spanish No. 2 Carlos Moya, who has
failed to front at Wimbledon for the past two years.
"That's disappointing, because I think the grasscourts at Wimbledon are so true,
and he's got enough talent and natural ability to still be pretty competitive
over there," Rosewall said recently of the former world No. 1, French champion
and Australian Open finalist, who arrived in Melbourne to start preparing on
Friday.
"I think it's a shame that he doesn't try to make the effort. That's what
happens when you do so well and make so much money - you can just kind of pick
and choose."
Rosewall, who played in three winning cup finals, tipped a 4-1 Australian win
this weekend, while cautioning against underestimating the Spaniards, even on
their least-favoured grass.
"Who knows? They put the grass down for the French and we lost," said Rosewall
of the bitter 2001 experience. "Even though the Spanish players don't have that
much of a reputation on grass, they're certainly going to be competitive. I
think the court will probably give us a slight edge, but I wouldn't be surprised
if some Spanish guys perform a bit better than people might think."
Only Juan Carlos Ferrero and Feliciano Lopez have reached the last 16 at the All
England club. Moya last played there in 2001 and has never passed the second
round.
Spanish media invades Melbourne
In the media room at any Australian Open, don't expect to see more than a dozen
Spanish journalists. At this Davis Cup final, in contrast, accreditation
applications have been received for a whopping 50 Spanish press representatives.
Spain won its first Davis Cup in the 2000 final against Australia, and interest
in the team form of the game is immense. Indeed, much debate greeted the dumping
for this tie of the popular Albert Costa, and any change to the conservative
singles selections of top-seven pair Ferrero and Moya in favour of the rookie
Lopez would be considered risky.
Australian captain John Fitzgerald, meantime, is valiantly clamouring to offload
some of the Australians' firm favouritism, with TAB Sportsbet quoting the hosts
at $1.28, compared with Spain at $3.30.
"Everyone's saying we're heavy favourites; well . . . they have more depth and
strength in the men's game than anyone else," said Fitzgerald, adding, not
altogether convincingly, "We're just hoping we can stay with them."
Open dates soon to be resolved
A-day is fast approaching for Tennis Australia: announcing its preferred option
for the 2006 Australian Open dates. To move back by one week into February,
which appeals as the more likely option? Or to switch lock, stock into March?
First, we expected to hear during the Masters Cup, which finished in Houston
more than a week ago. More recently, we have been told to wait for the end of
November, which is less than a week away.
"Nothing to report at this stage, but still hoping to finalise it," is the
latest, and last, word from Open chief executive Paul McNamee.
"We said the end of November and I don't see why that should change, depending
on how far forward we're looking. I think we should be able to get it sorted
out, but there's still a bit going on. The year-enders have happened now on both
the men's and women's tours, but nothing's really changed since last time we
spoke."
Cash to be honoured
Pat Cash will be inducted as the 2003 Davis Cup honoree on Rod Laver Arena
before Saturday's doubles rubber. Cash, the inspiration for Lleyton Hewitt's
momentous semi-final comeback against Roger Federer, played 19 ties for
Australia over eight years, compiling a 23-7 record in singles and 8-3 in
doubles, and anchoring the two most recent home finals wins, at Kooyong in 1983
and 1986.
Aussie court in speed trap
By Mike Hedge
November 25, 2003
AUSTRALIA'S Davis Cup team entered the "Twilight Zone" at Rod Laver Arena
yesterday ¡V and for its two biggest stars it was not a happy experience.
The Australians will play the 2003 Davis Cup final against Spain from Friday on
the same portable court used in the 2001 final loss to France. That clash was
supposed to have delivered an Australian victory but instead turned into a
nightmare.
Yesterday the court at Rod Laver Arena was giving the Australian singles players
Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis one major problem.
It was too slow.
Hewitt loudly and frequently expressed his dismay at the slowness of the court.
Philippoussis was the same as ball after ball failed to come through off a
surface that was lush and long. Had an umpire been present at yesterday's
practice session both players would have been fined for audible obscenities.
The court, with two years extra growth, should be a better quality surface than
the one which was breaking apart by the final day against the French.
According to Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald, this grass court
isn't going to backfire on his team as it did in 2001.
"I think everyone is going to see a magnificent court come Friday," Fitzgerald
said.
"Sure it was slow today, but you couldn't have it like match day or there'd be
nothing left of it," Fitzgerald said.
Of greater concern to Fitzgerald was the strangeness of playing on grass while
the arena roof was closed.
"It's a weird feeling, like being in the twilight zone," he said.
"A grass court indoors with a funny light, it's not something you get anywhere
else and it strikes you as being a bit odd."
Philippoussis had the better of Hewitt in yesterday's session, although he
caused a slight concern as he left the court rubbing his troublesome shoulder.
But Fitzgerald put that down to the power with which Philippoussis hits the ball
rather than any recurrence of the injury which has plagued him for several
years.
The Spanish team also had its first practice on the match court yesterday.
Spanish No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who flew in on Saturday, has endured a
gruelling season but will still look for plenty of practice on grass this week.
At the Masters Cup in Houston, played in a round-robin format, Ferrero was the
only player in the eight-man field not to win a match.
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Corretja forgiven, not forgotten
By Leo Schlink
November 25, 2003
DESPERATE for Davis Cup final success, Lleyton Hewitt has questioned Spanish
veteran Alex Corretja's inflammatory role in the 2000 decider.
Hewitt blames Corretja for the vicious crowd treatment the Australians received
from the Barcelona crowd three years ago.
The 22-year-old said Corretja's sustained campaign against him finally led to an
angry Pat Rafter confronting Corretja during a doubles match in Germany.
In a wide-ranging interview, Hewitt said betting should not be allowed on tennis
and that he was unsure if tennis was drug-free.
Describing 2003 as a season of missed opportunities, he said he was puzzled why
coach Roger Rasheed attracted so much criticism.
While Hewitt has accepted Corretja's apology for his verbal attacks leading into
the 2000 Davis Cup final with Spain, the Wimbledon and US Open winner has not
forgotten what happened.
"That was the worst crowd I've ever played in front of," Hewitt said.
"There's no doubt Alex and (Davis Cup captain Javier) Duarte were headlining the
whole situation and built it up that way."
Hewitt said Corretja was confronted by Rafter in Germany six months later after
the Spaniard drilled a drive straight into the Australian's head from close
range.
"Corretja got a short ball and basically just took my head off," Hewitt said.
"Then Corretja's basically making a lot of excuses.
"Pat just confronted him and said 'Mate, Lleyton's done nothing wrong here.
"You're the guy who's been at his face the whole day and you could have gone
anywhere with that ball.'
"It was nice to have a guy like Pat Rafter on your side at a time like that.
"Going into this tie, I've spoken to Alex since and it's all in the memory
bank."
Hewitt also dismisses theories the Spaniards will not be competitive on grass at
Rod Laver Arena, warning Carlos Moya "could be the most dangerous", while
lauding Juan Carlos Ferrero's class.
The Advertiser
Hewitt, Spaniards Exchange Taunts During Davis Cup Lead-Up
The first ball won't be hit until Nov. 28, but already the Australians and the
Spaniards are trading verbal volleys in the psychological war leading up to the
Davis Cup finale.
The Aussies say the Spaniards blundered by staying in Barcelona to practice on
their sub-par grasscourt. The Spaniards say Lleyton Hewitt won't be match-tough
since he hasn't played a tournament since the US Open in September. The Aussies
fire back that after Juan Carlos Ferrero's and Carlos Moya's poor performances
at the Masters Cup, then moving to grass, they will be ripe for a beating. The
Spaniards counter that other weaknesses linger in the Aussie line-up.
"Hewitt will arrive without competing in three months"¨ said Moya, firing the
first shot across the Aussie team's bow. "He has been practicing, but the rhythm
you get when you're competing is different and the confidence too. He can feel
the pressure and we have to take advantage of that.¨
Upon hearing of Moya¡¦s remark, and that lefty Feliciano Lopez could knock the
former No. 1 out of the Spanish line-up, Hewitt shot back, ¡§We don¡¦t even know
if (Moya¡¦s) playing yet.¡¨
Moya also hinted that Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis, although ranked
higher that Hewitt, could be the weak link.
¡§Philippoussis has more ups and downs,¡¨ Moya told the Herald Sun. ¡§We have
Juan Carlos Ferrero, who can beat anyone on any surface.¡¨
Aussie doubles specialist Todd Woodbridge has questioned the Spaniards
preparation for the event, saying they would have been wise to immediately come
to Australia following the Masters Cup.
¡§I would have been down here already,¡¨ said Woodbridge to The Age on Wednesday
before Ferrero or Moya had arrived. ¡§If the match court plays like (the
practice court), they¡¦re pretty hard and fast already, and they¡¦re not going
to be hard and fast in Barcelona, and I think that plays to our advantage that
they¡¦re not here earlier.¡¨
The Spaniard Lopez will be the wildcard in the Davis Cup mix, competing in his
first D-Cup tie after a season that included some highlights on grass.
Regardless of whether he is inserted into the singles line-up, Lopez is
scheduled to play the doubles with the veteran Alex Corretja.
Philippoussis is still smarting from a loss to Lopez at last month¡¦s Tennis
Masters Series-Madrid event on hardcourt, where the crowd rode the big Aussie
hard during the defeat. Flipper has already stated he will use that memory as a
motivator during the final.
Lopez and Ferrero reached the fourth round at Wimbledon this year, and are
hoping to follow the French team who in 2001 beat the Aussies on their own
lawns.
Hewitt has been looking and sounding confident all week, to the point that he
says when he returns to the tour next year, it won¡¦t be long before he
re-assumes his rightful spot atop the ATP Rankings.
¡§At the moment I¡¦m playing as well as I¡¦ve ever played, so I think the way
that I beat (Roger) Federer in the Davis Cup semifinal, there¡¦s no doubt that
gives me confidence that I can get No. 1 back,¡¨ Hewitt said. ¡§I have no doubt
that I can beat anyone in the world on a given day¡KAs soon as the Davis Cup is
over, and hopefully we¡¦ve won, then the next thought¡¦s going to be trying to
prepare myself as well as possible for the Australian Open.¡¨
Also on Hewitt¡¦s mind is the 2000 final in Barcelona, where Corretja incited
the home crowd by remarking he did not approve of the Aussie newcomer¡¦s loud ¡§C¡¦mon!¡¨
cry and disrespectful behavior. ¡§I¡¦ve talked to Alex since,¡¨ Hewitt said,
¡§but it¡¦s all in the memory bank.¡¨
Today the Aussie team takes a break from practice to attend the funeral of Bob
¡§Nails¡¨ Carmichael, one of the Australian coaches who died unexpectedly
earlier in the week.
¡§I worked with him for a number of weeks when no one really wanted to coach
me,¡¨ said Hewitt of his early years. ¡§He was a great person, you¡¦d never
forget him, you¡¦d never forget little things he did or said.¡¨
Hewitt at home a different proposition: Moya
By Linda Pearce
November 22, 2003
Carlos Moya prefaced his first practice session on Australian grass yesterday
with a caution against overstating the significance of his world-best 5-3 record
against Lleyton Hewitt, the Spaniard's likely opponent should the fifth rubber
decide next week's Davis Cup final.
If Moya had to nominate the most difficult cup finals assignment, he said it
would be playing away, against Australia, on a surface he last experienced at
Wimbledon more than two years ago. The flipside is that he has been Hewitt's
toughest opponent, although none of their eight matches has been on grass.
"It's always good to have a positive record against your opponent, but if we get
to play here, it would be the fifth point, and Davis Cup, grasscourt,
best-of-five sets, so it would be a totally different story than any other match
that we've played each other," said Moya, who has won twice on clay and three
times on hardcourt.
Asked about the wisdom of Hewitt's no-matchplay route to the final, of which he
had reportedly been critical earlier this week, the world No. 7 was diplomatic.
"Each player is a different story," he said. "For me, it wouldn't work: what I
need is to get the rhythm of the competition, to play matches, win a few of them
to get confident.
"For him, I don't know how it is going to be, but it is true that he had two
very tough years, and maybe he needed a rest, and decided to do it now, but for
sure he has prepared very well and he's going to be ready for it."
Indeed, since September 21, Hewitt has dined with Brownlow medallists and
lunched with an American president. He has pumped weights, run hundreds of
kilometres and hit thousands of tennis balls. About the only thing he has not
done is played a tennis match, a real one.
The intangible, therefore, for Spain is whether Hewitt's two months off the
circuit to prepare for what may be just one outing, next Friday against Juan
Carlos Ferrero, proves more disadvantageous than beneficial.
"Australia has a very good team, but in the tie we must wait and see first how
Hewitt is playing after so long without playing in high competition," said
captain Jordi Arrese. "He has the character to play well, but it's a long time
without playing at a high level with the big guys."
So hard has Hewitt practised - yesterday, he completed another lengthy
Australian practice session that involved mostly doubles - that he has earned a
day off this weekend, while Ferrero is yet to touch down.
Moya, who has been preparing on hardcourts in Miami, said: "Hopefully, I'm going
to get used to (the grass) on time. We know it's not going to be easy, but we
are professional and we have one week to get used to it, and we're going to do
our best."
Hewitt recalls Corretja's role in crowd hysteria
Leo Schlink
21nov03
LLEYTON Hewitt may have forgiven Alex Corretja for inciting a baying Barcelona
crowd into hysteria and hatred against Australia in the 2000 final, but he has
not forgotten.
While Corretja yesterday attempted to soften memories by confirming an apology
to Hewitt last year, the former world champion said images of a hostile tie were
"all in the memory bank".
Hewitt and Pat Rafter both say it was the worst crowd behaviour of their careers
and yesterday reflected on three days' of relentless abuse. Corretja, at Kooyong
to prepare for next week's final at Rod Laver Arena, sought out Hewitt at the US
Open last year to discuss the tie.
"I said, 'Listen, I do apologise to you if I said something that bothers
yourself'," Corretja said.
"He accepted, and since that day I believe we are in good conditions to talk.
"I think now everything's calmed down."
Hewitt drew energy from the Barcelona crowd to uncork a magnificent performance
to down Albert Costa, who -- with former captain Javier Duarte -- also upset
Rafter and captain John Newcombe.
"There was very little respect for the whole game and the tradition of Davis
Cup," Hewitt raid.
"I don't mind loud crowds, but in Spain they were just throwing stuff and
carrying on.
"Alex and Duarte, the captain, were headlining the situation and built it up
that way, talking to the media."
Hewitt said the campaign against Australia was extensive. "At a restaurant in
Barcelona, and a Spanish guy goes: 'Have you seen the paper?' and he translated
it for me," Hewitt said.
"The article said, 'You've got to learn to hate this guy', and there was a big
picture of me.
"That made me all the more hungry to beat Costa on day one, which I was able to
do.
"I've talked to Alex since, but it's all in the memory bank."
Corretja, twice voted by his peers winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship
award, displayed a different side to his personality in the lead-up to the 2000
final by isolating Hewitt as a threat to Spain's Cup hopes.
The Spaniard declared in Lisbon at the Tennis Masters Cup that he did not like
Hewitt's on-court behaviour, notably his gesturing and 'C'mon' cry, describing
it as strange.
Corretja was joined by singles contender and Cup debutante Feliciano Lopez at
Kooyong.
Twice able to reach Wimbledon's fourth round, Lopez could oust Carlos Moya from
singles duty.
The left-hander was Spain's best male performer at the All-England Club last
year, losing to Brazilian Andre Sa in the round of 16.
He advanced to the same stage this year before falling to the champion Roger
Federer.
"I have to be ready if they decide I play," Lopez said.
"I've never played Davis Cup and I'm in the finals.
"Now I don't feel pressure, but maybe when the matches are coming I feel
pressure.
"I am ready to play singles, but in Australia it's not easy to play singles.
"I think grass courts are good for my game, for my serve and volleys."
Moya is expected to arrive in Melbourne today, with Juan Carlos Ferrero due
tomorrow.
Corretja ends Hewitt feud
Nov 21
Alex Corretja has revealed he apologised to Lleyton Hewitt for calling the
Australian "arrogant" before the 2000 Davis Cup Final.
With Spain set to meet Australia in the final again on 28 November in Melbourne,
Corretja played down any hint of a rift.
"Fortunately, we had a talk already last year at the US Open," Corretja said of
the Hewitt situation.
"I said, 'Listen, I do apologise to you if I said something that bothers you'.
"'Probably I should have come straight to you and said it'.
"He accepted and since that day I believe we are in good conditions to talk and
we say hello to each other and I think it's pretty fine."
Next week's tie will be played on grass, and the Spaniards have been practising
on the surface in Houston and Barcelona.
"The grass season is like time off for us," Corretja admitted. "I don't see any
problem for us but of course we'd rather play on clay."
Corretja and 22-year-old Feliciano Lopez are expected to team up in the doubles,
with Carlos Moya and world number two Juan Carlos Ferrero likely to feature in
singles.
But Corretja insists that Lopez, who has a swinging left-handed serve and is a
decent volleyer, could challenge for a singles place.
"Definitely he (Lopez) has a good chance to play (singles)," said Corretja.
"I mean he's ready, he's been practising on a different grass court and he's
been playing pretty well at Wimbledon so far.
"We will see how his game develops here and what the captain decides."
Spain erred by not coming to Australia sooner: Woodbridge
Wednesday November 19, 06:29 PM
www.yahoo.com.au
MELBOURNE, Australia, (AFP) - Spain have blundered by not coming to Australia
earlier to practise on grass ahead of their Davis Cup tennis final later this
month, doubles specialist Todd Woodbridge said.
The Spaniards have been preparing at home and in Houston, Texas and they are not
expected to get a first-hand feel of the Melbourne courts until Thursday, a week
out from the November 28-30 tie at Melbourne Park.
Woodbridge has already practised on Kooyong's grass courts with doubles partner
Wayne Arthurs shortly after arriving in town.
Lleyton Hewitt has been working out on grass for almost three weeks and Mark
Philippoussis went straight from the airport to the courts after arriving on
Tuesday.
"I wouldn't have gone back to Spain (after the Masters Cup in the US) to
practise on grass before coming to Australia, I would have been down here,"
Woodbridge said.
"If the match courts plays like this, they're pretty hard and fast already and
they're not going to be hard and fast in Barcelona, where the court is."
"I think that plays to our advantage, that they're not here early," he said.
Woodbridge said there were few differences for Australia between this final and
the last one against France in 2001 which Australia lost amid controversies over
team selections.
He said the Australians would be better positioned this year to face a European
nation -- and one with two top 10 players in Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya.
"Coming into this one, I just think that our team has got good preparation this
time around," he said.
"Lleyton's very fresh, Mark could have had a few more matches but he played very
well in Europe and Wayne and I individually have played a lot of matches and
played good tennis this year.
"Our team's in shape, it just has to fall our way."
Woodbridge said Australia's chances were "the same" as in 2001 but they would be
approaching the tie in a different manner, one more in line with the plan which
gave Australia victory over Switzerland in the recent semi-final.
"I think this time around, if everyone stays fit and healthy, we have the same
approach as what we had in the semi-final, we have a bit of a game plan ...
we'll go the same way.
"If it works that way, it would be the perfect scenario," he said.
Spanish target Hewitt
By LEO SCHLINK
19nov03
SPANISH stalwart Carlos Moya yesterday fired the first barb in the psychological
skirmish before next week's Davis Cup final by questioning Lleyton Hewitt's
preparation.
Holding a rare 5-3 win-loss record over world champion Hewitt, former world No.
1 Moya said the South Australian could be vulnerable to pressure after not
playing a match since September 21.
"Hewitt will arrive without competing in three months," Moya said. "He has been
practising but the rhythm you get when you're competing is different and the
confidence, too.
"He can feel pressure and we have to take advantage of that."
Moya, whose monstrous forehand and lethal serve have caused Hewitt difficulty
previously, also hinted at Mark Philippoussis' inconsistency.
"Philippoussis has more ups and downs but if he has a good day (he) is almost
unbeatable," the 1998 French Open winner said. The baseliner, overlooked for the
2000 3-1 victory over Australia in a poisonous Barcelona tie, said the
illustrious Spanish outfit now faced a daunting challenge.
"We have to deal with the worst situation – Australia on grass," Moya said. "But
we have to give 100 per cent. We can't give up winning the Cup."
Despite the underlying strand of pessimism feeding Spain's underdog mantra, Moya
and fellow veteran Alex Corretja are plotting an upset, emulating France's 2001
triumph.
"In a final everything is possible," Moya said. "It won't be easy, maybe it is
the most complicated tie.
"But we have Juan Carlos Ferrero, who can beat anyone on any surface, myself,
Feliciano (Lopez) and Alex."
Corretja, the agent provocateur behind the anti-Australian sentiment in
Barcelona three years ago, is more conciliatory now – but his message is just as
plain.
"It will be tougher than the 2000 final," he said. "Now they (Australia) are the
favourites.
"If we don't go to Australia thinking we can win, it would be a lack of courage.
But we are courageous and convinced that we can win."
Philippoussis arrives for surprise practice
November 18, 2003
MELBOURNE, Nov 18 AAP - Mark Philippoussis made a surprising, but greatly
welcomed, appearance at Australia's Davis Cup training today shortly after
stepping off a flight from America.
After casting an approving eye over hard-working duo Lleyton Hewitt and
Philippoussis, captain John Fitzgerald was guardedly optimistic about
Australia's chances of beating Spain in next week's final.
"We think we can do it," he said.
"We're here preparing, trying to get into a good frame of mind early and trying
to peak at the right time."
Fitzgerald added he was "very wary of any opposition we play."
"I was very wary of Roger Federer (in the semi-final against Switzerland) and it
panned out to be a pretty close tie.
"We're very wary of the Spanish. They have an incredible amount of depth, a
wonderful team with highly ranked players who have had a lot of experience at
this level.
"So under any conditions they're going to be hard to beat - but we think we can
do it," he said. Fitzgerald said that if Hewitt felt he was in peak condition by
the middle of next week he would wind down his training.
Philippoussis joined Hewitt on the practice courts after spending last week as
the reserve for the Masters Cup in Houston, where he didn't get a match.
The pair delighted Fitzgerald as Hewitt swept past junior star Todd Reid and
Philippoussis worked out with Australian coach Wally Masur.
"Lleyton had a good three sets and Mark stepped off the plane this morning and
played for probably an hour and a quarter, so that worked out well for all of
us," Fitzgerald said.
"I was hoping he'd play for that long and sometimes walking off the plane, it's
not easy. I'm sure he's feeling a bit tired right now but I think it's great to
get off and have a sweat and I think it helps you acclimatise a bit quicker."
Philippoussis described his session as "just a light hit."
"I'm loosening up and I got a bit of a sweat going, so that was good,"
Philippoussis said.
However he warned the team needed to be cautious in its approach to Spain, after
the unexpected loss in the final to France in 2001.
"There's nothing to be over-confident about because anything can happen, as you
saw against France," he said. Fitzgerald said Hewitt was now accustomed to
grass.
"Lleyton's been on grass for over two weeks," he said.
"He played here for five days two weeks ago and then was at Memorial Drive in
Adelaide all of last week and he's hit a lot of balls already.
"We'll try to single out a few sets this week for him in practice, like we did
(today) - he had three straight there and he won all three of them so he's going
okay.
"I was really pleased. The first day's always a little bit tentative I guess,
but the courts are lovely and they're very advanced for the weather we've had
here."
Australia has had an early jump on Spain, training on a specially-prepared grass
court at Kooyong and Fitzgerald believes the surface will be a major factor in
Australia securing its 28th Cup trophy.
"Their major strength is clay," Fitzgerald said.
"It's what they're used to.
"The players in our team have games that are more suited to, we think, a grass
court where the ball comes on a little more and you can serve and volley a
little bit more.
"We feel that grass gives us a bit more of an advantage than if we were playing
on a different surface," he said.
Hewitt and Philippoussis will be joined tomorrow by doubles players Todd
Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs.
The Spanish. led by World No.3 Juan Carlos Ferrero, are due to arrive tomorrow
and have their first training session on Thursday.
Hewitt the saviour returns
November 18, 2003
Lleyton Hewitt might not now be Australia's top ranked player but if a saviour
is needed in next week's Davis Cup final, he will be called on.
Hewitt, who has been overtaken in the world tennis rankings by compatriot Mark
Philippoussis, begins training today for the match against Spain.
The former Wimbledon and US Open champion will start hitting balls at Kooyong's
grass courts with memories of heroic deeds still fresh in his mind.
He and Philippoussis will spearhead Australia's team as the singles players
while veteran Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs are the likely doubles pairing.
Hewitt is the reason Australia will be chasing its 28th Davis Cup trophy at the
National Tennis Centre next week.
His awesome performance in clawing back to beat Switzerland's Roger Federer in
the semi-finals here last September has given him something of an image of Davis
Cup invincibility.
Federer, the reigning Wimbledon champion, had Hewitt on the mat at two sets to
love in their reverse singles rubber and was poised to level the rubber at
2-all.
But, drawing on visions of Pat Cash's inspirational comeback win against Mikael
Pernfors in the 1986 final at Kooyong, Hewitt somehow evened the scores.
He then sprinted past a disconsolate Federer to seize the fifth set 6-1 and seal
the cup 3-1.
Australia will face a team led by World No. 2 Juan Carlos Ferrero and includes
Carlos Moya, Alex Corretja and Feliciano Lopez.
While Australia is expected to have an edge playing on grass and at home, the
head-to-head results reveal some close rivalries.
Hewitt and Ferrero are 3-3 in past matches while he trails Moya 3-5.
Philippoussis has never beaten Ferrero in two meetings but leads Moya 3-2.
Meanwhile, young American Robby Ginepri has been given the eighth spot in the
Commonwealth Bank International event at Kooyong the week before the Australian
Open.
The 21-year-old won the ATP event in Newport, Rhode Island, this year and was a
quarter-finalist in Tennis Masters series events in Indian Wells, Miami and
Cincinnati.
He is ranked 35 and joins a select group including World No.1 Andy Roddick, No.2
Roger Federer and Andre Agassi.
- AAP
tunes up
By Linda Pearce
November 14, 2003
If the Davis Cup final is decided by the fifth match, it will involve Lleyton
Hewitt and Carlos Moya, whom the Australian has beaten only three times in eight
attempts. Better to strike early is Hewitt's theory, which is why his target is
Spain's world No. 2 Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The recent rankings reshuffle installed Mark Philippoussis as Australia's No. 1
and ensured that Hewitt and Ferrero - career record 3-3 - will meet on the
opening day on the portable grasscourt being laid this weekend at Rod Laver
Arena.
"Hopefully, it won't come down to the Moya match if I've got to play him in the
fifth rubber, but I'm obviously putting all my eggs in one basket and going
after Ferrero on day one," Hewitt told Tennis Week magazine from Adelaide.
"He's two in the world at the moment and one of the best players in the world .
. . (so) I don't think playing on grass is going to be a huge disadvantage for
Ferrero. He . . . can adjust his game to any surfaces, I think. Day one is going
to be pretty interesting."
The two-time No. 1 will end the ATP season at No. 18 as a result of mediocre
grand slam results and his voluntary lack of tournament play since the US Open.
Davis Cup is Hewitt's focus, and he will join Australia's first official
practice session at Kooyong on Monday.
"I'm training particularly hard and I feel like I've made the right move to stay
at home and practise for a few weeks," Hewitt said.
"I've put the Davis Cup ahead of anything else this whole year. It's not that
often that you actually get to play in the Davis Cup final for your country,
especially at home in Australia."
Rafter says Hewitt not arrogant enough
By Will Swanton
November 14, 2003 - 10:57AM
Pat Rafter believes Lleyton Hewitt has fallen off his perch because of a lack of
arrogance but predicts Australia's former world No.1 will inspire a
comprehensive thumping of Spain in the Davis Cup final.
Rafter has tried for years to convince people that Hewitt's confrontational
on-court demeanour, a classic case of white-line fever, belies a more gentle
nature when he's around friends and family.
Hewitt officially lost the year-end world No.1 ranking to American dynamo Andy
Roddick this week, capping a poor season of botched Grand Slams that can only be
salvaged by a Davis Cup triumph in Melbourne from November 28-30.
"He's a very humble kid, when you really get to know Lleyton," Rafter told Fox
Sports.
"He just doesn't have that real arrogance, that air of 'I'm going to do this and
shove it in your face' sort of thing. He knows his limitations and I guess he
didn't back himself this year.
"It's hard to stay at the top of the game. When you're No.1 there's only one
place to go. If we don't see big results from him next year, I definitely think
the year after he'll develop more as a player and as a person."
Hewitt showed his trademark courage in the Davis Cup semi-final against
Switzerland, clawing his way off the canvas to beat world No.2 Roger Federer in
five gruelling sets.
Rafter warned that the Spanish should not be taken lightly on the specially laid
grass court in Melbourne, despite their hopes resting largely on a pair of clay
court machines in Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Moya.
With Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis, Australia has the winner and runner-up from
the last two years at Wimbledon.
"He loves playing Davis Cup," Rafter said of Hewitt.
"He's a geeat man to have in your team. There's not another man I'd have. He'd
be the No.1 guy I'd pick every single time.
"Lleyton's all fired up - the Spanish are going to be tough, though, and the
Australians had better not underestimate how good these guys are. Although it's
on grass they'll be very, very competitive ... even though I back Australia to
win three-nil."
Australia is heavily favoured, but the memory lingers of the debacle against
France two years ago.
On grass in the same arena, Hewitt and Rafter were the major players in a
stunning 3-2 loss.
Hewitt went down to Nicolas Escude in his opening singles. Rafter beat Sebastien
Grosjean for 1-1. Hewitt and Rafter lost a shocker in the doubles to Cedric
Pioline and Fabrice Santoro. Hewitt squared the ledger at 2-2 by beating
Grosjean to start the final day, but Rafter mysteriously withdrew from the
deciding fifth rubber, which was lost by a teary-eyed Wayne Arthurs.
Hewitt, Philippoussis, Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge will line up against Ferrero,
Moya, the rapidly improving Feliciano Lopez and stubborn 29-year-old Alex
Corretja.
- AAP
Lleyton fresh for Davis Cup
November 12, 2003
LLEYTON Hewitt's ten-week sabbatical ensures he will be running on fresh legs in
this month's Davis Cup final against Spain in contrast to the weary player who
suffered a costly loss to France two years ago.
Hewitt, who has slipped to No.18 in the world rankings, has not played since his
five-set win over Switzerland's Roger Federer in September's Cup semi-final
while Spain's spearhead and world No.2 Juan Carlos Ferrero has been running
himself ragged.
Ferrero admitted to fatigue after a lame loss in round-robin play to Argentinian
David Nalbandian at this week's Masters Cup.
Hewitt suffered an opening five-set defeat to Frenchman Nicolas Escude in
Australia's 3-2 loss in the 2001 Davis Cup decider when he was coming off a
similarly hectic schedule following his US Open victory, Masters Cup triumph and
elevation to world No.1.
"It's a very different preparation and it's difficult I think to get the formula
absolutely perfect," said Australia's Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald today.
"Two years ago he (Hewitt) did exactly what Juan Carlos did and in the final
(against France) he actually lost his first match and maybe he was just a little
bit exhausted.
"There's a fine line there between getting the right number of matches and the
right amount of fitness and hitting enough balls and working on the things that
you need to work on."
The Australian squad – Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne
Arthurs – will assemble in Melbourne early next week ahead of the November 28-30
tie.
Like they did against France, the Australians have opted to play on a specially
laid grass court at Melbourne Park.
Fitzgerald said Hewitt's extended break would prove to be beneficial next year.
"It's a tough game tennis, it's a worldwide game, they're jet-lagged a lot, they
don't have an off-season and for three years in a row he was in Davis Cup
finals," Fitzgerald said.
"He's had four very long years in a row with a couple of weeks at the end of the
year that he might call his off-season, then he's into it again.
"So I think this year he's decided he needed a bit of an extended break and I
think it will work in his favour as the next year rolls on."
Hewitt, who was practising on a grass court at Adelaide's Memorial Drive today,
looked to have muscled up significantly during his time away from competition.
Asked about the chance of Hewitt recapturing the world No.1 ranking, Fitzgerald
said: "Absolutely, I think he can, I think he'll be a better player.
"That may not necessarily mean he'll get to No.1, but I certainly think he can.
"He has the ability and desire to do it and he's very happy at the moment with
his preparation for the Davis Cup and also for the Australian summer."
Hewitt heats up for Cup crusade
By DOUG ROBERTSON
13nov03
AUSTRALIAN Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald breezed into Adelaide yesterday for
the Milo under-11 clinic – and to fine tune his star Lleyton Hewitt.
The former world No. 1 – who will lead Australia's charge against Spain in the
Cup final from November 28-30 – hit up under the watchful eye of Fitzgerald at
Memorial Drive.
Hewitt, 22, had a solid workout in brilliant sunshine with part-time doubles
partner Sydney-based right-hander Nathan Healy, with coach Roger Rasheed and
Adelaide 36ers coach Phil Smyth on the sidelines.
Fitzgerald said he liked what he saw with the gifted Hewitt belting the ball
back at incredible pace and moving smoothly. Fitzgerald tipped the relaxed
Hewitt would have a big Davis Cup final against Spain's No. 1 Juan Carlos
Ferrero.
Hewitt lost to Ferrero on hardcourt at this year's US Open in their last meeting
to level the head-to-head count at 3-3. A clay-court specialist, Ferrero won the
French Open this year then reached the fourth round at Wimbledon on grass,
proving he was a dangerman for Hewitt.
Fitzgerald can't be certain of Hewitt's physical condition after an
unprecedented two-month lay-off and foot surgery, but Fitzgerald said he was
certain of the Wimbledon and US Open winner's focus whenever he represented his
country.
"I think Lleyton will play well in the final, I really do," he said. "There's a
fine line between this preparation and the one he had two years ago (when
Australia lost to France in the final in Melbourne).
"He played right through, chased the No. 1 ranking, ended up in the Masters then
came to the Davis Cup.
"Maybe, he was a fraction overdone then? It's tough to be underdone or overdone,
it's a fine line."
Mark Philippoussis, Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge are expected to join
Hewitt in Melbourne by the middle of next week before acclimatising to the match
court at Rod Laver Arena.
Fitzgerald said it was easier for clay-court players to adapt to grass than the
other way around.
"If you can play well on clay you can come and play well on other surfaces," he
said.
"The hardest thing is to go the other way. If our juniors learn on courts that
shoot through and are low bouncing, then go to clay, they find it difficult to
compete.
"Lleyton can play on high-bouncing or low, which is pretty great."
---------------------------------------------------
Hewitt's break good for Australia's chances: Fitzy
Lleyton Hewitt's long break from tennis will help rather than hinder Australia
in their Davis Cup final against Spain, captain John Fitzgerald says.
Hewitt, who has slipped to number 18 in the rankings, has cut his schedule back
to concentrate on the final.
He last played in a five-set win over Switzerland's Roger Federer in the
semi-final in September.
In Australia's last Davis Cup final in 2001, which they lost to France, the
former world number one looked washed out after a hectic schedule following his
US Open victory, Masters Cup triumph and elevation to the top ranking.
"It's a very different preparation and it's difficult I think to get the formula
absolutely perfect," Fitzgerald told a news conference in Adelaide.
"Two years ago he did exactly what Juan Carlos (Ferrero) did and in the final
(against France) he actually lost his first match, and maybe he was just a
little bit exhausted."
Fitzgerald says the Spanish squad, which includes world number two Ferrero and
number seven Carlos Moya, is in great shape, but has warned his team is also in
outstanding form.
"Mark (Philippoussis) has finished ninth in the world, so it's a pretty big step
over a 12-month period for him, so it's pretty exciting to have a team of that
calibre," he said.
Fitzgerald watched Hewitt practise in Adelaide this afternoon and says the
former world number one is looking fresh.
"He has this innate ability to walk onto a different surface and hit the ball
right in the middle of the racquet," Fitzgerald said.
"There's not too many players that can do that.
"He's hitting the ball very well, and he's certainly fresh."
The Australian squad of Hewitt, Philippoussis, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs
will assemble in Melbourne next week for the November 28-30 tie.
The final will be played on a specially laid grass court at Melbourne Park.
-- ABC and Reuters
---------------------------------------------------
Lleyton in top nick for Davis Cup final
Lleyton Hewitt's ten-week sabbatical ensures he will be running on fresh legs in
this month's Davis Cup final against Spain in contrast to the weary player who
suffered a costly loss to France two years ago.
Hewitt, who has slipped to No.18 in the world rankings, has not played since his
five-set win over Switzerland's Roger Federer in September's Cup semi-final
while Spain's spearhead and world No.2 Juan Carlos Ferrero has been running
himself ragged.
Ferrero admitted to fatigue after a lame loss in round-robin play to Argentinian
David Nalbandian at this week's Masters Cup.
Hewitt suffered an opening five-set defeat to Frenchman Nicolas Escude in
Australia's 3-2 loss in the 2001 Davis Cup decider when he was coming off a
similarly hectic schedule following his US Open victory, Masters Cup triumph and
elevation to world No.1.
"It's a very different preparation and it's difficult I think to get the formula
absolutely perfect," said Australia's Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald.
"Two years ago he (Hewitt) did exactly what Juan Carlos did and in the final
(against France) he actually lost his first match and maybe he was just a little
bit exhausted.
"There's a fine line there between getting the right number of matches and the
right amount of fitness and hitting enough balls and working on the things that
you need to work on."
The Australian squad - Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne
Arthurs - will assemble in Melbourne early next week ahead of the November 28-30
tie.
Like they did against France, the Australians have opted to play on a specially
laid grass court at Melbourne Park.
Fitzgerald said Hewitt's extended break would prove to be beneficial next year.
"It's a tough game tennis, it's a worldwide game, they're jet-lagged a lot, they
don't have an off-season and for three years in a row he was in Davis Cup
finals," Fitzgerald said.
"He's had four very long years in a row with a couple of weeks at the end of the
year that he might call his off-season, then he's into it again.
"So I think this year he's decided he needed a bit of an extended break and I
think it will work in his favour as the next year rolls on."
Hewitt, who was practising on a grass court at Adelaide's Memorial Drive on
Wednesday, looked to have muscled up significantly during his time away from
competition.
Asked about the chance of Hewitt recapturing the world No.1 ranking, Fitzgerald
said: "Absolutely, I think he can, I think he'll be a better player.
"That may not necessarily mean he'll get to No.1, but I certainly think he can.
"He has the ability and desire to do it and he's very happy at the moment with
his preparation for the Davis Cup and also for the Australian summer."
-AAP
I'm back in town, says Scud
Leo Schlink
13nov03
ROUTINELY overshadowed by the twin peaks of Australian tennis - Lleyton Hewitt
and Pat Rafter - rejuvenated Mark Philippoussis claims he is ready to shoulder
the burden of becoming the nation's top-ranked player.
Ranked ninth in the world after a landmark season highlighted by an appearance
in the Wimbledon final, Philippoussis plans to prove his worthiness as
Australian spearhead in the Davis Cup final against Spain.
An alternate at the Masters Cup in Houston, Philippoussis will rush back to
Melbourne next week to join 18th-ranked Hewitt in the grasscourt build-up to the
November 28-30 final at Melbourne Park.
The Victorian is so eager to join forces with Hewitt, Wayne Arthurs and Todd
Woodbridge that he has rejected a lucrative offer to contest a tiebreak shootout
in Oregon -- just as Hewitt had.
"I'll need some time to adapt, but I'll get to Australia the latest next
Wednesday," Philippoussis said from Texas, where he described statistically the
best year of his career as "average".
"That still leaves me 10 days to get ready (for the Davis Cup final). And I'll
definitely be ready for that match on Friday.
"It (grass) is a different surface, but every time I step on that grass, hit the
first ball, I feel very much at home.
"I've been working on my serve-and-volley rhythm with my dad (Nick) in Florida.
"And my returns, as long as that rhythm's there, I'm going to be very
confident."
Philippoussis, 27 last week, has finished in the season-end top-10 rankings for
the first time in a career flecked with unparalleled brilliance and crippling
injury.
By winning Shanghai, contesting finals at Wimbledon and Scottsdale and advancing
to the Los Angeles final, Philippoussis vaulted from 83rd to No. 9.
By the Victorian's extreme standards, the season was typically erratic, yet he
senses the best is still to come.
"It was a good year," Philippoussis said. "I started off the year in the 80s, I
finished nine.
"That's the first time for me, finishing in the top 10. It was a big step for
me, very important.
"It also made me realise that I don't think I had an incredible year. When you
think about it, it was pretty much making the final of Wimbledon.
"It was only four tournaments that made my ranking.
"That's pretty incredible, thinking there's so many tournaments out there. Made
me realise I really had an average year this year and made the top 10.
"Who knows what can happen if I have a really good year, as long as I stay
healthy."
Beaten in the 1998 US Open final by former world No. 1 Rafter and since eclipsed
by Hewitt's prodigious achievement, Philippoussis has worked feverishly to
recover from three bouts of knee surgery.
By earning the right to share in the Masters Cup largesse with players such as
Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Davis Cup foe Juan Carlos Ferrero, Philippoussis
believes more than ever he belongs with the elite.
"I've always felt I belong with the top guys," he said.
"I never had the chance to prove it because this year's my first year where I've
had a full season for maybe four, five years. It will make me realise now that
I've got to step it up.
"I've got to be responsible for a little more eyes being on top of me, the
expectations being there. Whereas this year, there were no expectations.
"I had nothing to lose. I was just excited to go out there and play again.
"Now, where I'm top 10, the eyes will be on me, the expectations on me. I think
I'm ready for that.
"I think that's going to make me play better, I honestly do. So let's just see
how it goes.
"I'm training harder but, most important, I'm just enjoying the challenge."
Having famously declared in 1998 he was almost certain to retire by the age of
27, Philippoussis now has no plans to hang up his racquets.
The prodigy who explosively confirmed the raw potential many in Melbourne's
western suburbs had salivated over for years by trouncing world No. 1 Pete
Sampras at the 1996 Australian Open now wants to continue for several seasons.
"I turned 27 on Friday, so I'm definitely mature," he laughed.
"Everyone matures differently, in different stages. I was definitely a late
maturer. I've always liked to have fun, I still do but now I've learned to give
myself some rules.
"If you have fun, that's fine, but you're going to have to work hard.
"When you work hard and you deserve that fun, it's a different story."
While 2003 has been a mixture of the excellent and the ordinary, Philippoussis
has committed to Olympian levels of fitness through a retired US Navy serviceman
and kick boxer.
Surfing has also played a role in settling Philippoussis's sometimes tortured
mind. It has been the right-hander's relaxed acceptance of his place in the
Australian hierarchy that has finally allowed him to flourish.
"For years, the eyes were always on Pat and Lleyton," Philippoussis said. "Those
guys have been great, to see the way they've trained.
"I definitely admired them, the ways they carried themselves -- especially
Lleyton, with the pressure on him and how young he was.
"He's done an incredible job.
"I'm not really thinking about 'OK, I'm No. 9 in the world and No. 1 in
Australia'.
"I'm just excited to come back. I'm looking forward to playing good tennis,
playing solid tennis and trying to achieve the things I'm capable of."
The hero of the 1999 Davis Cup triumph against France in Nice, Philippoussis
hankers after more of the same after missing the past two finals against Spain
and France, one through injury, the other through factional selection politics.
Beyond what is certain to be a gripping showdown with the Spanish at Rod Laver
Arena, Philippoussis wants to discover how far his lacerating game will carry
him with an above-average yield -- and something far superior to a 37-19
win-loss record.
"This year is going to be make me more motivated," he said. "I think it's going
to push me. Obviously I love to have fun, so when I have my time, I'm going to
go surfing.
"But I've got to remember that a season is starting (after the Davis Cup) and
I've got to get into top shape.
"I've got to be ready to go from the start, from the first of January.
"I've got to be physically tough and mentally tough. Everything is gunna push
me."
Nothing more, one suspects, than the platform of a huge Davis Cup occasion.
Hewitt given private court
Bruce Matthews
06nov03
LLEYTON Hewitt has been given his own grasscourt to assist his preparation for
the Davis Cup final.
Hewitt started the fast-surface adjustments with a strenuous two-hour practice
session at Kooyong yesterday.
The private club answered a call from Australian captain John Fitzgerald to
allow the eager Hewitt to start hitting on the same surface which will be
installed at Melbourne Park for the final against Spain from November 28-30.
And the former world No. 1 was grateful for the curators who attended to his
early-season request when he spoke exclusively to the Herald Sun at Kooyong
yesterday.
"Obviously, there wouldn't be too many grasscourts ready at the moment only
because we've had such bad weather in Adelaide and Melbourne in the last few
weeks," Hewitt said before heading to the club gym for a warm-down workout.
"They have worked really hard on this court and it has come up pretty well. It's
just a matter of trying to get your footing on a different kind of surface."
Fitzgerald was impressed with the approach and form of Hewitt, who hasn't played
a match since he overran current Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in five sets
to seal the home semi-final against Switzerland in mid-September.
"Lleyton has been hitting balls for a couple of weeks. He would've been hitting
on grass if it had been warmer weather, but this is the first time he has been
able to get on the grass," Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald has enlisted Victorian Peter Luczak, a Davis Cup hitting partner, to
work with Hewitt today as the Wimbledon and US Open champion gradually increases
the workload to playing practice sets.
"A few of the young guys are playing a Challenger down at Beaumaris this week.
But Peter is out of that, so he's ready to play all week," the captain said.
"These young guys will have to go hard to stay with Lleyton. He has been hitting
a lot of balls and he's going to hit a million more before we play. He will play
a few sets this week and he will be ready to go."
Hewitt plans to return to Adelaide for a short break next weekend before
Australian teammates Mark Philippoussis, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs join
him at Kooyong on Monday week to start official practice.
The Australians and the Spanish team -- Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moya, Alex
Corretja and Feliciano Lopez -- will be allocated practice courts at Kooyong
until the grasscourt at Melbourne Park is ready for play on November 24.
The portable court has been stored and maintained at turf company StrathAyr's
facilities at Seymour since it was last used for the 2001 Davis Cup final
against France.
The 160 modules are being transported to Melbourne this weekend to be laid on a
floor covering the existing Rebound Ace surface in Rod Laver Arena.
It will be laid this weekend over the existing Rebound Ace surface in Rod Laver
Arena.
Herald Sun
Newk: Stick it up Spain
By Mark Stevens
October 23, 2003
TENNIS legend John Newcombe has urged Australia to "stick it up" Spain in next
month's Davis Cup final as payback for its disrespectful behaviour.
Newcombe, the former Australian captain, has branded abuse the team copped in
the 2000 final loss in Barcelona as the worst of his career.
"The best way to stick it up them is to beat them, and beat them five-love,"
Newcombe said.
"I've been around for a long time and that's the worst I've ever seen."
Newcombe told the November edition of Australian Tennis Magazine it would be
"embarrassing" if the crowd behaved as poorly during the November 28-30 tie at
Melbourne Park.
The three-time Wimbledon champ criticised the Spanish players and then captain
Javier Duarte for fuelling anger in the 15,000-strong crowd.
"They were inciting the crowd and constantly encouraging the crowd to
over-participate . . . that's against the rules in Davis Cup," Newcombe said.
"They refused to recognise anything. If any of our players did anything
extraordinary, they'd boo to drown out the Australian applause."
Two players who will be in Melbourne next month -- Alex Corretja and world No. 1
Juan Carlos Ferrero -- were at the centre of controversy.
Corretja, likely to play doubles in the final, launched calculated attacks on
Lleyton Hewitt in the lead-up to the final, focusing on his "c'mon" antics.
"His behaviour irritates me," Corretja said. "He can behave as he wants, (he's)
free to do it. We have to be patient with him if he behaves provocatively.
"We will see how the crowd will react, but in Barcelona the crowd doesn't like
provocation."
Sparked by Corretja's comments, the Barcelona crowd unleashed unprecedented
abuse at Hewitt on the first day of the tie.
"Definitely, that last game was the worst I've ever seen," Hewitt said after
serving out the match. "It was the toughest thing I've ever had to do in tennis.
It's not a soccer match."
Hewitt was booed when introduced at the opening ceremony and again during the
warm-up to his match.
Newcombe was furious that Ferrero did not get around to shaking Hewitt's hand
after he won the reverse singles, sealing victory for the Spanish.
Ferrero's teammates swamped him, leaving Hewitt standing at the net.
"That's just completely disrespectful and shows a lack of class," said Newcombe,
who also vividly recalls the treatment dished out to Mark Woodforde, who was
booed when he walked on to court.
"It was so bad, I just started laughing. It was like 'these people don't get
it'," Newcombe said. "They totally missed the point (of Davis Cup)."
Woodforde said at the time that he felt like a "caged animal".
"I thought the crowd were pretty disgraceful," Woodforde said.
"I know, sure as hell, if we played in Australia, it wouldn't be like that."
Fitzy's charges prepare for D-day
By Linda Pearce
The Age
October 22, 2003
Lleyton Hewitt, in Adelaide, talks to John Fitzgerald, in Melbourne, by
telephone almost every second day. Inevitably, the conversation turns to the
Davis Cup. Next month's cup final. Hewitt's raison d'etre.
The former No.1 has ended his tournament year early, having had a wart removed
from his heel after the semi-final defeat of Switzerland. He has returned to the
Rebound Ace practice court with coach Roger Rasheed while waiting for some turf
to be readied at Memorial Drive.
"He wants to win this Davis Cup tie more than anything, I promise you," said
Fitzgerald.
Hewitt's teammates are taking more exotic routes to Rod Laver Arena for the
November 28-30 final against Spain. Mark Philippoussis is in Europe chasing
Masters Cup qualification, and sources confirmed his withdrawal from an
exhibition in Oregon the preceding weekend that would have compromised his
grasscourt preparation.
Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs have qualified for the Masters doubles, albeit
with different partners, and Fitzgerald hopes to have the squad as