Day 3

Aussies out of Davis Cup World Group
September 23, 2007
 

Novak Djokovic almost single-handedly sent Australia packing from the Davis Cup's elite World Group on Sunday night after a dramatic weekend of twists and turns in the Serbian capital.

Djokovic, the world No.3 and US Open runner-up, sparked scenes of hysteria inside the mammoth Beogradska Arena when he gave Serbia an unassailable 3-1 lead in the best-of-five-match tie with a tense 6-3 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-5) victory over Chris Guccione.

Boris Pashanksi then made it 4-1 to the Serbs with a 4-6 6-3 6-1 win over Peter Luczak in the dead fifth rubber.

Djokovic, though, was the undoubted local hero, the 20-year-old's third success in three days elevating the tiny war-torn nation into the 16-team World Group at their first attempt as an independent country.

Guccione, ranked a lowly 94th in the world, was pitched into the most intimidating of Cup cauldrons as a last-minute replacement for an ailing Lleyton Hewitt, who was struck down with gastroenteritis and unable to play Djokovic in the much-anticipated first reverse singles rubber.

Australian captain John Fitzgerald said Hewitt was suffering from a viral infection and high temperatures and was simply unable to get out of bed.

"So if you can't do that, you can't run for three-and-a-half hours either," Fitzgerald lamented.

As it were, Hewitt had already spent almost six-and-a-half of the previous 24 hours playing nine sets of singles and doubles for Australia.

There was also some suggestion the two-time Cup winner had already been less than 100 per cent heading into the do-or-die promotion-relegation playoff.

Fitzgerald, Australian coach Darren Cahill and hitting partner Alun Jones had all spent time laid up in their hotel rooms with similar complaints since arriving in Belgrade 10 days ago.

"I don't believe it was related. I've been told by the doctor it was a viral complaint, a viral issue," Fitzgerald said.

Hewitt was full of running, though, on Friday when he levelled the tie at one rubber apiece with a signature five-set comeback win over Janko Tipsarevic after Djokovic had outclassed Peter Luczak in straight sets in the opening singles encounter.

Inspired by a delirious home crowd, Serbia seized back control on Saturday with a pulsating victory in the all-important doubles.

Untried before as a Davis Cup pairing, Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic admitted they deliberately whipped the 19,662 mostly Serb fans - the third-largest crowd in the competition's 108-year history - into a state of frenzy en route to a 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-2 triumph from a set and service break down.

The Serbs had good reason to celebrate because, this time on Saturday, Australian were threatening a boilover, in control of the doubles and with Hewitt showing no sign of illness.

"Our eyebrows were starting to rise a little bit. At a set and 2-love up, we thought we were in pretty good shape," Fitzgerald said.

"But that's the nature of sport and competition and there's no doubt that the end result is always an indication of how who the better team is, I think.

"We still thought we had a chance the whole way."

Guccione's gallant defeat left Australia, the second-most successful country in Davis Cup, facing an Asia-Oceania playoff next April against either Japan, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, Uzbekistan or Korea for the right to challenge for re-entry to the 2009 World Group.

 

DAY 2 DOUBLES

Aussies out of world group

Serbia seized control of their Davis Cup World Group playoff against Australia with a victory in today's all-important doubles rubber.

Untried before as a Davis Cup pairing, Novak Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic sparked scenes of hysteria inside the mammoth Beogradska Arena with a magical four-set win over Lleyton Hewitt and Paul Hanley.

Djokovic and Zimonjic recovered from a nervy and hesitant start to prevail 3-6 6-4 6-3 6-2 in two hours and 52 minutes to give Serbia a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-five-match tie.

Australia, the second-most successful country in Davis Cup history, must now win both of tomorrow's reverse singles rubbers to avoid relegation from the elite 16-nation World Group for only the second time.

And they will start underdogs in both.

Hewitt opens up against world No.3 Djokovic and should he upset the US Open runner-up, world No.91 Peter Luczak will take on the 53rd-ranked Janko Tipsarevic in the decisive fifth rubber.

If Serbia win either match, the tiny war-torn country will be promoted to the World Group for the first time as an independent nation.

For the first set and a half today, the Serbs looked like they would need two points on the last day.

Hewitt and Hanley were giving Djokovic and Zimonjic a lesson in the art of doubles, dominating the net exchanges and generally looking much more assured than the Serbs.

The Australians broke both Serbs' service to take the first set comfortably before maintaining the momentum by breaking Djokovic again to go 2-0 up in the second.

But it was all down hill from there as Zimonjic, in particular, grew in confidence after looking all at sea early in front of the record 19,662 mostly pro-Serbian fans.

After holding his first five service games, Hanley was suddenly broken twice in a row, and it was the only invitation into the contest the locals required.  
After levelling at a set apiece, the inspired Serbs broke Hanley again in his first game of the third set for a 2-0 lead.

Try as they might, the Australians were unable to make any inroads on either Djokovic's or Zimonjic's serve for the rest of the set and quickly found themselves down two sets to one.

It was all but over after Hanley and Hewitt were both broken early in the fourth as the Serbs surged to a 4-0 lead.

Djokovic completed the formality when he calmly served it out to love and leave Serbia well and truly in charge of the tie.

Hewitt lamented not being able to twist the knife when they seemingly had the Serbs at their mercy in the second set.

"We had a lot of chances early in the second set and couldn't quite get them. We could have easily been up a double break early in the second," he said.

"To their credit, though, they hung in there and served well on the big points and got out of a couple of those tight games.

"Then we played one loose game to give back the break and the momentum really swung after that.

Hewitt was not giving up all hope of Australia pulling off a miraculous comeback win and said a key against Djokovic was trying to limit the fervent crowd's influence on proceedings.

"It'd be nice to get on top early, but it's easier said than done," he said.

"I've got to try to find a way to do that. We'll just see what happens tomorrow afternoon.

Djokovic pays tribute to Woodforde
Belgrade,22 September 2007
AAP
 

Serbian tennis sensation Novak Djokovic hasn't ruled out a reunion with Mark Woodforde after nominating the Australian's coaching as a key factor in his march up the rankings this year.

Djokovic has climbed 10 places to No.3 in the world since spending most of March honing his game in America with the US-based Woodforde.

Desperate to break the grand-slam dominance of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the 20-year-old said his decision to seek assistance from Woodforde - a 17-times grand slam doubles champion and top-20 singles player - was pretty much a no-brainer.

"I worked with Mark for three, four weeks in Indian Wells and Miami and we worked for the grasscourt season," he said.

"He had influence on my game, especially on the serve and volley, and before we started our co-operation I was intending to improve my serve-and-volley game.

"That's why I called him, because he is one of the best doubles players ever and he has an incredible feeling for the volley and the game."

A prodigious talent always destined for stardom, Djokovic has taken his tennis to new levels - particularly on fast courts - since working with Woodforde, a six-times Wimbledon men's doubles champion.

The Monte Carlo-based Serb reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in July, upset Roger Federer in the Montreal Masters final in August and then made the final of this month's US Open in New York.

Now he threatens to almost single-handledly bring down Australia in Serbia's historic Davis Cup World Group playoff in Belgrade.

After outclassing Peter Luczak in straight sets in today's opening singles rubber at the Beogradska Arena, Djokovic will be hunting the scalp of Lleyton Hewitt in Sunday's first reverse singles match.

Woodforde must be sitting back with mixed feelings watching Djokovic torment his old friends and countrymen.

During an illustrious career, Woodforde helped Australia win the 1999 Davis Cup trophy and also collected Olympic gold and silver medals for Australia with long-time partner Todd Woodbridge.
The cagey left-hander, who turns 42 on Sunday, also won an open era-record 11 grand slam doubles titles with Woodbridge - among 67 doubles titles in total - and collected four singles titles.

"Besides that, he is great person. We had a great time," Djokovic said.

"Of course, now he is not with me. But that doesn't mean that we're not going to work in the future." 

 

DAY 1

Lion-hearted Lleyton Hewitt revealed just why he was the undisputed king of five-set tennis after rescuing Australia's Davis Cup team from almost certain World Cup relegation today.

Vintage Hewitt willed himself to an epic 6-2 3-6 4-6 6-1 6-1 victory over Janko Tipsaveric to leave Australia with a fighting chance of upsetting the Novak Djokovic-inspired Serbians in a tension-filled claycourt playoff in Belgrade.

Hewitt ensured a blockbuster showdown with Djokovic in Sunday's first reverse singles rubber after toiling for three hours and 28 minutes to post yet another mighty five-set triumph.

The nigh-indomitable 26-year-old has now won 24 of his career 33 matches that have gone the full distance - and 13 of the last 14, an unrivalled strike rate in world tennis.

Little wonder Hewitt said losing never crossed his mind against the former world No.2 junior - even after Tipsarevic had whipped the 19,662 mostly pro-Serbian fans - the third-largest crowd in Davis Cup history - into a frenzy after taking a two-sets-to-one lead.

"And that's probably why I won," Hewitt said.

"It's one of my best qualities, I think. I refuse to give in. No-one's beaten me until we're shaking hands.

"It was the same situation today. I know Tipsarevic. He's not the fittest guy on tour.

"As a tennis player, he's a great tennis player. But you've got to be a great athlete and you've got to put in the hard yards and I knew physically, if it went five sets, I wasn't going to lose."

Hewitt's five-set victims during an amazing run that started with victory over none other than Roger Federer from two sets and a service break down in the 2003 Davis Cup semi-final in Melbourne also include celebrated campaigners Andy Roddick, Rafael Nadal, Juan Carlos Ferrero and David Nalbandian.

Hewitt's only five-set defeat in the past four years came against Jose Acasuso in Australia's Davis Cup semi-final loss in Argentina 12 months ago when the South Australian was suffering from knee tendonitis.

"It was tense and good to get out of it in the end today," Hewitt said after adding Tipsarevic's scalp to his list.

"He's a very talented and flashy player, and a great shotmaker.

"But I think fitness was the big key. I feel very strong out there and I'm very fit.

"This is why I do all the hard yards and all the fitness work that I do. Times like this it pays off.

"It (a lack of fitness) is not something I've got to worry about in the back of my mind."

Tipsarevic admitted Hewitt's famed stamina and mental toughness were what made him such a special player.

"I didn't think I was going to because of physical condition if it went to five sets, but Lleyton has this thing where is the best fighter in the world," Tipsarevic said.

Had Hewitt lost - after Djokovic outclassed Peter Luczak 6-1 6-4 6-2 in the opening singles rubber - Australia would have been facing the nightmare prospect of needing to recover from a 2-0 first-day deficit for only the second time in more than a century of Cup competition to avoid being dumped from the elite 16-nation World Group.

Instead, regardless of Saturday's doubles featuring Hewitt and Paul Hanley against Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic, Australia can still avert relegation to the second-tier Asia-Oceania zone.

 

If Hewitt was at his fighting best against Tipsarevic, Djokovic could scarcely have been more impressive against Luczak.

The new hero of his war-torn homeland, Djokovic mixed booming aces with exquisite backhand drops and was taken to deuce just twice in 13 service games.

The world No.3 conceded nine crumby points on serve in the opening two sets - and a meagre one in the first set.

"He served very well. Especially the few times when I did have him under pressure, he came up with some big serves," Luczak lamented.

"I can't remember having a second serve when I had a break point or 30-all or on a big point. He always seemed to come up with a pretty decent serve."

Despite the lop-sided scoreline, a valiant Luczak kept Djokovic on court for almost two-and-a-half hours, leaving the US Open champion somewhat relieved afterwards.

"It's always good have a straight-sets win in the first match of a tie," he said.

"It was not easy. I was more nervous to play in front of this crowd than in the US Open final.

"I knew there was a lot of expectations and a lot of pressure, people expecting me to win in straight sets and to get the first victory of the tie."

 

On the edge of his seat - Fitzy blog No.3
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Belgrade, 22 September 2007
Tennis Australia
What a day. It’s been a good day. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and it can be draining, but I am so proud of my guys. 

Lleyton is such a great leader. He is two sets to one down, we have lost the first rubber and things are looking pretty grim. But he just wore the guy (Janko Tipsarevic) out, the other guy physically went away. 

In that fourth set he started to put a little bit more on his groundies and ramp the pressure up. He is such a great fighter, we just knew he would fight. When he’s away in a foreign country up against 20,000 people in the stands…well there are not many characters who can handle that situation and he does it as well as anybody. He seems to find his best tennis in those situations. 

Lleyton has given us a chance. Although there are no guarantees, we actually should start favorites in the doubles tomorrow. 

Looch (Peter Luczak) at times played very well  but you’ve got to remember sometimes it’s not easy to play your best tennis against that class of opposition (Novak Djokovic). Make no mistake, Djokovic is the real deal. Against a lesser opponent Looch would’ve looked a lot better. Still, he played pretty well under the circumstances. We’ll need him to play well Sunday. 

Our focus is well and truly on the doubles tomorrow, we didn’t get back to the hotel until after 9pm The team still all ate together and Lleyton then went off for a massage. He won't be able to sleep straight away after that match, but it’s fine, he can sleep in as the doubles isn’t until 3pm.  

Me, well  I had shingles after the Davis Cup final in 2003 and that was probably stress related I guess.  

There is a fair bit of stress in this because you care so much. I love these kids they’re part of my extended family. So I suppose I don’t sleep a helluva lot but that’s okay, I can sleep next week! 

- Fitzy

LEAD UP

Its all up to Hewitt in the Davis Cup. Sept 21

FOR Lleyton Hewitt, the threat of relegation from the World Group of the Davis Cup this weekend is cause for desperation.

Hewitt will probably have to win all three of his rubbers for Australia to overcome Novak Djokovic's Serbia in Belgrade and remain in the 16-nation elite group for 2008, avoiding a second ever drop to zonal qualifying.

However Hewitt says he plays tennis for these kind of challenges.

"This is important. This is a big tie," Hewitt said ahead of his opening singles match tonight against Serbian No. 2 Janko Tipsarevic.

"It would obviously be disappointing to go down in a relegation tie.

"We all love playing for our country and we all know the Australian history in Davis Cup.

"(We) will be doing everything possible to try to get out of this situation."

Hewitt fell on Wednesday on the temporary clay court, which he described as dodgy, and was unable to complete a practice session at the Beogradska Arena.

However Australia's most successful singles player in Davis Cup has recovered after treatment for an injured ankle.

"It was a scare. He is in no doubt for Friday," captain John Fitzgerald said.

Australian coach Darren Cahill, who guided Hewitt to world No. 1 in 2001, hailed Hewitt as probably the greatest player Australia has produced for Davis Cup -- ahead of names such as Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Frank Sedgman, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, John Newcombe and Pat Cash.

In 23 ties since the Cup final win against France in Nice in 1999, Hewitt's Cup debut year, Australia hasn't won a tie after he has lost a rubber.

Hewitt will team with Paul Hanley in the doubles.

If he won three rubbers, Hewitt would join Cash as the only Australians to achieve the rare hat-trick in World Group matches more than once.

- AAP

Hewitt ready for Serbia Sept 20

A fired-up Lleyton Hewitt says Serbia may pay for choosing a temporary clay court for their Davis Cup playoff against Australia.

Already disgusted with the state of the court, Hewitt bristled today when told the Serbs opted for clay because they considered it his weakest surface, rather than necessarily a natural strength for them.

Serbian captain Bogdan Obradovic's claim that world No.53 Janko Tipsarevic would hold an edge over the 21st-ranked Hewitt in Friday's opening singles session because he grew up on clay was like waving a red rag to a bull.

"This year my best results have probably been on clay, believe it or not, so I feel pretty comfortable on what I need to do," Hewitt said.

"And even though clay is meant to be my worst surface, some of my best wins (in) Davis Cup have been on clay against top-10 players.

"If you look at Tipsarevic ... (Novak) Djokovic is obviously extremely good on all surfaces...but you'd probably think Tipsarevic was probably a lot better on quicker courts than on a slow court.

"So it could be a decision that comes back to hurt them."

Hewitt handed Serbia favouritism based largely on Djokovic's outstanding 2007 season, highlighted by semi-final appearances on clay at the French Open and grass at Wimbledon - where he beat the South Australian in the fourth round - and his run to this month's US Open final on hardcourt.

But with favouritism comes pressure for Serbia's main man.

"I think he'd be expecting to win both his singles matches and the doubles," Hewitt said.

"Tipsarevic has also had some good results in grand slams so it's a good challenge for us.

"It's going to be tough, but I think all the boys understand what we need to do and we're trying to do all the right preparation to give it our best shot.

"We believe in each other and what we're capable of doing."

Hewitt said he had put his disappointing US Open second round loss to Agustin Calleri behind him and said it would be dangerous for the Serbs to gauge his level from his New York form.

"I had a couple of physical problems during the US Open match so I wasn't a hundred per cent in that match," said Hewitt, not normally one to use injury as an excuse.

"Actually ball striking-wise, I was actually pretty happy with how I was hitting the ball obviously leading into (the Open).

"So it was disappointing that I didn't feel like I was able to play at the level that I was playing the weeks before because of how I was feeling.

"So when I got back to Sydney, I did some hard yards on the clay (with coach Tony Roche) and felt like the ball striking has been going as well as it has been the last six or months or so now."

Hewitt's main concern ahead of his clash with Tipsarevic was the "dodgy" state of the temporary clay court at Belgrade's Beogradska Arena.

"Yeah, it's pretty soft underfoot a lot of it. It will want to improve by Friday," he said.

"If you've got to play on it, you've got to play on it. But, right at the moment, it's not up to scratch for Davis Cup competition.

"This is the premier team competition in our sport worldwide and (we are) obviously playing in front of 20,000 people in a big stadium."

"The decision will be up to the referee, but it will want to improve a lot before Friday."

Match referee Mike Morrisey said on Monday he expected the court to improve and be ready for the tie to go ahead as scheduled.  

Hewitt slams Serb court

Tue, 18 Sep 2007

 

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt on Tuesday slammed as "dodgy" the court on which Australia will face Serbia in a crucial Davis Cup World Group play-off later this week.

"It's pretty dodgy at the moment. It's pretty soft under foot a lot of it and it will want to improve by Friday," Hewitt told a press conference.

"If you've got to play on it, you've got to play on it, but right at the moment it's not up to scratch for Davis Cup competition," said the current world number 21.

"This is the premier team competition in our sport worldwide. The decision will be up to the referee but it will want to improve a lot before Friday."

The clay court was laid only last week inside the massive Beogradska Arena especially for the tie, which will be watched by a sell-out 20 000 spectators.

Hewitt, 26, admitted the Novak Djokovic inspired Serbs are favourites to win and secure a spot in the world group.

"I think the Serbians are favourite on current form and obviously Djokovic has improved a touch this whole year so I think he'll be expecting to win both his singles matches and probably the doubles.

"It's going to be tough. I think all the boys understand what we need to do and we're trying to do all the right preparation to give it our best shot."

However Hewitt said he was undaunted by the pressure of playing to defend the proud record of Australia, which with 28 titles is second only to the United States in Davis Cup history.

"This is a big tie. We'd obviously be disappointed to go down into a relegation tie, especially only a few years (after) experiencing so many great highs playing in the Davis Cup," he said.

"I think we all love playing for our country and we all know the Australian history in the Davis Cup and all four of us will be on the court... doing everything possible to try and get out of this situation."

The draw for the tie will be made on Thursday, with both Hewitt and Djokovic also expected to line up in the doubles with Paul Hanley and Nenad Zimonjic, respectively.

Australia will have to choose between Chris Guccione and the in-form Peter Luczak for the other singles berth, while Serbia is expected to choose world No. 53 Janko Tipsarevic, who has recovered from a back injury.

AFP

Luczak firms as favourite Sept 18

Peter Luczak all but clinched the contentious second singles berth for Australia’s Davis Cup playoff with Serbia with a convincing trial effort against Lleyton Hewitt today.

Clay specialist Luczak matched Hewitt set for set during an intense session on the tie’s temporary clay court at Belgrade's Beogradska Arena to virtually demand selection from Australian captain John Fitzgerald.

“He’s got a very competitive chance,” Fitzgerald acknowledged. 

“He’s certainly hitting the ball well. He played well this morning, he was very competitive with Lleyton there and this surface is what he likes most.

“But, look, to be honest, we haven’t finally made up our mind. After tomorrow we’ll have a better idea.”

With power-serving left-hander Chris Guccione only four places behind world No.91 Luczak in the rankings, Fitzgerald was understandably reticent to make a public call on his team’s No.2 singles choice before Thursday’s official draw.

But after a meek first-round loss at the US Open this month, Guccione appears to have fallen even further behind Luczak, who boasts four Challenger tournament wins on the slow red clay this year.

Guccione now has only two more days to show Fitzgerald and coach Darren Cahill he has the greater weapons to challenge Serbian star Novak Djokovic in the opening singles session on Friday.

After frustrating Hewitt for almost three hours, Luczak modestly described his form as “pretty good” and was reluctant to claim victory over Guccione in the two-man race just yet.

“Fitzy will tell us Wednesday night who plays,” he said. “It's tough. Our rankings are very similar.”

“Gooch got the nod last time in Belgium but you never know. You’ve just got to try to put in the hard yards and just see what happens.”

The truth is, Luczak has been putting in the hard yards for months.

“I've actually been looking forward to this for the last couple of months,” he said.

“Ever since we knew we were playing Serbia and I knew they would pick clay.”

“That's my favourite surface so ... then [Australian team manager] Fenton [Coull] told us they’ve got a stadium here with 20,000 and it sold out within a few hours.”

“I get goose bumps just thinking about it, so everything I’ve been doing for the last five or six weeks have been sort of building up to this.

“The best thing in my career is just being part of a team so obviously if I get a chance to play, it would definitely be a highlight.”

As Australian No.1, Hewitt will play Serbian No.2 Janko Tipsarevic in Friday’s other singles match.