Hewitt Opponent Uncertain in Davis Cup Opener Friday

Posted on November 27, 2003

It could be world No. 3 Juan Carlos Ferrero. It could be Spanish Davis Cup rookie Feliciano Lopez. For all we know, it could be Sergi Bruguera.

Lleyton Hewitt's day one opponent in this Friday's Davis Cup final is still a mystery, and although Spain will be forced to reveal its team today, it may remain a mystery given Spanish captain Jordi Arrese's limited English.

"I don't give you ideas for the team, this only on the team," Arrese said. "Secret for the moment, but Thursday we give our ideas. We are prepared to play any matches and we know that (Alex) Corretja and Feliciano will play doubles on Saturday. We have many changes for play."

Indeed, the Spaniards do have "many chances for play" between former No. 1s Ferrero and Carlos Moya, and the serve-and-volleying lefty Lopez. Ahead of the order-of-play announcement, even Ferrero is playing it coy.

"Of course I always expect to play because I want to play, but it is not always possible to play in this team because there are great players here," Ferrero said. "I'm not the only one player that can play good here, so I expect to play, but it is always difficult to play in this team and I will see this time if I can play."

Hewitt, who skipped all his tournaments after the US Open to heal an injured foot and get some early preparation on the grass, sees Ferrero as the likely choice.

"I feel like if I can beat Juan Carlos on day one it gives Australia a huge advantage," said Hewitt, mastering the obvious. "I've probably been given the opportunity in this tie to crack the whole Davis Cup final wide open on day one."

While Hewitt has had months to train, prepare, and rest for the tie, the No. 2 Aussie (behind teammate Mark Philippoussis in the rankings) points to the two top-ranked Spaniards coming off a string of tough tournament play.

"Everyone talks about all the pressure's on us, well -- they've got two guys in the Top 10 and they've just played in the Masters Cup," Hewitt said. "To try and bounce back and stay fresh for that whole time was pretty tough so I know exactly what Ferrero and Moya are going through. I'm in a totally different situation myself right now and hopefully it's going to be the right preparation. 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."

While Hewitt has shown he is a master of the slick lawns with a Wimbledon trophy and consecutive titles at Queen's, he is mindful of the loss to Ferrero this year on the fast courts at the US Open.

"That is as well as I have seen Juan Carlos ever play, that day and also against (Andre) Agassi the following day, I watched a little bit on TV and he played incredibly well," Hewitt said. "Hardcourt is different to grass though but, you know, he is a tough competitor and he obviously won Madrid a couple of weeks ago and was in the Masters Cup even though he didn't perform at his best but, you know, he is a tough player and getting better and better each year and he's getting more and more successful on other surfaces such as hardcourt and grass. This year he has taken big steps obviously reaching the final of the US Open and round 16 at Wimbledon."

Philippoussis, himself coming off a runner-up effort at Wimbledon, says it doesn't make much difference if he faces Moya or Lopez in his first match, just bring them on.

"Whether it be Moya or Lopez, I honestly don't care, I know what I have to do and I really don't care who they put up to play me," Flipper said. "For me I will be looking at a face at the other end, I will be concentrating on the ball and taking it one point at a time."

NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS
Tennis Australia has branded all 91 players who've represented Australia in Davis Cup since 1905 like so much cattle, allocating them a number in chronological order of their selection, according to the Australian Courier-Mail. TA also wants to adopt the system for its Fed Cup women's players. "The players were very supportive of this idea of a player number and the ITF has given our team a special dispensation to wear their numbers on their tracksuits for the final," Tennis Australia President Geoff Pollard said. "We hope that this will become a permanent fixture of Davis Cup and Fed Cup tradition not just for Australia but for other countries as well." The Davis Cup team received their numbers in a private ceremony in Melbourne: Australian captain John Fitzgerald (player No. 73), coach Wally Masur (75), Todd Woodbridge (83), Mark Philippoussis (86), Lleyton Hewitt (89) and Wayne Arthurs (90) received their numbered tracksuits from Ken Rosewall (43). Topping the list at No. 1 is Sir Norman Brookes while the 91st Australian picked for Davis Cup duty was Andrew "Of the Ripped Shirt" Ilie. Now Philippoussis (86) can get another tatoo...Pat Rafter will play an exhibition match against Mats Wilander the day after the Australian Open final, Feb. 2, in Townsville. "Pat and Mats are just having a hit," IMG general manager Brian Cooney told the Herald Sun. "We're going back to Pat's roots, really. We've been talking to him about it since Wimbledon (in July). We don't know if you can read anything more into this over a permanent comeback, we've got to see if he enjoys it." With a hot wife and new baby at home, don't hold your breath...When Todd Martin was asked to pick a name out of the hat at the Superset exhibition, he cracked: "I have a bye. Well, I play Robby (Ginepri), which is like a bye." The unfortunate joke was on TM, who later had to pull out of the event after tweaking his back...How the hell did they get Marat Safin to Beijing this week for the announcement of the new ATP event in China? And nice quote: "Although the China Open is in 10 months away, I promise I will come back to Beijing to participate in the tournament if there are no injuries," said the Russian. In other words, there's a 40% chance Marat will play your event.