Davis Cup Semi Preview: Australia at Argentina

Lleyton Hewitt says hold out for a possible surprise. The statistics say it could be surprising for Australia to come out with anything other than zero points, rather than the requisite three match wins it would take to beat Argentina and advance to the Davis Cup final.

The Gauchos will be the heavy favorites this weekend when they host Australia in the Davis Cup World Group semifinals, with Argentina winning eight out of their last nine home ties by a score of 5-0 on the red clay.

Hewitt has been no fan of the dirt during his career, struggling to produce his own power on clay, but like ATP players wondering when Roger Federer won't win a tournament, or senior players wondering when Marcelo Rios' 20-match unbeaten 2006 streak will come to an end, Hewitt says the Argies have to lose at home -- sometime.

"We are the underdogs. There's no doubt about that," Hewitt said Tuesday in a press conference. "I know Argentina hasn't lost in eight or nine years playing at home and that is a great record to have. But one day, things are going to change and whether it's this weekend, who knows. We believe we've got an outside chance of pulling off a memorable victory here."

The key there is "outside" -- as in outside chance, and outside the Top 100 -- where Australia's No. 2 player, Mark Phillipoussis, lies in the ATP Rankings. Flipper hasn't won a big match since powering Australia to the Davis Cup title in 2003. And for an update on the big man's chances against the Argentines in the best-of-five format on the red clay, just look to his career French Open record, a limping 10-8 win-loss, with six losses in the 1st or 2nd round.

Compounding the problem for the Aussies is a knee injury to Hewitt, although the former No. 1 appeared fit during his recent run at the US Open.

David Nalbandian will front the Argentine effort in Buenos Aires, joined in singles by either Juan Ignacio Chela (1-0 vs. Flipper on clay, 2-3 vs. Hewitt, all on hardcourts) or Agustin Calleri (0-1 vs. both Aussies, all on hardcourts).

The Aussies, still smarting from last year's loss to Argentina on their home grasscourts, will see the same result according to Nalbandian.

"Any time a team comes here, they know perfectly well that they are going to have a difficult time beating us here because we are very strong at home," Nalbandian said. "We won in Australia and we are going to win here."

The victor will advance to the Davis Cup final where they will face the winner of the U.S. vs. Russia semifinal.

Hewitt once beat French Open champ Gustavo Kuerten on clay in Davis Cup competition, in Brazil no less. For the former No. 1, whose current slide sees him at No. 19 on the ATP Rankings, the challenge will be as he says a chance for a memorable performance, or another reminder that the game has passed him by on all surfaces.

Richard Vach, Tennis-X.com senior writer, can currently be seen on The Tennis Channel's "Tennis Insiders: Super Insiders" episodes, and was recently awarded "Best Hard News" story for 2005 by the United States Tennis Writers Association.