Rinky Hijikata is set for a Davis Cup debut as embattled skipper Lleyton Hewitt’s woes were compounded for Australia’s second-round qualifying tie against Belgium.
Less than 24 hours after being fined $30,000 and hit with a two-week ban for alleged “offensive conduct” last year, Hewitt lost Australian No.2 Alexei Popyrin and doubles ace Matt Ebden for this weekend’s showdown in Sydney.
“I’m going to be making three changes tomorrow to our named team,” Hewitt said at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre on Thursday.
“Alexei Popyrin’s out. He’s been injured after the US Open with a back injury, and Matt Ebden has got a small tear in his elbow as well.”
The captain has called up Hijikata and recalled Alex Vukic, who debuted last year, and Ebden’s Paris Olympics gold medal-winning doubles partner John Peers.
“Really excited for Rinky, though,” Hewitt said.
“It’s going to be his first time wearing the green and gold, and for him to get an opportunity at a place where he grew up playing as well, it’s something really special.
“That’s one of the greatest things about my job, is giving these guys that opportunity.”
While the former world No.1 is planning to appeal his fine and ban for allegedly pushing a 60-year-old volunteer doping control official against a wall last year, Hewitt is allowed to captain Australia against the Belgians.
The two-time grand slam champion said he was “really disappointed” by the independent panel’s decision and what he perceived as misinformation being spread following the verdict.
Hewitt, though, insists it is business as usual as Australia chase a place in this year’s Final 8 in Italy in November.
Hewitt’s team is playing in Australia for the first time in three years and he is vowing to continue to fight the good fight against officials’ controversial move to dump the century-old home-and-away format.
“It’s important because we’ve been told too many lies over the time and, when it became the (Gerard) ‘Pique Cup’ as well, they sold the soul and we want to try and get back to where it was meaningful,” Hewitt said.
“The two biggest things for Davis Cup was home-and-away ties, which was a stand-out point of difference to anything else we do.
“The pinnacle was the grand slams and best-of-five-set tennis, and that’s what Davis Cup was.
“If you look back over the years at any stage of the greatest Davis Cup matches, they are all massive five-set epics that people talk about.
“And to make those changes and also the change of surface too and to continually play the finals (in the same location) … I feel like it’s a massive disadvantage for us.
“The frustration of playing in the same place all the time and just playing away ties, it does get wearing.
“These boys don’t get the opportunity to come back and play in Australia, and I feel like the young kids and people that want to play the sport of tennis miss out.
“Back when I was playing, it could have been three or four times a year that we got to come back here, and right at the moment tennis is only seen in Australia in January, where you get to get up close and see these guys.
“That’s bloody hard on our sport in general.”
Content Source: www.perthnow.com.au