Coach Gavin Hopper yesterday claimed Mark Philippoussis had aggravated a knee
injury fulfilling a Davis Cup request early this year.
Hopper said Philippoussis ignored knee soreness to play the first-round tie in
Switzerland in February where he won a five-set last-day singels match to
clinch the 3-2 victory.
The US-based Melbourne coach leapt to Philippoussis’s defence amid allegation
the Wimbledon quarter-finalist should have been available for the weekend’s
semi-final against Brazil in Brisbane.
"Following the Australian Open, Mark experienced knee soreness relating to his
operation in July last year. Ideally , on my advice, he needed to rest and
receive treatment prior to a five-tournament schedule in the US," Hopper said
in a letter.
"Unfortunately at this time, Pat Rafter had not fully recovered from his
shoulder injury. Consequently, Mark accepted John Newcombe’s request to play.
"Mark left the victory in Switzerland with further knee damage. After playing
one tournament in the US, he was forced to withdraw from the next two
tournaments. Furthermore, the lingering soreness forced him to miss the second
round of Davis Cup in April."
"At 195cm and 95 kg, Mark cannot play through injuries and I have since
stressed the need for him to assess his playing schedule to avoid such
problems."
"After an extensive nine-week tour in Europe culminating in a physically
demanding Wimbledon, Mark has again experienced knee soreness. With concern for
his immediate future, Mark made a decision to rest and treat his knee to avoid
a repeat of the February schedule."
Hopper said critics should attack the governing tennis bodies rather than
Philippoussis over the timing of Cup ties close to major championships.
Hoper noted that injury had forced Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras to withdraw
from the US team to play Spain in the semi-final in Spain this week.
Hopper, full-time coach for the past four years, said Philippoussis regarded
the 1999 Davis Cup final as the proudest moment of his career.
"He fondly reflects, in private, the thrill of fulfilling every young tennis
player’s childhood dream by winning a major sporting title for his country," he
said.