Australian Tennis Magazine

Once likened to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the inspirational, though Not always lucky, John Newcombe and Tony Roche step down as Davis Cup supremos after a difficult scrap with Spain at Barcelona.

Kim Tengrove Reports:

On the weekend of December 8-10, some time after the dirty big mongrel kangaroo has finished boxing the bull in the Australia versus Spain Davis Cup final, two of the game's most popular and respected senior citizens will vacate the chair of, arguably, the most difficult job in tennis: leading a Davis Cup team.

Until John Newcombe and Tony Roche took over in 1994, there was only ever one helmsman for the Australian side. Harry Hopman won 16 Challenge Rounds between 1938 and 1967 with teams that included a glittering array of tennis legends. Neale Fraser won the cup four times over 24 years after tennis had become fully professional and the commitment of players to this elite team competition was increasingly challenged. When Fraser called it quits in 1993 after Australia lost the final that year against Germany, Roche tentatively raised his hand for the job on condition that Newcombe, his long-time mate and doubles partner, could come along for the ride.

In a controversial and costly deal worked out by Tennis Australia, Newk became captain of the Australian side and Roche assumed the less public, but equally important role of coach. Compared since their playing days to the adventurous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, they shared the decisions and risks, the flak and finally the longtime-coming glory when Australia won the trophy for the 27th time at Nice last year At the July, 2000 semi-final against Brazil in Brisbane, Newcombe chuckled through his thick moustache about the difficulties US captain John McEnroe was facing in his first year after news broke that neither Andre Agassi nor Pete Sampras would be available to play the Spaniards in America's semi final. Icon status didn't spare Newcombe, 56, and Roche, 55, some traumatic losses and sharp criticism from a tennis-loving nation still clinging to the golden memory of Australia's great Davis Cup traditions, in which the new captain-coach had played a significant role, helping Australia win the Dwight Davis trophy five times.

"In some ways, it's been tougher than Tony and I thought," says Newcombe. "It depends how you want to do the job. The personal side's been tougher It really does take a lot of effort. It's necessary that you get the trust of players. It's like building a friendship with anyone. It takes time and it takes energy We haven't been like a two-man team. We've used about eight people that we've had to keep in contact with out there, and each has his problems. It's been more energy-sapping than we thought."

At this stage of proceedings, with a final Final to plan, neither of these Davis Cup generals wanted to discuss the difficulties of managing the most challenging player among that eight, Mark Philippoussis. Like Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt, Philippoussis was baptised into Davis Cup by Newcombe and Roche, playing first against Hungary in September, 1995. It marked a low point for the Australians, who lost the Budapest tie 3-2 and were relegated to the Asia/Oceania zone. Scud, 18 at the time, was beaten in the deciding fifth rubber, and thereafter had a turbulent relationship with Davis Cup.

Sometimes his commitment appeared shaky, cryptic, and inflammatory, as when he refused to compete in the first round against Zimbabwe on grass at Mildura in 1998, apparently because of widely publicized grievances against Newcombe and Roche. Rethinking his stance, Philippoussis turned up to offer his "support" and witnessed the Aussie boys go down in flames against the Black Brothers, the second lowest point in the Newcombe-Roche Dynasty.

Whatever they think privately, Newcombe and Roche have been admirably diplomatic and patient with Philippoussis. Even when it was stated by the Scud's former coach, Pat Cash, that the player "despised" Newcombe. This year, both leaders have contained their dismay at Philippoussis' unexpected decision to

withdraw from the Brisbane semi-final, although they were back offering professional support to Philippoussis during the Olympics. "I don't make any statements about Mark," says Roche warily. "I've been down there and…"

Meanwhile, Newcombe enjoys playing psychologist and believes having a holistic view of the individual is essential in his work. "I've always liked that side of playing and in normal life," says the three-time Wimbledon champion. "I'm naturally interested in the other person's point of view. If something's happening, where could they possibly be coming from? The better you know someone, the more you can help them out there."

Rafter and Hewitt, unlike Philippoussis, have been perfect Davis Cup scholars, ready to fight for their country "body and soul", to "draw a line in the sand" and to "raise the bar". When Newcombe and Roche were considering whom they might select for their first tie against Moscow at St.Petersburg in 1994, former stars Pat Cash, Richard Fromberg, John Fitzgerald, Jason Stoltenberg and Wally Masur were either retiring or injured. Even the dynamic doubles duo, Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge, were looking fragile, having just lost in the quarter-finals of the `94 Australian Open.

As may well be the case for Fitzgerald and Masu; who will replace Newcombe and Roche as captain and coach next year, a new team had to be fashioned, future players blooded, and the great Davis Cup team spirit kept alive in a tennis world where individual performances and money have often held more sway.

"We took over an inexperienced team and introduced a lot of players to Davis Cup," says Roche of his greatest achievement over the past seven years. "Being part of their baptism is something very special."

Earlier this year, Neale Fraser told Australian Tennis Magazine that Newcombe and Roche were lucky to have had players like Hewitt, Rafter and Philippoussis for Davis Cup. But much of the credit must go to the Odd Couple, who took a risk on these players, groomed them, built a strong rapport, and primed them for battle. Few players (except, evidently, Jelena Dokic) would turn down the coaching advice of Roche, who won the French Open in 1966 and, with Newcombe, shared in 12 Grand Slam doubles titles.

Ivan Lendi worked with Roche throughout the `80s. Rafter may come to a more formal arrangement with him next year. Newcombe says there are many who would kill to have Roche as coach: "He could have moved any time in the last seven years and been making $300,000 to $400,000 a year with any of the top players. He's got one offer from a top female player now."

Newcombe describes Roche as a Rock of Gibraltar While the coach gets the players into shape, works with them at major tournaments, and watches quietly from the stands, Newcombe revels in the public side of big tennis; a smart marketing man with an infectiously cheerful disposition, a terrific sense of humor, and a great career record. In 15 Davis Cup ties, spanning 1963 76, Newcombe played 34 rubbers, winning 16 singles and nine doubles rubbers.

Roche says he is probably more emotional that Newcombe, but has never felt comfortable basking in the limelight. "You've just got to be yourself, no use trying to be something you're not," he says. And yet, he is the one who insists players take off their ties at victorious Davis Cup dinners and make an apache-like head-dress. "He seems to think we're always going on the warpath hunting the next team," blabs Newcombe. "I get the blame for it, but Rochey tells everyone to do it."

The half-fun, half serious war imagery Newcombe spouts evolved after the team hit rock bottom twice. For the first three years of his captaincy, the Australians had six away ties, one at home. Rafter has many fond memories of Davis Cup under Newcombe and Roche, but will never forget the agonizing losses to South Africa and Hungary in 1995, which put the Aussies out of the elite World Group.

"I'll never forget the look on Rochey's face and how disappointed he was at the airport," Rafter says of the Durban tie. "We were all there and all hurting, but no one hurt more than Rochey in that particular tie. Hungary was worse, but I got out of there before I could see their faces. I think just how much Rochey really loved it and cared for it. That was probably the bit I remember of Rochey"

The phoenix rose from the ashes. "We used that thing of being knocked flat on your back to ignite everyone to stand up," says Newcombe. "We talk about it all the time, to `stand tall'. That was when we started that whole theme. `Hey guys, you're down and out. Now's the time to see what sort of character you've got'.

Tony and I warned everyone back in Australia, especially the media, `Be careful how you knock us, because when we're down is when we're more dangerous'. The next year, the boys started getting into the semis and finals of the Grand Slams."

Australia resurfaced in the 1997 World Group and reached the semi-finals that year, but in 1998 was again knocked flat and hasn't lost since. "As we've gone through our hardships, we've grown much stronger as a unit, in our self-belief and in our belief in one another," says Newcombe. "It's not in my nature to pack it in. My nature is to strike back when I'm knocked down. It's part of my own being and spirit. I can't stay down on the ground. I don't like myself very much [then]."

It was out of desperation that Newcombe fired up Rafter in a career-turning first-round rubber against France at White City in 1997. Rafter was two sets to love down against Cedric Pioline when, at the itangeover, Newcombe started having about a "war of attrition, a war that we are going to win".

Something had snapped in the affable team captain and he went into the dark side. "I've been there a few times before," he says. "It's very dark and windy and cold. I didn't know what I was going to say when Pat sat down in the chair All of a sudden I was using unbelievably bad language and screaming about a war of attrition and what I was going to do to this French bastard and how far I was going to bury him. It was terrible stuff."

Rafter responded and developed a warrior mentality after wearing down Pioline in five sets. He went on that year to win the first of two consecutive US Opens.

Hewitt was a highly impressionable 15 at the time and now thrives on the battle talk, even if he doesn't always understand the metaphors. At Wimbledon this year, Newk told Lleyton that he [Newcombe] might not be able to watch Rafter's final against Pete Sampras because he had to catch a plane to Brisbane for the Brazil semi-final. "Why don’t you leave tomorrow with us?" asked Hewitt. Newcombe said, "I've got to get there and establish a beachhead," to which Hewitt looked at him as if he were nuts. Newcombe explained, "Mate, that's when the army's going to have to land, but they send in a forward patrol to secure a beach so you've got a safe landing. That's what I'm going out to do."

After the Brisbane campaign, Newcombe received a letter from a former SAS member who noted the use of alt this military jargon. "He was relating some of the things he'd been through and how you get through these things if you keep together and watch one another's backs." Included with the letter was a little card displaying a knife and bearing the SAS motto: WHO DARES WINS. No doubt it will be used to fire up the final charge of the Light Brigade when the Australians go once more unto the breach against the Spaniards in Barcelona.

Both captain and coach nominate the individual achievements of their players as highlights of their seven years. Woodbridge winning his opening rubber against Japan in `96 after trailing by two sets to love and 0-3 in the third. Stoltenberg beating Ivanisevic in Split the same year Rafter's comeback against Pioline. Hewitt's extraordinary performance in beating Todd Martin in his debut match at the centenary tie in Boston. Wayne Arthurs, at 28, playing a blinder against Kafelnikov in the 1999 semi-final. And Philippoussis proving to himself and the world that he could step out and win a high-tension match against France on clay in the Final.

Roche isn't sure what he will do next year, although Newcombe is already making plans for his buddy. He wants to help create the next dynasty of Australian world-beaters by making sure that talented players like Hewitt get all the help they need from an elite coach such as Roche. "Australia could be the major power in tennis for the next 15 years," says Newcombe. "One of the keys is, we've got to take advantage of the situation we're in now and instill the dream in the 13 and 14-year-olds out there who have the ability to be like Hewitt.

"We've got to find a replacement for Pat, and it's not certain that Mark will be playing Davis Cup.You can't expect Lleyton to carry the can, he'll get tired of it. It's an urgent situation. Tennis Australia needs to get Tony involved with the young guys coming up, so he can pass on everything and give them that work ethic, and then when they're 19 they can move into the team in the same way we moved Lleyton in. I see my role as helping to structure that. Tony's not interested in organizing it. Tony will work like a madman, but you've got to put it in front of him."

The passion and patriotism of these two men are inexhaustible. Newk gets teary eyed at the thought of any athlete laying down his or her life for their country, while Roche says being part of the development of tennis in Australia "is close to my heart".

They retire from Davis Cup leadership satisfied that they eventually created a close, self disciplined team that now believes it can overcome all odds and have a rollicking good time in the process. Perhaps the supremos would have retired a year earlier if Rafter had been able to participate in the 1999 triumph and get his name on the famous old trophy But now, taking out the claycourt-loving Spaniards on home soil will be a fitting challenge to end their colorful reign.

"To have this team that we've built up over seven years with unbelievable self-belief we draw lines in the sand, we stand tall, we have to be killed before we are beaten all that's going to be put to the test," says Newcombe. "My feeling is that we're going to win because we'll have the greater will. The refusal to die is just going to be there."