After seven years at the helm of Australia's Davis Cup team, captain John Newcombe reflects on the highs and lows of the job and our tennis future.
It was disappointing to lose the Davis Cup final to Spain in such controversial circumstances but I still regard my seven years with the Australian team as among the happiest and most rewarding I have had in tennis.
My initial reactions in Barcelona when the final shot was played were probably sadness, because we lost, and disillusionment with the crowd behaviour.
However, Davis Cup tennis is bigger and better than all that and I will put it behind me, although I think Spain is in for a major awakening when it plays matches overseas.
It won the Cup this year in very convenient circumstances after a dream draw and playing the final at home on the players' favourite surface.
I doubt they will ever encounter such favourable conditions again.
I look back on what was achieved during the time Tony Roche and I were in charge of the Australian team and I am very comfortable.
We got off to a shaky start in 1994 and 1995 when we were eliminated in the first round both years, but things improved after that and we were on our way to winning the final against France in 1999 and making the final in 2000.
One aspect of our involvement of which Tony and I are very proud is the number of players who made their Cup debuts while we were in charge.
Players such as Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Pat Rafter and Wayne Arthurs all came through the development ranks.
I suppose the question I have been asked most in my time as captain - especially in the last couple of years - is: What about Mark Philippoussis? Is he selfish? Is he arrogant? Why won't he play for Australia? Why does he say he will play and then he drops out?
I can honestly say I have never had a personal problem with Mark or his father Nick. I think whatever has been said has come from the other side.
I have never breathed one word of complaint about Mark - and never intend to.
But I do admit to thinking it would be great for Mark and great for Australia, if he did make himself available for Cup selection.
Obviously we are a much stronger team with one of the world's best players to our line-up.
In fact Mark might have made the difference between winning and losing to Spain last week.
He was a match winner for Australia when we beat France in 1999 and he would have given us valuable options against Spain.
Still there is no point talking about what might have been. It is more important to look to the future and hope Mark makes a permanent decision about his commitment to Australia and the Davis Cup.
I will not deny that Mark added to the pressure on the team because of his uncertainty about his availability.
When it first started happening and the other players blew up, I would act as peacemaker and try and calm things done and not let Mark's behaviour become an issue.
However, it was stretching my relationships with the other players to make them go along with the uncertainty without saying anything publicly.
On one hand we had players like Rafter and Hewitt who were totally committed and one player who wouldn't commit all the time.
Finally this year the players demanded an end to the instability and they said "We've had enough."
I think Australia's future in the Davis Cup looks brighter than it has for years - but the search for winning doubles combination is a serious concern now that the Woodies have been separated by Mark Woodforde's retirement.
I think Pat Rafter has about three years left as a world ranked player, provided he maintains peak fitness.
Lleyton is another player under something of an injury cloud. If he stays healthy, he could win four or five grand slam titles, maybe more.
Next year could be a tough one for him because his illness has been a drain on his body strength.
What we need to do is find another Lleyton Hewitt in our junior program and fast track him into senior tennis as quickly as possible.
It is not easy coping with the early pressure of suddenly being propelled into the media spotlight and expectations about your performances are sometimes abnormally high.
Australia can be enormously proud of what Lleyton Hewitt has achieved in his career.
So far Lleyton has unflinchingly met every challenge that has come his way on the tennis court and every match has been part of the learning curve.
To me, he typifies Australian grit and determination when he plays, because he refuses to surrender and chases every shot.
I think the Australian public feels the same way.
I also see his as the backbone of Australia's Davis Cup team for years to come.
If Mark Philippoussis can get himself together and consistently produce his best tennis, he could easily make the worlds top six - but it is all about his commitment and him not compromising his ability, or his attitude, to hard training.
I will be watching his progress with great personal interest although the responsibility for the Davis Cup team has now officially been handed over to John Fitsgerald and Wally Masur.
I cannot think of two men more suited to the job of maintaining Australia's high profile in the Davis Cup.
For Tony and I, the party's over - at least for the moment - but we enjoyed every magical moment.