The Age
By LINDA PEARCE
ADELAIDE
Wednesday 3 January 2001
Todd Woodbridge has urged Mark Philippoussis to declare unequivocally his Davis Cup intentions, but believes the beleaguered Victorian will be wiser for his latest representative controversy.
Woodbridge, who hopes to return to the team this year under new captain John Fitzgerald after missing most of 2000 for personal reasons, said circumstances would inevitably keep players out of occasional ties, but added that it was up to his Australian teammates to convince Philippoussis he was needed and wanted for ongoing Davis Cup duty.
"I think it's up to us, the players, to privately try and coax him into doing it, and I think at times you can do that with Flip," Woodbridge said. "You look now and see that he's had knee surgery, and you think that perhaps part of his stuff (after Wimbledon, when he withdrew from the semi-final citing knee soreness) was right, and he was correct.
"The only thing I've ever doubted about Scud is that he needs to be a little bit more upfront, and that's why you have those doubts, because one time he said `Yes, I'm coming', and then three days later he said no. And that's where perhaps he needs to improve is just to say early on `This is where I stand', then everyone knows, and that's a much better way to operate.
"Given that, he's learnt his lessons on those things right now, and he certainly enjoys playing Davis Cup, playing for his country. I think when you spend time around him at the Olympics and things like that, everybody sees how much he enjoys those situations and I think it's frustrating for the guys, more than anything, that he doesn't keep coming back for them because you see how much he likes it."
Woodbridge himself is confident of a return under Fitzgerald, but needs to find a new partner to replace the retired Mark Woodforde, the other half of Australia's most successful cup pair. To that end, he will team this week with Wayne Arthurs, ranked 28th in the world in doubles, and who may complement Woodbridge's first-court game, particularly on grass.
"This is a good opportunity to play with one of the Aussies to try and see if something gels right for Davis Cup," said Woodbridge, who plans to team with Swede Jonas Bjorkman in major tournaments.
"I think what we might be looking at this year is putting me into the forehand court and finding someone who's going to work with me at all the ties. There's a lot of options."