By Digby Beecham

HOPMAN Cup tournament director Paul McNamee believes Mark Philippoussis should be re-

stricted to singles as Australia strives for successive

Davis Cups.

Philippoussis was in line to partner Mark Woodforde in last year's final in Nice

before Pat Rafter was ruled out after shoulder surgery.

The strapping Melburnian lifted Australia to the Davis Cup title with

near-faultless singles play against Frenchmen Sebastian Grosjean and

Cedric Pioline.

"I think there was a strong chance that Mark was going to play doubles in France"

McNamee said.

"Once Pat went down and Todd Woodbridge came back he became set in the

singles, which was great for Australia.

"Mark is a very competent doubles player, as is Pat. "But Frase (former Davis

Cup captain Neale Fraser) has always said you shouldn't push singles guys

into doubles and I think he's right."

Philippoussis and teenage prodigy Jelena Dokic will team up again in the

Hopman Cup this year after created history last year when they gave Australia its

first success in the tournament.

The Australians won the final 2-1 after Dokic and Philippoussis beat Swedes

Asa Carisson and Jonas Bjorkman in straight sets.

This year's event, which began at Burswood Dome yesterday, was dealt a major

blow when Monica Seles withdrew because of injury, as did her partner Justin

Gimelstob.

They have been replaced by leading US college player James Blake and Alexandra

Stevenson, the daughter of former basketball superstar Julius Irving.

Blake, a member of the US Davis Cup team beaten by Australia in Boston last

year, will try to replicate the deeds of G4melstob in 1997.

Gimelstob, a late addition to the field after Vincent Spadea pulled out,

partnered Chanda Rubin to win the tournament.