SCUD DECLARES HIMSELF AVAILABLE FOR DAVIS CUP
By Alan East

PERTH, Jan 7 AAP - Mark Philippoussis today emphatically declared himself available for all of Australia's Davis Cup ties this year, angrily denying reports he would pull out of the early rounds.

Philippoussis said he was definitely available for Australia's first round of its cup defence against Switzerland in Zurich on February 4.

"John Newcombe will be calling the team out next week and I've told him that I'm certainly available," said the hero of last year's final triumph over France.

"You heard it from the horse's mouth.

"I've got no idea where that story came from. I don't read the newspapers, so I didn't see it. But I was surprised when I heard about it."

Reports in today's press said Philippoussis would skip the first round because he was worried about a cramped schedule this year.

He further fuelled the speculation today when shin soreness forced him to pull out of his singles and mixed doubles rubbers after Australia was knocked out of the Hopman Cup here.

He said his left Achilles tendon had troubled him earlier this week and he tended to over-compensate with his shins, raising doubts over his fitness for next week's Colonial Classic in Melbourne and the Australian Open the following week.

"I'm just taking precautions with it," he said.

"I'll get some treatment and hope that it doesn't get worse.

"At this stage I'll be doing everything in my power to play in next week's Colonial (in Melbourne), but my priority is to be 100 per cent fit for the Australian Open.

"I hope to be positive about playing next week."

The speculation on Philippoussis being unavailable for the Davis Cup campaign was based on quotes from his fitness manager Gavin Hopper.

But Hopper, who was in today's press conference, denied making the quotes.

"I haven't spoken to anyone," said Hopper.

Philippoussis turned from villain to hero last year when he returned to the Davis Cup fold after a self-imposed 18 month exile during a bitter feud with Newcombe and team coach Tony Roche

Puzzled Scud up for cup after all
By PATRICK MILES

8jan00


DAVIS CUP intrigue continued for Australia yesterday when Mark Philippoussis declared himself ready and willing to defend the title he helped to win against France in December, less than 24 hours after his coach said the player's participation was "doubtful".

"I'm available to play against Switzerland and for the rest of the year," Philippoussis said in Perth, where he and Jelena Dokic failed to defend the Hopman Cup.

"The Davis Cup is very important to me. I don't know where the reports came from that said I wouldn't play in the first round. I never said I was unavailable for Davis Cup. John Newcombe is picking the team next week and I'm available – let's leave it at that."

The reports, in fact, originated in Adelaide, where the Australian players and the media at the AAPT Championships discussed the firm possibility of Philippoussis missing the first round of the Davis Cup, in Zurich from February 4-6.

The reports were confirmed in Perth by Gavin Hopper, Philippoussis's coach, who said the Australian's busy ATP Tour schedule would prevent him playing against Switzerland.

"The decision hasn't been rubber-stamped yet and Mark is still having talks with John Newcombe, but it looks like what they're saying in Adelaide is true," Hopper told The Australian on Thursday night.

"I'd say it was doubtful that Mark will play against the Swiss."

Hopper said the fact that Philippoussis had a title to defend in San Jose on February 7 meant it would be too physically demanding for him to compete in the Davis Cup the previous day.

After committing himself to retaining the cup this year, Philippoussis said: "I don't want to comment on my schedule."

He was then informed of Hopper's comments, at which point the coach, who was observing the press conference from the side of the room, was asked to speak for himself.

"I don't know where that came from," Hopper said.

"I didn't say anything to anyone."

The puzzle over Philippoussis, it appeared, had developed into an exercise in damage limitation.

The communication breakdown occurred two days after Lleyton Hewitt's outburst in Adelaide, where he accused the Australian sporting public of failing to support their leading competitors. Hewitt, a member of the triumphant team in Nice, was taken to task for his comments by Ken Rosewall, who suggested that Hewitt should tone down his demonstrative on-court nature.

The good news is that Philippoussis is keen to defend the Davis Cup; the bad news is a pain in his left leg.

Philippoussis was unable to start his singles yesterday against Takao Suzuki of Japan, who had been summoned to oppose the Australians after their scheduled opponents, Slovakia, were forced to withdraw because of an injury to Henrieta Nagyova.

A large crowd at the Burswood Dome was therefore unable to witness the main attraction of the week, for which Philippoussis was genuinely sorry. "I can only apologise," he said. "The worst thing for me is to disappoint the fans."

Philippoussis said the problem in his left leg began with a slight strain in his Achilles tendon during the doubles against Thailand on Tuesday. When he felt a twinge, he began to compensate, which created muscle soreness in his shin.

He said that he would take a couple of days off for treatment before deciding whether or not to play in the Colonial Classic exhibition at Kooyong next week.

"I'm going to make sure I am 100 per cent before I play the Colonial," Philippoussis said.

"My main priority is the Australian Open and I want to be right for that. If I have to pull out of the Colonial then that's what I'll have to do."

Philippoussis snubs Davis Cup
By Paul Macpherson

Australia could be left dangerously exposed in the first round of its Davis Cup title defence in Switzerland next month with news that Mark Philippoussis has made himself unavailable for the Tie. With Aussie No.1 Pat Rafter still unlikely to be available for the Tie due to his shoulder injury, Australia has no ready-made replacement to partner Lleyton Hewitt in singles duties. And the problem is compounded by the Davis Cup retirement of doubles champion Mark Woodforde, who said Australia's victory over France in the 1999 Final was his swansong.
Philippoussis, who was the hero of Australia's win in the Final with individual victories over Cedric Pioline and Sebastien Grosjean, is understood to be concerned about his playing schedule this year, which is heavier than normal due to the Olympics. And the timing of the first-round Davis Cup Tie from February 4-6 - less than one week after the Australian Open final - does not appear to suit the Scud.

Australian captain John Newcombe has remained silent on speculation of Philippoussis' withdrawal ahead of the announcement of the squad next week. But he has a long-standing policy that any player who wants to be part of the Davis Cup squad must commit to the cause for the entire year.

Speaking exclusively to ONCOURT.COM during the recent Davis Cup ticker-tape parade in Melbourne, Newcombe was asked if he would relax his policy this year given that he has three outstanding singles prospects - Philippoussis, Rafter and Hewitt - to fit into two positions. "We'll have to wait and see," Newcombe said when asked if a part-time commitment would be acceptable. "But I'd imagine that everyone would want to commit to all the Ties."

Philippoussis has endured a rollercoaster Davis Cup career -from the lows of creating disharmony within the team by making himself unavailable, to the highs of steering the Aussies to victory in Nice last month. But after the triumph in Nice, he finally seemed ready to commit himself for the long-term.

"In the past Davis Cup matches have started careers. This is the start of mine," Philippoussis said after the Final. "The most important thing in an athlete's life is representing their country and I love representing my country. I'm, just happy to be part of it. Just happy to be part of one great team, holding up the flag."

Australia may be forced to look to the untried and volatile Andrew Ilie, or the experienced Richard Fromberg or Jason Stoltenberg, to partner Hewitt in singles. With the likelihood of three home Ties awaiting Australia should it successfully negotiate the first round, a loss in Switzerland would take on devastating proportions.

It would also revive memories of the 1997 season when Philippoussis' unavailability for the Tie against Zimbabwe in Mildura cost Australia victory when it seemed to have a good chance to take the title.

Switzerland's team is in even more disarray than Australia's, with four of its leading players boycotting the Tie due to a dispute over Jakob Hlasek's appointment as captain. Young star Roger Federer is the only leading play to commit to the Tie.

 Scud cup snub
By JOHN HOGAN and PATRICK MILES

7jan00


DAVIS CUP hero Mark Philippoussis is expected to withdraw from Australia's opening-round Cup clash against Switzerland in Zurich next month.

A source said at the AAPT Championships in Adelaide last night that Philippoussis had spoken to cup captain John Newcombe, informing him of his decision not to play.

Philippoussis's coach Gavin Hopper said last night in Perth, where his charge is defending the Hopman Cup, that Philippoussis was "doubtful" about Zurich because of his busy ATP schedule.

"The decision hasn't been rubber-stamped yet and Mark is still having talks with John Newcombe, but it looks like what they're saying in Adelaide is true," Hopper said.

"I'd say it was doubtful that Mark will play against the Swiss."

He said that Philippoussis was in a dilemma because of commitments he had made to the ATP Tour well before Australia had advanced to the final in Nice last year.

"He would love to play in the Davis Cup this year, and he will, but he also wants to make sure he has a good year on the Tour," Hopper said. "To do that, and compete in the Olympics, he will not be able to play in each round of the cup."

Philippoussis has arranged to play eight tournaments in eight weeks following the Australian Open, which begins on January 17.

His first event after Melbourne Park, apart from the first round of the Davis Cup on February 4-6, is San Jose, beginning on February 7, and, as Hopper pointed out, Philippoussis would be stretched to successfully defend his title there if he played against Switzerland.

Hopper said when the plans for this year were laid, that it was anticipated Australia would have three strong singles players for their cup campaign in Philippoussis, Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt.

He said that the feeling had been that the load could be shared around, although that was before Rafter underwent surgery on his shoulder.

Hopper said that given the demands of the ATP Tour, in an Olympic year, one of the three could miss a round of the Davis Cup this season.