TA opens up Davis Cup captaincy process

Lleyton Hewitt will be a great Davis Cup captain “in due course”, but Tennis Australia wants to give others – including Pat Cash – a chance to pitch their visions first.

Hewitt was anointed captain-in-waiting in January, when he announced his plans to retire after the 2016 Australian Open and Pat Rafter stood down from the role.

Wally Masur was installed as interim coach, and had planned to stay in that role until Hewitt was ready to end his player career.

But after former Wimbledon champion Cash criticised the move, TA decided to open the position up to other applicants.

“I spoke to Pat at Roland Carros in June and … we had a good discussion about his disappointment about that,” Healy said on Tuesday.

“We’re in some ways reacting to that and saying it’s going to be an open and transparent process.

“We want to give everyone a chance to not only apply, but tell us their vision for Davis Cup.

“But Lleyton’s a pretty fantastic candidate.

“He is very passionate about it, he’s been our greatest ever Davis Cup player and I think in due course he’ll be a great captain.”

Healy said TA’s board was yet to discuss the exact process and timeline, but it will be on the agenda in the coming months.

“We’ll decide how that’s going to play out and let everybody know,” he added.

Meanwhile, Healy suggested there was a good chance Canberra would host a Davis Cup tie in the coming years following the completion of the new ACT Tennis Centre on Tuesday.

There was also a possibility the Fed Cup would be played at the new centre, he added.

“There is no reason why not,” he said.

“If we have a tie at the right time of year, the surface suits what the players want to play on against the opposition and of course, we’re at home, the ACT will definitely come into consideration.”

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