Australia’s most prolific Davis Cup performer Lleyton Hewitt says the road back to the World Group next year would be easier with tennis wild child Bernard Tomic in Pat Rafter’s squad.
Australia’s first step to the elite group is against Taiwan in the Asia/Oceania zone tie in Kaohsiung City in February.
But it will be without Tomic after captain Rafter’s decision to stand him down from Davis Cup duty in the wake of the loss to Germany in September – a result that consigned Australia to a sixth year out of the World Group.
Tomic created more headlines off the court than he did on it in 2012.
Tanking accusations, a world ranking dive from a career-high 27 to 51 and multiple run-ins with Gold Coast police finally forced Rafter’s hand.
Tomic’s response was to inform his frustrated captain he was not going to be available for the tie anyway, further straining their relationship.
But Hewitt, who’s played more ties (33) and won more Davis Cup matches than any other Australian, believes Tomic remains an important cog in the future.
“It’s going to be tough to do it without him (Tomic) because he is capable of winning at least one of the singles against most countries,” said Hewitt on Tuesday.
“Obviously he’s not going to be playing the first tie (in Taiwan) and who knows after that, it’s not my call.”
Rafter has told Hewitt he would be happy to hand over the captaincy role to him once he finishes playing.
If he accepted Rafter’s offer he’d be mentoring Tomic and several other young Australian players coming through the ranks — including James Duckworth whose game he is already helping to develop.
Asked about the prospect of taking on Tomic in a regular coaching gig down the track, Hewitt smiled.
“I don’t know about that,” he said.
“I really haven’t thought much about what I might be doing when my career is finished.
“Pat always says to me I can have the Davis Cup job after him so we’ll wait and see.
“At the moment I’m still trying to grind it out and play against these younger guys let along coaching them.”
