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BRISBANE, Australia -- Although it will play without
one of last year's Davis Cup heroes, defending champion
Australia is heavily favored to move into the final for the
second straight year when it hosts Brazil.
The best-of-five tie begins Friday and is being played on grass, a surface strongly suited
to the Australians but not to a Brazilian team that excels on clay.
Wimbledon finalist Patrick Rafter, teenage sensation Lleyton
Hewitt and doubles specialist Mark Woodforde are part of the
Australian squad put togther by captain John Newcombe.
The fourth spot originally was held by Mark Philippoussis, who
led his country to the Davis Cup title last year. But more than
a year after a previous Davis Cup rift with the team,
Philippoussis was a late withdrawal for the semifinal tie,
citing inflammation in his left knee.
The last-minute pullout left Newcombe searching for a
replacement and had Rafter seething.
"I guess he doesn't feel like playing Davis Cup," Rafter said.
"I just wish he'd come out and say something, how he's feeling,
just clear the air. I'd respect him a lot more for it than
jerking us around, telling us he's going to play, then not
showing up to play."
Rafter, Hewitt and Woodforde each had considerable success on
the grass at Wimbledon, which does not bode well for Brazil.
After undergoing shoulder surgery in October, Rafter turned
around his season by winning a
Wimbledon tuneup event in the Netherlands before losing to Pete
Sampras in the Wimbledon final.
Hewitt has won four tournaments this season, including the
Stella Artois Championships on grass, and reached the mixed
doubles final at Wimbledon.
Woodforde is playing Davis Cup for the final time before
retiring at the end of the year. He and Tood Woodbridge teamed
to win their sixth Wimbledon doubles crown.
Australia defeated Germany, 3-2, in April to earn a spot in the
semifinals. It has won 27 Davis Cup titles, second only to the
United States' 31.
Brazil, which never has won a Davis Cup title, pulled out a 3-2
win over Slovakia to reach the semifinals. French Open champion
Gustavo Kuerten will be relied on heavily to give Brazil any
chance at pulling off the upset.
However, Kuerten may be a question mark after lingering back
problems led to a third-round exit at Wimbledon. He will be
joined by Fernando Meligeni, Andre Sa and Jaime Oncins.
Kuerten battles Rafter and Meligeni faces Hewitt in Friday's
singles matches. On Saturday, Kuerten teams with Oncins to
battle Woodforde and Sandon Stolle in doubles.
Reverse singles are set for Sunday.
This will be only the second meeting between the nations, with
Australia winning 4-1 in 1955.
The United States and Spain will square off in the other
semifinal in Santander, Spain from July 21-23.
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