Old-hand Hewitt eager to return to World Group

Veteran Lleyton Hewitt is eager to help Australia get back into the Davis Cup World Group when the promotion/relegation match against Germany starts on Friday.

“It is very important to me for us to be in the World Group once again,” Hewitt said at Hamburg’s clay-court Rothenbaum stadium with Australia last having been involved in the Davis Cup’s top tier back in 2007.

Wins over China in February and South Korea in April have given Australia the chance to face Germany for a place in next year’s World Group, while the hosts face the relegation battle after February’s home defeat to Argentina.

Australian teenager Bernard Tomic will face Cedrik-Marcel Stebe in Friday’s opening singles rubber before Hewitt, now ranked 100th in the world, faces top German Florian Mayer, ranked 25th.

In Saturday’s doubles tie, Hewitt lines up alongside Chris Guccione to face Philipp Petzschner and Benjamin Becker, while Hewitt is ear-marked for Sunday’s fifth and final rubber in the singles.

AFP