Melbourne: Former world number one Patrick Rafter has been named Australia's Davis Cup coach and is tasked with leading the once-great tennis nation back to the pinnacle of the sport.
The twice US Open champion replaces John Fitzgerald who stepped down after a decade at the helm. Rafter will team up with his former coach Tony Roche to try and guide Australia back into the elite 16-nation World Group for the first time since 2007.
"This is something of a dream-team combination," Tennis Australia head of men's tennis Todd Woodbridge said. Rafter, 37, said he was eager to start working with the team. "We've got a lot of young players that have a great opportunity to play for Australia," he said. "My standards and expectations are extremely high. This is a great opportunity to be part of something that means a lot to me."
Australia's most successful Davis Cup player Lleyton Hewitt welcomed the news. "I'm happy with the appointment of Pat and Rochey. Pat and I get along great and have shared some special moments at the highest level of Davis Cup, and I look forward to working with him," he said.
"And Rochey, I have always said his experience is second to none and he will be a fantastic addition again to the team." Australia has won 28 Davis Cup trophies, second only to the US with 32, but Rafter's failure to win the team trophy remains a regret in his colourful career.
The serve-volleyer missed Australia's 1999 final triumph over France with a shoulder injury and featured in Australia's losing finals against Spain in Barcelona in 2000 and against France in Melbourne in 2001.
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