Lleyton Hewitt pulled out another epic five-setter to defeat Ivo Karlovic.
LLEYTON Hewitt has labelled the International Tennis Federation's handling of the recent Davis Cup controversy as a "disgrace" and a "circus", despite the fact Australia has been cleared to play in 2010 and its most successful singles player will be allowed to end his representative career how and when he chooses.
"The whole thing is a circus. The way the ITF went about it was a disgrace in the first place," the former world No. 1 said after Sunday's five-set defeat of Croatian Ivo Karlovic in the first round of the French Open.
"I fully back what Tennis Australia has done. Everyone to do with the Australian Davis Cup team is pretty disappointed about the way they've gone about it. I'm not pissing in my own pocket but I've been going out after Davis Cup as much as anyone in the last 10 years and put Davis Cup first and the way the ITF went about this was very ordinary."
Tennis Australia may not have heard the last of its refusal to send a team to Chennai from May 8-10, with the All India Tennis Association angered by Australia's non-suspension and signalling it will protest against the largely financial penalties imposed by the Davis Cup committee on Friday night.
"AITA is disappointed with the decision taken by the Davis Cup committee and will take it up at an appropriate level in the ITF," AITA executive director Ranbir Chauhan said.
"The decision of the committee was not unanimous and the letter is only communicating the penalties and is not giving any details of the debate and discussion which has led the Davis Cup committee to take such a decision."
Australia was fined $US10,000 ($A12,830), directed to pay the costs of the ITF and AITA, and ordered to play its next Asia/Oceania zone group I tie away, regardless of its opponent. Australia's decision to forfeit the tie for security reasons once a request for a neutral venue was denied had left the 28-time cup champion facing a possible suspension from the 2010 competition.
Both countries have until June 22 to lodge appeals to the ITF board of directors, with Australia still awaiting details of India's compensation claim after the May 8-10 tie was cancelled and the Indians given direct passage into the world group play-offs in September. There they will play lowly ranked South Africa.
President Geoff Pollard has already indicated that Tennis Australia intends to consider the Davis Cup committee's decision in detail "before considering our next course of action".
Hewitt's comments follow those he made after Australia declared its unwillingness to go to Chennai during the election period, in which one of the Davis Cup's "strongest advocates" said he felt "very let-down" by some recent ITF decisions, including the limitation of rankings points to players in world group ties, and the scheduling of zonal fixtures in the middle of the claycourt season.
"The latest ITF decision to refuse to shift the May 8 tie to a neutral venue or a date outside the election is possibly the most disappointing of all," Hewitt wrote on his website. " … the ITF have showed a lack of protection and concern for the safety of the players."
"The whole thing is a circus. The way the ITF went about it was a disgrace in the first place," the former world No. 1 said after Sunday's five-set defeat of Croatian Ivo Karlovic in the first round of the French Open.
"I fully back what Tennis Australia has done. Everyone to do with the Australian Davis Cup team is pretty disappointed about the way they've gone about it. I'm not pissing in my own pocket but I've been going out after Davis Cup as much as anyone in the last 10 years and put Davis Cup first and the way the ITF went about this was very ordinary."
Tennis Australia may not have heard the last of its refusal to send a team to Chennai from May 8-10, with the All India Tennis Association angered by Australia's non-suspension and signalling it will protest against the largely financial penalties imposed by the Davis Cup committee on Friday night.
"AITA is disappointed with the decision taken by the Davis Cup committee and will take it up at an appropriate level in the ITF," AITA executive director Ranbir Chauhan said.
"The decision of the committee was not unanimous and the letter is only communicating the penalties and is not giving any details of the debate and discussion which has led the Davis Cup committee to take such a decision."
Australia was fined $US10,000 ($A12,830), directed to pay the costs of the ITF and AITA, and ordered to play its next Asia/Oceania zone group I tie away, regardless of its opponent. Australia's decision to forfeit the tie for security reasons once a request for a neutral venue was denied had left the 28-time cup champion facing a possible suspension from the 2010 competition.
Both countries have until June 22 to lodge appeals to the ITF board of directors, with Australia still awaiting details of India's compensation claim after the May 8-10 tie was cancelled and the Indians given direct passage into the world group play-offs in September. There they will play lowly ranked South Africa.
President Geoff Pollard has already indicated that Tennis Australia intends to consider the Davis Cup committee's decision in detail "before considering our next course of action".
Hewitt's comments follow those he made after Australia declared its unwillingness to go to Chennai during the election period, in which one of the Davis Cup's "strongest advocates" said he felt "very let-down" by some recent ITF decisions, including the limitation of rankings points to players in world group ties, and the scheduling of zonal fixtures in the middle of the claycourt season.
"The latest ITF decision to refuse to shift the May 8 tie to a neutral venue or a date outside the election is possibly the most disappointing of all," Hewitt wrote on his website. " … the ITF have showed a lack of protection and concern for the safety of the players."
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