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| July 26, 2006 | Wednesday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 29, 1427 |
Aussies boost Davis Cup security after Hewitt fears
SYDNEY, July 25: Tennis Australia announced extra security Tuesday for its team contesting the Davis Cup semi-final in Buenos Aires after Lleyton Hewitt threatened to boycott the tie, saying he feared for his safety.
Former world numer one Hewitt is reviled in Argentina after a series of clashes with players from the South American country and told Sydney's Daily Telegraph he was apprehesive about the September 22-24 tie.
“The biggest concern is my safety,” he said. “The situation has got steadily worse for visiting teams and it takes only one whacko over there to turn things on its head.
“I've got my family to think about and there are issues around the security situation.” The bad blood between Hewitt and the Argentines began at last year's Australian Open when Juan Ignacio Chela took exception to the Australian's histrionics and spat at him as they changed ends in their third round match, picking up a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct.
It continued later in 2005 when Hewitt and Guillermo Coria traded insults and accused each other of bad sportsmanship after an ill-tempered Davis Cup singles rubber in Sydney.
After Australia won through to the semi-final in Buenos Aires, Davis Cup veteran Wayne Arthurs joked that Hewitt was a wanted man in Argentina and “they'll be throwing more than the kitchen sink at him”.
But Tennis Australia spokesman John Lindsay said his organisation was taking the issue seriously and doing everything it could to ensure a safe environment for the players.
“We have been over there and reviewed the security situation and are liaising with the Argentinians to make sure everything is satisfactory,” he told AFP.
“We have made some recommendations about steps we would like to see taken and are implementing extra security measures of our own. The security and safety of all our players is an important consideration for Tennis Australia.” Lindsay said extra security personnel would travel to Argentina with the Australian team for the semi-final.
Hewitt, central to Australia's slim hopes of progressing to the final, accused Argentina's David Nalbandian of “stirring things up”.
“Nalbandian's been talking it up about how he wants me down there, so there are concerns over safety issues,” he said.
Australia, Davis Cup champions 28 times, have struggled against Argentina in recent years.
They went down 5-0 in Buenos Aires in 2002 and the Argentines inflicted a 4-1 drubbing in Sydney last July.—AFP
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