Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

One who will not be playing in the Australian team to face the United States next March but could still be the hosts captain is the soon to retire Lleyton Hewitt.

The 34 year-old played a major part in Australia’s 4-1 quarterfinal win over the 1999 US team led by Tim Gullikson, scoring singles wins over both Todd Martin and Alex O’Brien in the concluding dead fifth rubber. The Aussies went on to take the title, beating France in the final at Nice.

Hewitt is to retire as a player after next January’s Australian Open and looking back on his Davis Cup exploits, that saw him progress to get a winner’s medal, he said: “It’s been a great journey, taken up a lot of my lifetime really; playing for my country, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.”

And the former US Open and Wimbledon champion thanked Aussie tennis icons John Newcombe and Tony Roche for teaching him the importance of Davis Cup competition.

“I remember a lot of the older guys when I first came into the team said you have some of your biggest highs in tennis in Davis Cup and you have some of your toughest losses in Davis Cup and it couldn’t be more true,” said Hewitt.

“I couldn’t have had two better people instill (in me) what Davis Cup means, but more in particular what it means to play for Australia, as John Newcombe and Tony Roche.”

Roche went on to be a mentor to Hewitt throughout much of his career and seems likely to still have a place in the Aussie back up team if Hewitt does, as expected, take over the captaincy.

“I owe them a hell of a lot and it’s been fantastic that Rochey’s been able to get back around a lot of these younger guys the last couple of years as well because he is still such a big part of this team and even the young guys moving forward.

“Even though there’s so many generation gaps between Rochey and these guys, it’s really important to have him around as much as possible.”

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.