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

Australian tennis legend John Newcombe has thrown his unconditional support behind former pupil Lleyton Hewitt for the Davis Cup captain’s job which will become vacant on schedule in early 2016.

As part of a master plan engineered by Tennis Australia, Hewitt and one-time captain Patrick Rafter, Hewitt is expected to step smoothly into the Davis role after he retires on the cusp of his 35th birthday following his exit from the Australian Open next January.

Temporary Aussie skipper Wally Masur will step aside on queue for Lleyton to move in. All that seems fine to Newk, who just happens to sit on the five-man selection committee which will just happen to be recommending a replacement for Masur.

“Should he become Davis Cup captain I think Lleyton will be fantastic, he’ll do a great job, because he’s seen so much and has so much experience about what Davis Cup means,” Newcombe told Australian media.

The former No. 1 who served as Davis co-captain along with old mate Tony Roche from 1995 to 2000 added: “It’s very exciting, because if you put Nick in the mix, and with Thanasi (Kokkinakis) and Bernie, and Sam has got another good three years there, if all of those four players are totally committed with other young guys coming up behind them, the future for Davis Cup looks very rosy.”

Australia crashed out of the worldwide team competition last month as Andy Murray led Britain into an historic final at the expense of the visiting side led by Hewitt.

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