October 24, 1998
GIVE NEWK ANOTHER CHANCE by Pat Rafter....
I get on very well with Macca, and I am sure he would do a great job.
But my gut feeling is that the selection panel will reappoint Newk this week.
He and Tony Roche have been through the hard times with us since 1995, and they are still
there.
I'm sure they would not want to leave at this stage, and that the players don'g want them
to go. No disrespect to
Macca, but we want to finish what we started with Newk and Rochey.
I've heard rumors about a couple of guys being interested in the captaincy and that is
healthy. Newk doesn't want
to be there forever, but we have a great opportunity to win the Davis Cup again.
After some rough times in the past few years, the boys want to enjoy any coming successes
together. There are
some potentially great captains in the wings, but Newk deserves the chance to keep going.
I Will have my hip examined in Germany this week.
It is fine most of the time, but distracts me on some shots.
I have no idea whether the problem is wear and tear or something more serious, but I want
to get it right before
the start of the Australian summer circuit.
Fitness guru Mark Waters is coming over and I'm looking forward to working with him again,
along with my mate
Matty McMahon.
With Pete Sampras winning in Vienna last week and Marcelo Rios moving to No. 2 in the
world rankings, it will
tough to reach No. 1 before the end of the year.
Rios won Singapore and is playing very well.
I try not to think about the No. 1 ranking too much.
I must focus on my form and doing my best into the ATP World Singles Championships in
Hannover. If I play well
and win matches, my ranking will take care of itself.