Fanatical support upsets Argies

By LEO SCHLINK

July 16, 2005

AUSTRALIA'S Davis Cup support group, The Fanatics, yesterday became embroiled in the vicious psychological warfare between 
Lleyton Hewitt and Argentine Guillermo Coria.

Clad in T-shirts bearing illustrations of a needle exchange, drug store and a pharmacy prescription outlet under the words 
"Where's Willie?", the group clearly irked the visitors.

The T-shirt slogan was interpreted as a direct reference to Guillermo "Willie" Canas, Argentina's top-ranked player who is 
absent from the tie because of an ATP doping investigation. The world No. 8 returned an irregularity – believed to be a 
diuretic – when tested in Acapulco in February and withdrew from the tie because of the on-going investigation.

Coria was last night accused by Hewitt of spitting at Fanatics organiser Warren Livingstone.

The Argentine denied doing so.

Livingstone last night confirmed Coria had walked towards the support group's bloc seating in the southern stand midway 
through the fourth set before spitting

Coria was also accused of spitting at German referee Norbet Peick.

Coria and fellow French Open runner-up Mariano Puerta have both been suspended for failing drugs test.

Juan Ignacio Chela, who spat at Hewitt during the Australian Open in January, also has been banned for drug test failures.

The unmistakably provocative nature of The Fanatics' T-shirts illustrates a broader perception of Argentine players among 
their fellow competitors.

Max Mirnyi, of Belarus, last year scathingly questioned the South Americans' stunning success, suggesting something 
sinister might be afoot. Dutchman John van Lottum and former world No. 1 Jim Courier are among a group of former players 
to raise questions.

The picture on the T-Shirt

http://www.thefanatics.com/miscimages/willie2.gif