SYDNEY:
Unrepentant Australian Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt vowed Thursday to attraction in opposition to a two-week suspension for shoving a doping management official, hitting out on the timing of the choice.
The previous world primary was slapped with the sanction and a Aus$30,000 ($19,800) superb on Wednesday following an unbiased tribunal ruling beneath the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.
He was charged in January after pushing a 60-year-old volunteer anti-doping chaperone following Australia’s Davis Cup semi-final defeat to Italy in Spain two months beforehand, the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA) mentioned.
The 2-time Grand Slam winner denied the cost, citing self-defence.
The case was referred to an unbiased tribunal and, following a listening to in Sydney in July, chairman Michael Heron upheld the cost of offensive conduct.
However the suspension will solely take impact from September 24, that means he’s free to captain Australia of their second-round qualifier in opposition to Belgium in Sydney this weekend.
“I am simply actually dissatisfied in regards to the general determination but additionally the entire course of to be sincere, and the shortage of information which have been put out,” Hewitt mentioned at Ken Rosewall Area.
“I will be going to the attraction course of with my authorized group, so I will not be speaking about it any additional.”
Requested if he thought of stepping down this weekend in gentle of the ban, the 44-year-old replied: “No.”
“In contrast to the ITIA and the ITF (Worldwide Tennis Federation), I will not be making it a distraction for the Davis Cup,” he added. “This competitors means an excessive amount of.
“I feel deep down it should make the boys even stronger to go on the market and get the job executed.”
Throughout his suspension, Hewitt shall be unable to participate in all tennis-related actions together with teaching, mentoring, taking part in, captaincy and different related roles.
Australia are 28-time Davis Cup champions, second solely to the US, however haven’t lifted the trophy since 2003.
They misplaced within the semi-finals final yr to Jannik Sinner’s Italy, having been runners-up within the two editions earlier than that to Italy and Canada respectively.
They are going to be spearheaded this weekend by world quantity eight Alex de Minaur, however Fortieth-ranked Alexei Popyrin (again) and doubles veteran Matt Ebden (elbow) have been each dominated out on Thursday.
Their absence means Aleksandar Vukic and John Friends return to the group, with Hewitt handing a debut to Wimbledon 2025 doubles finalist Rinky Hijikata.
Belgium are spearheaded by world quantity 46 Zizou Bergs.
