http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/1682006.stm
Thursday, 29 November, 2001, 23:45 GMT
Escude ready for Hewitt
The first singles match of the Davis Cup final between
Nicolas Escude and Lleyton Hewitt was set to be played
with the roof closed.
Drizzle and cloudy skies forced organisers to shut the
roof at the Rod Laver Arena.
But with 30 minutes to go before the scheduled start,
it was opened again because the weather improved.
France's Escude is confident he can beat Australia's
Hewitt in the opening rubber.
Escude won when the pair met at Wimbledon earlier in
the year and he is positive that result boosts his
chances of repeating the feat.
"A lot has happened since Wimbledon, but yes, I think
that will give me some confidence," Escude said.
"I feel very good about myself and about my chances,"
the Frenchman added.
However, since that meeting, Hewitt has won the US Open
and the Masters Cup in early November to confirm his
standing as the world number one.
But Hewitt is not letting his good form fool him into
underestimating his opponent.
"He's a really good grass player, although it did go down
to 6-4 in the fifth," Hewitt said of the fourth round
4-6 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 defeat.
"But I know I'm going to have to play a lot better than
I did that day if I'm going to win."
Pat Rafter will play Sebastien Grosjean in the second
match on the first day.
In Saturday's doubles, the hosts will field Todd Woodbridge
and Wayne Arthurs against Fabrice Santoro and Cedric Pioline
- a late replacement for Arnaud Clement.
The winning doubles team has ended up winning the Davis
Cup in every final since 1978.
The final day's reverse singles will pit Hewitt against
Grosjean while Rafter is scheduled to play Escude should
the match last until the deciding rubber.
Rafter, fighting a shoulder injury, was declared fit to
play by Australian coach John Fitzgerland on Thursday.
"There is no secret Pat has had some soreness in his arm
but all along we believed that he would play," Fitzgerald
said.
"You just can't bet your life on these things so we are
delighted he is fit and ready to go," he added.
Grosjean beat Rafter on his way to the Masters Cup final
in Sydney two weeks ago.
The Australian, who could be playing in his last event,
predicted that the tie would be an exhibition of "classic
grass-court tennis".
----------------------------------------------
Davis Cup final draw
Friday's singles (0000 GMT)
Lleyton Hewitt v Nicolas Escude
Patrick Rafter v Sebastien Grosjean
Saturday's doubles (0300 GMT)
Wayne Arthurs & Todd Woodbridge
v Cedric Pioline & Fabrice Santoro
Sunday's reverse singles (0000 GMT)
Lleyton Hewitt v Sebastien Grosjean
Pat Rafter v Nicolas Escude