Tennis legend Pat Rafter might be a fascinated observer as Nick Kyrgios makes his much-anticipated return to nationwide colors on the inaugural United Cup combined groups’ occasion.
After a three-year Davis Cup exile, claiming he hasn’t been sufficiently appreciated by Australian followers, Kyrgios will reunite with skipper Lleyton Hewitt underneath the United Cup co-captaincy of ladies’s nice Samantha Stosur.
Hewitt and Australian No.2 Alex de Minaur have made no secret of their ongoing makes an attempt to entice Kyrgios again to the Davis Cup fold, going public with their frustration after shedding this yr’s ultimate with out the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up.
Rafter relinquished the Davis Cup captaincy in 2015 after rising uninterested in watching Kyrgios and fellow wild baby Bernard Tomic “unravel” throughout the early levels of their tumultuous careers.
Blissfully content material to stay on the outer, Rafter admits he’ll be as as each different tennis fan when Kyrgios groups up with Hewitt for Australia’s two-session opening United Cup tie towards Great Britain in Sydney on December 29-30.
“He will have to work out how he goes about all that. I don’t really know what goes on with him,” Rafter informed reporters in Brisbane on Monday.
“I just sit back and watch it, see what comes out and have a bit of a laugh.
“Because I’m not concerned in it and do not must be, I actually take pleasure in sitting again now and never must say or do something.”
Rafter didn’t necessarily agree that Australia would have won this year’s Davis Cup had Kyrgios been available.
“Would’ves. Should’ves. Could’ves,” said the former world No.1 and two-time US Open champion.
“You’ve bought to wish to be there. If you do not, you do not simply let down your self, you let down the staff.
“Obviously you have got Lleyton there running the show. All our generation wanted to be there and play. We loved it. Some people don’t like it.”
Asked if he was aware about any falling out behind the scenes between Kyrgios and Hewitt, Rafter mentioned: “That I don’t know. They are together here (at the United Cup).
“They have been collectively earlier than in Davis Cup. He is captain once more. We will wait and see what occurs however it might work. It goes to be fascinating.”
While Rafter relished representing Australia in the Davis Cup, he said only time would tell if Kyrgios returned to the competition in 2023.
“You’ve bought to have the buy-in with the gamers and Lleyton as nicely,” he mentioned.
“Lleyton has to work out how he needs to construction his staff and the way he needs all of it to evolve.
“(Kygrios) will dictate his results. He will dictate who he is. He will dictate how he fits in with the Australian personality and persona of taking him on. That is up to him.”
