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10/22/10 11:08 PM | Johan Lindahl
Patrick Rafter has gotten a warm welcome as the popular Aussie takes over his country's Davis Cup captaincy from John Fitzgerald.
"We need him, the game needs him and you couldn't get a better guy to lead Australia," said Fitzy as he ended a ten-year run at top man on the side. "We're all just delighted.
"It took him a while to make up his mind, but it's win-win for everybody.?
Rafter has kept out of the spotlight since retiring from tennis, but the former No. 1, playing at a senior event this weekend in China along with Pete Sampras, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and others, finally decided to take the coaching plunge.
Australian media report that Fitzgerald, keen to move on, helped pave the way for his successor.
Now that he's in the seat, the 37-year-old Rafter is ready to get on with the job of taking the 28-time champion side back into the Davis Cup World group to end an absence dating to 2007.
"I'm really looking forward to working with the team and helping lift Australian men's tennis on the world stage," he said. "We've got a lot of young players that have a great opportunity to play for Australia. My standards and expectations are extremely high. This is a great opportunity to be part of something that means a lot to me."
Rafter will be aided by veteran coach Tony Roche, who served in that same position a decade ago when Rafter played Davis Cup for his country.
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