Lleyton Hewitt was named yesterday in a four-man Australian team for this month's Davis Cup tennis semi-final against Argentina in Buenos Aires, despite having injury and safety concerns.
Hewitt, whose 28 victories in singles ties make him Australia's most successful Davis Cup player, previously had been reluctant to commit to the tie because of a knee injury and an aversion to clay court play.
Tennis Australia recently pledged extra security around the Sept. 22-Sept. 24 tie, to help allay Hewitt's strongly expressed concerns about his past treatment at the hands of Argentine crowds.
Hewitt has had on-court clashes with several Argentine players, including David Nalbandian and Juan Ignacio Chela, and had spoken of his apprehension about the reception he might receive in Buenos Aires.
"The biggest concern is my safety," he said in July. "The situation has got steadily worse for visiting teams and it takes only one whacko over there to turn things on its head. I've got my family to think about now and there are issues around the security situation."
Tennis Australia said then it was taking Hewitt's concerns seriously and would provide the Australian team with extra security personnel around the tie.
Hewitt has accused Argentina's Nalbandian of stirring up hostility toward him.
Hewitt, who this month reached the quarter-finals the US Open, was named alongside Mark Philippoussis, Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley in the Australian team after completing treatment in Sydney for knee tendonitis.
He will take the No. 1 singles role, setting up a potential pivotal singles clash with Argentina's No. 1, Nalbandian.
Philippoussis, ranked 113th in the world, is expected to take the No. 2 singles role while Arthurs and Hanley will team in the doubles. The pair won the critical doubles rubber in recent ties against Switzerland and Belarus.
Australia has won the Davis Cup 28 times but has recently struggled against Argentina, losing 5-0 in Buenos Aires in 2002 and 4-1 in Sydney last year.
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