Marinko Matosevic aiming to return for the Davis Cup duty next season – Tennis News
Australian number one, Marinko Matosevic, has decided to return to the Davis Cup campaigns in the coming season. He has not been participating in the coveted world team event this year and it was due to the bitter incident he had
with the Team Australia captain, Pat Rafter, in April. Matosevic was overlooked for the following Davis Cup ties and Bernard Tomic led the Aussie squad in his absence.
It was last week that Matosevic received the award of ATP’s Best Improved Player of the Year after posting substantial performances with the racquet throughout the season. The Aussie has finally realised that he can be an active
member of the Davis Cup squad and his presence in the team will raise the bar of competitiveness in the ties against other squads. He has cited that his relations with Rafter have immensely improved in the past few months and it is about time that he rejoins
his duty for the Davis Cup.
"I just made an error in Brisbane in judgment - I just learnt that if you're playing for your country it doesn't matter if it's 0-0 or 4-0, you have to give it everything," Matosevic told reporters at Melbourne Park on Thursday.
"I've moved on from that, I've worked hard and hopefully I'm a part of the next tie. He (Rafter) really took me under his wing when John Fitzgerald was captain and he's had a lot of work to do with me off court. I can't thank him enough. We have a pretty good
relationship besides what happened in Brisbane."
Currently holding the 49th spot in the South African Airways ATP World Tour Rankings, Matosevic is yet to have a mark in the Grand Slam tournaments, as he has a 0-7 record in the Majors. He has been nominated for the
John Newcombe Medal of Australia’s best player for the year and it is quite expected that he will win the award on next Monday.
Nevertheless, it is very pleasing to see Matosevic re-building good relations with the Davis Cup coach and it is hoped that Team Australia will be strengthened by his return.
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