Virus puts Hewitt out of crucial Davis Cup match

BELGRADE: A virus has forced Lleyton Hewitt to pull out of a crucial Davis Cup tie against Serbia here Sunday, leaving Australia on the cusp of relegation for only the second time in their history.   

Former world No. 1 Hewitt, due to have faced US Open finalist Novak Djokovic with Australia 2-1 down in the World Group playoff, has been replaced by Chris Guccione, Tennis Australia spokesman Darren Pearce said.   

"He has a viral infection, he's got very high temperatures," Pearce said.   

"He simply can't get out of bed," he quoted Australia team captain John Fitzgerald as saying ahead of the match, due to get underway at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT).   

He added, however, that "as one door closes another opens. This is the opportunity of Guccione's life," Fitzgerald said, referring to the world No. 94 singles player.   

Victory by world No. 3 Djokovic over Guccione would banish Australia - the second most successful Davis Cup nation with 28 titles - from the elite stages of the competition for only the second time in their history.   

On the tie's opening day, Djokovic had breezed past Peter Luczak in straight sets before Hewitt staged a typical fightback to beat Janko Tipsarevic in a five-set thriller.   

Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic had themselves fought back from a set down in Saturday's doubles rubber against Hewitt and Paul Hanley before they sealed a 2-1 advantage going in to Sunday's reverse singles.