COPYRIGHT 1998 NANDO MEDIA
COPYRIGHT 1998 AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

BRISBANE (Dec 7, 1998 - 23:51 EST) - Pat Rafter said Tuesday he was hopeful but not convinced Australia's Davis Cup team has gotten past Mark Philippoussis' public feud with coaches Tony Roche and John Newcombe.

Philippoussis declared himself unavailable for the Davis Cup earlier this year but has said he will return to the Australian team for the March match in Zimbabwe.

The hard-serving Philippoussis, whom Rafter beat to take his second straight U.S. Open title, has had a vocal and at times very public feud with Newcombe and Roche and refused to play under their leadership.

But Tennis Australia reappointed the pair for Australia's 1999 campaign despite Philippoussis' opposition.

Rafter said Philippoussis' announcement that he would return to the team for the Zimbabwe match was a good first step.  Zimbabwe humiliated Australia's Davis Cup team in a first-round tie last year, knocking Australia out of the competition.

"I'm not 100 percent optimistic about it just yet but there's definitely a step in the right direction," Rafter said.  "We have to take one step at a time."

Rafter, who said this week that he had recovered from a knee injury, believes Philippoussis, who has a solid record against Zimbabwe's Black brothers, Byron and Wayne, will be a critical part of next year's campaign.

"Hopefully I'm fit as well and with Philippoussis in the team, with his very good results against the Blacks, there's no reason why we can't do well," Rafter said.

Rafter, who ended last year's campaign for the World No. 1 early to rest a ore knee, will return to competitive tennis next month in the Adidias International in Sydney as part of his preparations for the Australian Open.