Tennis: Captain returns Lewis serve

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Shattered Davis Cup captain Bruce Derlin was quick to aim a few hard-hitting volleys at former international Chris Lewis on the team's return from Pakistan yesterday.

Within hours of the New Zealand team's gut-wrenching 3-2 loss to Pakistan in Islamabad this week, Lewis suggested Derlin should either quit or be fired.

Lewis maintained the finger should be pointed at Derlin for New Zealand's demise and relegation to the second tier of the Asia/Oceania zone.

"What do you say to something like that? Why would it be my fault?" asked Derlin on his arrival with Cup hero Mark Nielsen, William Ward and Lee Radovanovich.

"He [Lewis] is the one who broke up the whole New Zealand Tennis system.

"Funny how he came in and the system broke up. Maybe we should be pointing the finger at him."

Derlin, who has a second year to run of his two-year contract, said: "Gone are the days when we simply turn up in a country like Thailand, win 5-0 and go home.

"These countries are all pouring millions of dollars into their programmes.

"We are trying hard to change the system. New Zealand Tennis broke down seven years ago. Now we don't have a big enough base."

Derlin did not agree that Simon Rea had let the team down in losing the critical second reverse singles.

"Simon gives 110 per cent every time he steps on the court. He is a real team man. He was sick [at losing to Aqeel Khan] - we were all sick," said Derlin.

"We put in such an effort but until more systems and programmes are put in place we will continue to struggle.

"Simon is [behind Nielsen] the second-best serve and volley player we have. I would not have done anything differently."

Derlin did, however, point to the 5-0 loss to Indonesia earlier in the year as perhaps a bigger disappointment, questioning the hold American universities have on their players.

"Sometimes I wonder about the college system. The players see playing for their university as more important than playing for their country in Davis Cup.

"It is difficult in trying to wrestle players away, especially when you know they are under threat of losing their place at college if they go," said Derlin.

"Simon desperately wanted to play against Indonesia. If he had, who knows, we might not have been in the position we now find ourselves."

Nielsen, who had been accused of bagging Rea's effort at the Islamabad Club, said: "The guy busted his arse. Simon is all about effort. He was trying but in the end his shots became less effective but he was still confident of winning."

Nielsen, who beat Pakistani No 1 and sometime doubles partner Aisam Qureshi in a five-set, 5 1/2 -hour battle to keep the tie alive, said it was the longest time he had spent on court.

"It was 30C but I just gave it everything," he said. "I was probably dominant in every set. He is a good friend of mine.

"The match was played in good spirit and, more importantly, I gave Simon the chance to win [the tie]."

After leading two sets to one, he lost in another tense five-setter.

Nielsen, who has come home to celebrate his 27th birthday, is heading back to Japan to play some tournaments and do some coaching.

Before that he will turn out in the Auckland and North Harbour interclub Caro Bowl and Chelsea Cup competitions, along with most of his Davis Cup team-mates.