'Can't put up with it': Why Hewitt snubbed Kyrgios for Davis Cup

Lleyton Hewitt previously hinted he wouldn’t be picking Nick Kyrgios for Australia’s upcoming Davis Cup tie.

And on Tuesday he followed through, overlooking Kyrgios and backing Australia’s in-form stars to deliver against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Hewitt named Alex de Minaur, John Millman, Jordan Thompson, Alexei Popyrin and doubles specialist John Peers for the February 1-2 tie at Adelaide’s Memorial Drive.

Kyrgios is the obvious omission, but last week Hewitt foreshadowed the snub.

Hewitt said he could “absolutely” see Kyrgios returning to the Davis Cup fold but that he needed to change some of his behaviour.

The captain said Kyrgios currently wasn’t meeting the “cultural standards” set by Davis Cup coach Tony Roche and himself.

The former world No.1 said he wanted the Australian players to always give 100 per cent to the sport and also be great role models.

“You have to enjoy going out there and playing and what Nick said in Brisbane and not actually wanting to be there at the tournament, I think that hurts one of our Australian events,” Hewitt said.

“Nick and I have had a great relationship but standards have to be set and the role I’m in you have to have standards.

“He’s got some work to do to get up to those standards.

“All I want guys to do is commit to the sport, work hard and want to play for Australia and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

Kyrgios’ off-court behaviour also an issue

Kyrgios has twice in recent weeks had a dig at Hewitt’s court-side support of de Minaur above other Australian players.

He also lashed out on Twitter at Hewitt’s former coach Roger Rasheed and former AFL champion Gerard Healy, with Hewitt talking to him about his use of social media.

“That’s one of the standards we can’t put up with just for the culture of Australian tennis,” Hewitt said.

“I don’t think it’s a good look, I’ve spoken to Nick about it and he understands that, but whether he learns from it, that’s another thing.”

With the Davis Cup overhauled for 2019, Australia will feature in one of 12 qualifying ties hoping to join defending champions Croatia, France, Spain, Great Britain, US and Argentina in the 18-team finals in Spain in November.

Australia’s team is the same one that lost to Austria in a World Group playoff last September, apart from the inclusion of 19-year-old Popyrin, who replaces Hewitt after reaching the third round of the Australian Open.

Hewitt played doubles in the last tie, claiming he only did so because players – including Kyrgios – became unavailable at the last minute.

Kyrgios opted out of the clay-court playoff to save himself for the Laver Cup instead being staged a week later in Chicago.

Australian No.3 Matt Ebden was also overlooked, as he was for the Austrian tie.

After more than a week of public feuding with self-exiled star Bernard Tomic, who claimed he, Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis no longer wanted to play Davis Cup under Hewitt, the skipper broke with tradition and announced his team via a press release about 15 minutes before the deadline for nomination.

“De Minaur has had an incredible start to the year winning his maiden ATP title in Sydney and making the third round of the Aussie Open,” Hewitt said in a statement.

“Popyrin showed us he can match it with the top players and it was pleasing to see him do so well in only his second appearance at a grand slam.

“John Millman and Jordan Thompson will bring experience to the team as will John Peers who is contesting his ninth grand slam men’s doubles quarter-final tomorrow.”

Alex Bolt will also travel to his home state of South Australia for the tie after making the last 32 of the Open too.

with AAP