25th April, 1999

WE WERE DEADLY SERIOUS
Rafter reveals boycott anger

THE threat by Australian players to boycott the Davis Cup quarter-final if the Americans had been allowed to lay a clay court was for real.

I spoke to John Newcombe during the week about what the US was trying to get away with and I made my feelings very clear to him and the other players were extremely annoyed.

If the International Tennis Federation had not shown a bit of character and stepped in and ordered the Americans to play the tie on hard court - as originally proposed - the US would have been celebrating the Davis Cup centenary on their own.

All of the boys are still really frustrated about having to go to Boston and play there because of this centenary stuff.

We've resolved to go now because we think we have the teaam to win this year, but let's keep all this centenary business in perspective.

First of all, it's the 100th anniversary of the match between England and the US and it was played on grass.

This match is between Australia - which is due to host the match but has been denied that by the ITF, which pretty much does what the US wants anyway - and it will be played on hard court.

I don't really understand the pre-occupation with things from the past, or times or dates.

I live my life from day to day, trying to do the best I can. The past is the past and that is not being disrespectful to the achievements and the players of the past.

We will wear playing in Boston under protest but none of the players were going to sit around and watch the Americans give themselves all the advantages in the world by having a home tie out of turn and then laying a surface designed to disadvantage us.

All of the boys drew the line at clay and I'm glad the ITF has finally stood up to the Americans.

After what happened with some of their players in the crowd in Washington a couple of years ago when they sledged Todd Woodbrige, we'll be looking for a win in Boston just to stick it to them.

ON a lighter and more positive note, I was delighted to receive the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award at the ATP Tour awards night in Monte Carlo last week.

With the help of my sister Louise we've set up the Cherish the Children Foundation and we're trying to do what we can to help the disadvantaged in our society.

I hope we can make a difference. It's easy to be cynical sometimes about what can be changed in life, but I've been really heartened by the support we're now getting from the Australian corporate sector.

Westfield has indicated that it wants to come in and run a really great program that's going to help improve a lot of young lives and I think that's fantastic.

I'LL return to the ATP tour in Atlanta from tomorrow after losing the doubles final in Bermuda with Paul Kilderry.

It's been a relaxing time away from the pressures of the regular circuit, but I've still done the hard yards.

I've been working over here with Canadian Grant Connell, who was a very handy player on the tour in his day and still hits it extremely well.

Grant has married a Bermudan and once lived here so he knows the place very well.

After Atlanta, I'll be heading back to Bermuda before going to Europe for the clay court season.

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