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Corretja ends Hewitt feud
Nov 21: Alex Corretja has revealed he apologised to Lleyton Hewitt for calling the Australian `arrogant` before the 2000 Davis Cup Final
Nov 21: Alex Corretja has revealed he apologised to Lleyton Hewitt for calling the Australian "arrogant" before the 2000 Davis Cup Final
With Spain set to meet Australia in the final again on 28 November in Melbourne, Corretja played down any hint of a rift.
"Fortunately, we had a talk already last year at the US Open," Corretja said of the Hewitt situation.
"I said, 'Listen, I do apologise to you if I said something that bothers you'.
"'Probably I should have come straight to you and said it'.
"He accepted and since that day I believe we are in good conditions to talk and we say hello to each other and I think it's pretty fine."
Next week's tie will be played on grass, and the Spaniards have been practising on the surface in Houston and Barcelona.
"The grass season is like time off for us," Corretja admitted. "I don't see any problem for us but of course we'd rather play on clay."
Corretja and 22-year-old Feliciano Lopez are expected to team up in the doubles, with Carlos Moya and world number two Juan Carlos Ferrero likely to feature in singles.
But Corretja insists that Lopez, who has a swinging left-handed serve and is a decent volleyer, could challenge for a singles place.
"Definitely he (Lopez) has a good chance to play (singles)," said Corretja.
"I mean he's ready, he's been practising on a different grass court and he's been playing pretty well at Wimbledon so far.
"We will see how his game develops here and what the captain decides."
Bureau Report
"Fortunately, we had a talk already last year at the US Open," Corretja said of the Hewitt situation.
"I said, 'Listen, I do apologise to you if I said something that bothers you'.
"'Probably I should have come straight to you and said it'.
"He accepted and since that day I believe we are in good conditions to talk and we say hello to each other and I think it's pretty fine."
Next week's tie will be played on grass, and the Spaniards have been practising on the surface in Houston and Barcelona.
"The grass season is like time off for us," Corretja admitted. "I don't see any problem for us but of course we'd rather play on clay."
Corretja and 22-year-old Feliciano Lopez are expected to team up in the doubles, with Carlos Moya and world number two Juan Carlos Ferrero likely to feature in singles.
But Corretja insists that Lopez, who has a swinging left-handed serve and is a decent volleyer, could challenge for a singles place.
"Definitely he (Lopez) has a good chance to play (singles)," said Corretja.
"I mean he's ready, he's been practising on a different grass court and he's been playing pretty well at Wimbledon so far.
"We will see how his game develops here and what the captain decides."
Bureau Report