Fitzy challenges Guccione to step up
Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald says it is high time Chris Guccione take his game to the next level.
Guccione lost both his singles matches in Australia's 3-2 World Group play-off loss to Chile, despite giving a good account of himself against both Nicholas Massu and world number 11 Fernando Gonzalez.
The defeat means Australia will spend another 12 months in the Asia/Oceania zone.
Fitzgerald says the left-hander needs to play with more consistency.
"The first match this weekend Chris didn't play at his best, he served and volleyed well, but didn't handle the back of the court very well," he said.
"He needs to step that up. Today [against Gonzalez] he did, so all in all, he's getting there gradually.
"But it's taking a bit of time and he needs to go to the next level now."
But Fitzgerald says there is some light at the end of the tunnel, particularly thanks to the efforts of debutant Carsten Ball.
Fitzgerald says Ball's efforts in his first Davis Cup tie, a win with Guccione in the doubles and a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) victory over Paul Capdeville in the reverse singles dead rubber, were very encouraging.
"He's a 6'5'' athlete that moves like a kid that's 6'2", and he really stood up to the pressure on Saturday in the live match in doubles, then played a very good dead singles rubber today as well," he said.
"He's versatile, can play singles and doubles and there's a couple of kids right behind him as well."