Rochus levels Davis Cup tie for Belgium

The man who helped send Australia into the tennis wilderness again embraced the role
of villain as Belgium levelled their Davis Cup world group playoff at 1-1 in Cairns
on Friday.
Pint-sized Belgian No.1 Olivier Rochus made short work of big-serving leftie Carsten
Ball to win the second singles rubber 6-4 6-4 7-6 in almost two and a half hours.
It was a body blow for Australia after Lleyton Hewitt provided a dream start with a
record-equalling win.
Australia held all the momentum as Hewitt, 29, endured more than three hours of
scorching conditions to seal a 7-6 7-5 2-6 6-4 opening win over last-minute
replacement Ruben Bemelmans.
The packed Cairns International Tennis Centre was buzzing after an exhausted Hewitt
joined Adrian Quist as Australia's most successful Davis Cup player with 43 wins
(singles and doubles).
Then Rochus took the court.
Three years ago Rochus was a key member of the Belgian team that knocked Australia
out of the world group with a shock win in Liege.
And he looked just as determined to keep them out of the elite group on Friday.
The feisty 168cm 29-year-old stood tall against Ball - despite giving away 30cm to
the Australian.
It ensured Australian captain John Fitzgerald didn't know how to feel after the
rollercoaster opening day.
"There was relief when Lleyton pulled that one out, but I felt for Carsten," he said.
"The scoreboard shows it was straight sets but I think sometimes you don't know how
close you are in a match like that.
"Win that (third set) tiebreak and I think anything could have happened."
World No.79 Rochus - ranked 71 places higher than Ball - cruised through the first
two sets before the Australian broke back in the third to force a tiebreaker.
"To get him in three sets playing here, I am happy for me but especially for the
team," said Rochus, who took the tiebreaker 7-5.
"To be 1-1 - it gives us hope."
It ended Ball's perfect 6-0 (singles and doubles) Davis Cup record as he followed in
the footsteps of his father Syd.
Ball, 23, had a hard act to follow after Hewitt overcame surprise resistance from
world No.191 Bemelmans.
Left-handed Bemelmans, 22, stepped in after world No.117 Steve Darcis (shoulder)
withdrew an hour before play.
Belgium captain Reginald Willems said Darcis complained of shoulder pain at training
late Thursday but was given until the last minute on Friday.
He did not know whether Darcis would partner Rochus in their crucial doubles rubber
on Saturday.
Fitzgerald was just as unsure whether a drained Hewitt would back up in the doubles
with Paul Hanley.
World No.36 Hewitt did it tough despite being ranked 155 places higher than his
opponent, especially in the third set which Bemelmans romped through in 23 minutes.
Hewitt took a break to don a fresh shirt and came out swinging in the fourth.
He got some welcome respite in the fourth when play was suspended as a female
spectator was treated after fainting in the sweltering heat.