Cash Laments Lack Of Young Aussies In The Pro Ranks

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 6th January 2014

Brisbane International Tennis Tournament

Cash Laments Lack Of Young Aussies In The Pro Ranks

epa04008741 Australian Lleyton Hewitt returns a ball to Switzerland's Roger Federer during their Men's final match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament at the Queensland Tennis Centre in Brisbane, Australia, 05 January 2014. EPA/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY |

As Pat Cash dips back into tennis briefly at this week’s exhibition event in Adelaide, the World Tennis Challenge, the former Wimbledon winner admits to mixed feelings about the lack of hard-charging young Aussies in the current game.

Cash, 48, was pleased to see 32-year-old Lleyton Hewitt beat Roger Federer for the Brisbane title which began the ATP season and the run-up to the Australian Open starting in a seek. But the veteran is also alarmed that younger players – most notably the 43rd-ranked Bernard Tomic – have not stepped up to take over the top Australian ranking.

“It’s really inspiring to see that Lleyton is 32 and is playing so well,” said Cash. “But in some ways, it’s slightly disappointing that he is still the top Australian. Lleyton’s a great player – but you would hope to have some other guys in the top 10, 20. It’s inspiring but a little strange to see that Lleyton is still our top-ranked player.”

Cash is betting on the emergence of teenaged young guns Nick Kyrgios, 18, a Wimbledon junior doubles champion, and Thanasi Kokkinakis, 17, who will play on the Cash team at the exho which pits stars from the past, present and future. “Lleyton just goes to show how experience goes a long way, you see players hitting their peak mid-20s and even later.

“But we have got a lot of depth. We have got a lot of good young players coming through and I think that is the encouraging thing. But it just takes a few years for players these days to come through.”

Topics: 10sballs, Atp, Bernard Tomic, Brisbane, Lleyton Hewitt, Nick Kyrgios, Pat Cash, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Wimbledon