Lleyton Hewitt's long break from tennis will help rather than hinder Australia in their Davis Cup final against Spain, captain John Fitzgerald said on Wednesday.
Hewitt, who has slipped to number 18 in the rankings, has cut his schedule back to concentrate on the final. He last played in a five-set win over Switzerland's Roger Federer in the semi-final in September.
In Australia's last Davis Cup final in 2001, lost against France, the former world number one looked washed out after a hectic schedule following his US Open victory, Masters Cup triumph and elevation to the top ranking.
"It's a very different preparation and it's difficult I think to get the formula absolutely perfect," Fitzgerald told a news conference in Adelaide on Wednesday.
"Two years ago he did exactly what Juan Carlos [Ferrero] did and in the final [against France] he actually lost his first match and maybe he was just a little bit exhausted."
Ferrero, who will spearhead Spain's campaign, has already talked of fatigue after a similar schedule to Hewitt's.
"It's a tough game tennis, it's a worldwide game, they're jet-lagged a lot (and) they don't have an off-season," added Fitzgerald.
"There's a fine line there between getting the right number of matches and the right amount of fitness and hitting enough balls and working on the things that you need to work on."
The Australian squad of Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs will assemble in Melbourne next week for the November 28-30 tie.
The final will be played on a specially laid grass court at Melbourne Park.
