South Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt yesterday scuttled the most persistent Davis Cup rumor on the African continent, dismissing speculation he was poised to replace Pat Rafter in the first-round tie against Zimbabwe. Hewitt, 18, has two wins this season to his credit over dual US Open champion Rafter, fuelling suggestions selectors would gamble on the Adelaide baseliner. But Hewitt, desperate as he is to make his debut, wil have nothing of it. "I'm not much of a chance at the moment," Hewitt said after a gruelling practice session at the rambling City Sports Centre in Harare. "I think the only way I would play is if one of the guys got sick. "Otherwise you basically have to be in the top 10 to get a singles spot. Pat's No. 5 in the world and Mark is 10 or 11. I'm 55, so I've got a way to go yet. "But I think my form has been fantastic thesse past eight weeks. I've done really well a nd it's great to be in the squad. If I did get the opportunity to play, I would be honored and very excited." Rafter, 25, yesterday, erased concerns John Newcombe and Tony Roche might have had about the athletic serve-volleyer, with a sparkling practice display ahead of Friday's tie. Rafter has an unflattering 7-6 win-loss record this year and opnely admits Hewitt is a more deserving contender for Cup honours. The right-hander has been handicapped since resuming in January by a lack of matchplay and bouts of self-doubt. But his determination to arrive in Harare a week ahead of the tie has the world No. 5 honing his frenetic net-rushing game to the sharpest edge. He shaded nemesis Hewitt in a practice set before dining at the home of Zimbabwean stalwart Byron Black last night. "I've got a lot of work to do. The year hasn't panned out that great for me so far, but I'm not that far away. I think a good performance here would do my confidence a lot of good." Rafter is also determined to avenge last seasons 3-2 loss to Zimbabwe in Mildura, where he lost his opening-day singles to Byron Black and was forced out of the reverse encounter against Wayne Black because of a virus. Philippoussis is expected to arrive in Harare tomorrow for his first Cup match s ince the 1997 semi-final loss to the US. Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde join the squad today. Hewitt will continue to toil away. "If something did happen to one of the four guys and I got the chance to play, I would be pretty nervous," he said. "It would be another match in one respect, but it's also Davis Cup. Iwould go in there and give it 110 percent."

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