Patrick Rafter will be Tennis Australia's new director of performance. The two-time U.S. Open champion, who is now the Australian Davis Cup captain, will be responsible for player development. It will be Rafter's first significant foray into tennis administration.
While Australia has several promising young male players, including Nick Kyrgios, there are fewer women's prospects following the decision of Ashleigh Barty to take a break from the game. Like other federations, there has also been division within the tennis community on the balance between private coaching and federation involvement.
"I am going to take my time, listen, watch and learn," Rafter was quoted as saying by the Melbourne Age. "The women is an area that I've got to get more into. Over the next two months I'm going to have to really dig deep into that, because it's probably an area that I have not been exposed to very much."
The federation was looking for someone to fill the position, with Rafter being recommended by a review done by Paul Annacone for Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley. Both convinced Rafter that he could take it on.
"I needed to find out whether or not I could do it, just with my family, with what I've got going on, also the Davis Cup, how I mix it all in together," he said. "So it went back and forward for quite a while, actually, and at one stage I didn't think I could do it, and I let them know, and Paul Annacone came out and did the review on things," said Rafter.
Rafter will stay on as Davis Cup captain for the moment.