others begins in earnest tomorrow when Australia host Ecuador in the first round of the Davis Cup.

Bermuda-based Rafter has two US Open titles to his credit and was a finalist at Wimbledon last year but says he is desperate to win a Davis Cup before he retires, probably at the end of the year.

"I'd trade one of my US titles for it,'' Rafter said. "It means that much to me.'' Rafter missed Australia's 1999 Davis Cup final win over France because of a shoulder injury and had to retire during his first match in last year's final with Spain because of cramp.

His bid to win a first Australian Open last month was also scuttled by cramp when his legs seized up while he was leading eventual champion Andre Agassi two sets to one in the semi-finals.

But Rafter insists he is now over the problem and ready to produce his best against Ecuador, who made the World Group for the first time by defeating Britain 3-2 at Wimbledon last year.

Teenager Lleyton Hewitt is also fit again after his heavy schedule caught up with him at the Australian Open.

But he has spent the run-up up to the tie defending his on-court antics after being criticised by Ecuadorian number one Nicolas Lapentti.

Hewitt's fist-pumping displays of emotion and references to the movie Rocky during his matches have upset his opponents but Australia's new coach Wally Masur told Lapentti to stop complaining about them.

"I hear a lot of this, guys saying things about Lleyton. They all whine off court,'' Masur said.

"If they want to play Lleyton just go out play him, play him hard and deal with it on the court.'' Ecuador will be pinning their hopes on the Lapentti brothers Nicolas and Giovanni, who upset Britain but their task is tougher against Australia..

Australia have plenty of depth with the likes of Andrew Ilie and Wayne Arthurs in singles and Todd Woodbridge and Sandon Stolle in doubles.

Olazabal looks to US LA JOLLA -- Jose Maria Olazabal has put his Ryder Cup berth at risk by joining the US PGA Tour, but that's okay with him.

The Spaniard plans to play perhaps as few as 11 tournaments on the European Tour this year, the minimum required to maintain membership.

Instead, he intends to focus primarily on the American Tour, contesting somewhere between 15 and 18 events.

The problem with this is that he cannot earn European Ryder Cup points at regular US Tour events.

These can only be gained on the European Tour, and in the four majors, which means Olazabal will have to be in peak form in his few European appearances in order to earn enough points to make the team to take on the US at the Belfry in England in September.

"I know it's going to be tough to make the team, but that's the choice I've made,'' he said while preparing for the Buick Invitational which starts today at Torrey Pines.

"I'm reaching an age (he turned 35 on Monday) where I want to compete against the best,'' he continued.