Australia's Davis Cup hopes were in turmoil yesterday with Pat Rafter doubtful through illness and Mark Philippoussis boycotting the team until captain John Newcombe publicly apologises to him.

Rafter, the US Open champion and world number four, has a virus and has had virtually no practice this week for the world group tie against Zimbabwe starting on Friday.

Philippoussis said he would not play Davis Cup again until Newcombe admits he and coach Tony Roche refused his pleas for help when he was struggling for form when his father had cancer late last year.

Philippoussis said he felt bitterly let down and almost quit the game. "Why can't he (Newcombe) say that's what we did to Mark and we understand his frustration," he said.

"He should go out there and say it. Why not? What has he got to hide, because he knows he's wrong. It's as simple as that."

The rift has already seen him lose doubles partner Rafter, who split this year to play with Jonas Bjorkman.

"That pretty much topped it," Philippoussis said. "The guy I thought was my closest mate on tour. The thing that killed me was that he didn't have the face to ring and tell me. He just left a message."

Meanwhile, Swedish number one Jonas Bjorkman has withdrawn from the defending champions' Davis Cup world group match against Slovakia this weekend because of a sore throat.