Hewitt coaching offer was a surprise: Stoltenberg

The offer Jason Stoltenberg received to coach world number one Lleyton Hewitt came as a complete surprise, the former Australia Davis Cup player said on Saturday.

Stoltenberg, however, refused to speculate on Australian media reports which said the U.S. Open champion had split with Darren Cahill because his coach of three years felt claustrophobic about the constant hands-on role of Hewitt's father Glynn.

"It came as a surprise not only that I was asked to do the job but also that these guys weren't working together any more," Stoltenberg said in a telephone interview with Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio from the United States.

"But I guess they were having their differences.

"The way things have worked out, they parted on good (terms) and they've had an incredible few years.

"I'm just very fortunate to have the opportunity.

"Darren's done a great job with Lleyton. The team have reached the top."

Hewitt's Octagon management made the announcement of the split with Cahill in a media release on Friday and made no further comment.

SOMETHING SPECIAL
"I know his family very well, since Lleyton first came on the scene when he was 16," said Stoltenberg, 31, who competed on the men's tour this year.

"He beat me in the final in Adelaide to win his first title (aged 16 years and 10 months in 1998). Since then I kind of knew he would be something special.

"His family are fine. I've got a good relationship with them and I'm sure that will continue."

Stoltenberg, who is based in Orlando, Florida, said although he knew Hewitt, 20, well, he would be learning as he went along as the pair tried to cope with the pressures of the world number one ranking.

"I'm confident that knowing Lleyton as I do that, yeah, things will work out. It's got a good chance of working but we'll see," said Stoltenberg, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 1996.

"He is the number one in the world. It is an unusual circumstance. There will be a lot of pressure on him to perform now.

"There is no reason to think that he can't handle it and improve from here."

Hewitt followed up his U.S. Open victory by capturing the world number one ranking on his way to winning the $3.7 million Masters Cup end-of-season tournament in Sydney in November.