Lleyton Hewitt has hit out at the timing of Australia’s crunch Davis Cup tie against Japan in Brisbane, describing it as “ridiculous”.

The former world number one wanted world governing body the ITF to address the Cup calendar after complaining of the “nightmare schedule” ahead of this month’s French Open.

The Asia-Oceania second-round tie starting in Brisbane on clay on Friday has been sandwiched between ATP Masters events in Rome and Madrid – key stops before arriving at Roland Garros.

The Madrid Masters starts just one day after the Cup tie concludes at Pat Rafter Arena.

“There is no doubt it is a nightmare schedule for all of us,” Hewitt said in Brisbane on Tuesday.

“It’s ridiculous to be playing this week firstly. The ITF really have got to have a good look at it.

“Because if you are expecting to play two Masters series for the ATP, and then come back and play a Davis Cup tie in between that – it takes a lot of effort.”

The tough schedule and long flights are hardly ideal for world number 29 Hewitt, who is coming back from hip surgery.

But 29-year-old said he never considered skipping the important tie – once he knew his recovering body would hold up.

The winner of the Australia-Japan clash will advance to the World Group playoffs in September.

“I feel that we have a good chance of getting back to the world group this year – that was the main reason to come back and play, once I knew my body was going to hold up,” Hewitt said.

“My body was the biggest question mark. I never knew when I would be back even close to 100 per cent and playing.

“It wasn’t until a week-and-a half, two weeks ago that I knew I would be able to compete and hold up for potentially three days of five set matches.”

Hewitt potentially faces a huge Cup program before jetting back to Europe, with Australian captain John Fitzgerald still undecided on whether to inject the two-time grand slam winner into the doubles.

Peter Luczak appears the likely number two singles player with Paul Hanley and Carsten Ball in line for the doubles.

“We will make a final decision on who plays on the first day by Wednesday,” Fitzgerald said.

“And depending on how they go on the first day – if someone has a tough one and someone doesn’t – it might influence our doubles make-up but we have got some good options there.”

But Hewitt was happy with his comeback from surgery to date, especially a Rome Masters first round win over ninth seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

“That gave me a lot of confidence beating a guy 13 or 14 in the world at the moment – they are the matches I need,” he said.

“It was never going to be an overnight miracle coming back.

“And coming back through the clay court season was always going to be tough.

“On the ATP tour there are no easy matches on clay any more – it seems the top 150-200 in the world seem like clay specialists these days.”

Japan boasts just two team members ranked in the top 200 – number 155 Go Soeda and 193-ranked Yuichi Sugita.

The others are number 272 Tatsuma Ito and Takao Suzuki, ranked 316.