Lleyton Hewitt has not always had the shiniest public image, and says he knows what it is to learn from one's mistakes. For that reason, and others, Hewitt believes he can help Nick Kyrgios fulfil his potential as a future grand slam champion and one of the game's most exciting young stars.
Hewitt, whose long-expected appointment as Davis Cup captain was confirmed on Tuesday, had been supported publicly and privately by Kyrgios to assume the role filled on an interim basis in 2015 by Wally Masur. After a troubled season, Kyrgios was left out of the semi-final team that lost to Britain in Glasgow, and said recently he would feel "a lot more comfortable" playing under Hewitt, who has been a mentor to the 20-year-old in recent months. 
Asked whether Kyrgios needed to tone down his personality, or just be himself, Hewitt said: "He's got to be who he is to a certain extent. I don't think Nick realises how powerful his image can be. He is so good for the sport of tennis in so many ways if he can control it to a certain line because he brings so many different people to watch our great sport, and he does it not just in Australia but across the globe.
"And in some ways he is like a basketball player trying to play tennis, and it's a great image for our game as long as he does it in the right way, and that's obviously what we're trying to put in place."
Hewitt is in regular contact with Kyrgios, who is playing under the threat of a 28-day ban suspended for six months by the ATP World Tour. He received code violation warnings in his last three matches in China, and was scheduled to play German qualifier Daniel Brands in the Valencia opening round for what will be his penultimate tournament of a headline-heavy year.
"When I came on [tour] I didn't always have the best image out there, either, so it's about dealing with that and learning from the mistakes that you've made over time, and then obviously becoming not only a better person off the court but also a better tennis player as well, and Nick's, I think, really finding himself at the moment," Hewitt said.
"But he has massive upside, as well, and I think with the right people around him and the right team around him he can really improve the next year or two in leaps and bounds and hopefully hold up a grand slam trophy."
Hewitt, whose playing career will end after his 20th Australian Open, said he was pleased to be starting the season alongside Kyrgios at the revamped Hopman Cup.
"He's got to concentrate on his job at hand and try to finish off the year strongly ... he's got areas of his game that he still needs to work on and become a better player, but there's tremendous upside with these young kids as well."
The other problem child has been Bernard Tomic, who was dropped for the quarter-final tie as punishment for his Wimbledon outburst against Tennis Australia. "I think Bernie's matured a lot, and I think he's really on the right path at the moment," Hewitt said.
"We've really seen him claw his way back - after those two tough hip surgeries it took him a little while to come back to play his best tennis, but for him to be now inside the top 20 in the world, he's at a career-high ranking going into the Australian Open, which ... he plays so well here in Australia, so I'm looking forward to helping Bernie."