MELBOURNE, Australia -- Lleyton Hewitt, the world's top-ranked player, will not play in Australia's Davis Cup match against Argentina next month because of health concerns.

Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald said recently: "He's apparently got some sort of secondary virus and he's lost a bit of weight. He's got a bad throat."

Hewitt sustained chicken pox before the Australian Open and was sluggish in his first-round defeat against Alberto Martin of Spain.

Named to the team Monday were Andrew Ilie, Scott Draper, Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge for the matches Feb. 8-10.

Ilie and Draper, ranked 67 and 218 respectively, will be making their Davis Cup debuts in the absence of Hewitt and former world No. 1 Pat Rafter, who is taking an indefinite break from tennis.

Peter Luczak, 22, will travel with the team as a fifth squad member and hitting partner after winning an award as the most outstanding player on the recently-completed Australian satellite tour.

In a statement released by Octagon, the company that represents Hewitt, the Australian star said he was deeply disappointed.

"If I'm going to play for Australia, I need to be able to prepare properly and be in a position to give it 100 percent," Hewitt said. "I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm not going to be able to do that and therefore have stepped aside for this one."

Dr. Anne Mijch, a Melbourne doctor who examined Hewitt on Thursday, said he needed time to rest and fully recuperate.

"There can be ongoing problems if he puts himself through excess physical demands over the next month or so," she said.