AMERICAN Davis Cup player David Wheaton believes Tom Gorman is the right man to lead the United States in international team competition.
Gorman, who has been captain of the US Davis Cup team for eight years, is under pressure to hold on to the job after the States were beaten 4-1 in Australia last month.
Davis Cup veteran John McEnroe, who has made no secret of the fact he would like to become the team captain, was fiercely critical of Gorman last week, saying it would be ''a joke'' if he were allowed to continue.
But Wheaton, after winning through to the second round of the Salem Open in Hongkong yesterday, defended Gorman.
''Gorman is unpopular with John McEnroe but I do not think you can blame him one bit for the loss in Australia,'' said Wheaton, the 23-year-old world number 38 who made his Davis Cup debut for the States in Australia.
''He tried to take the best players but they chose not to go so he took the next best. I find him a very positive person and think he makes an excellent captain.'' Wheaton, who was ranked as high as 12th in the world in 1991, acknowledged that Gorman's position was in jeopardy after the defeat in Australia.
An under-strength US team was represented by Wheaton and Brad Gilbert in the singles and by Jim Grabb and Richey Reneberg in the doubles and Wheaton was their only winner, in the reverse singles on the final day.