Enjoying for the primary time because the 2023 Davis Cup remaining, Australia begins its 2024 marketing campaign in Valencia within the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage, opening towards France.
Valencia, Spain, 10 September 2024 | Matt Trollope
Australia begins its quest for a twenty ninth Davis Cup title when a powerful green-and-gold squad takes to the courtroom this week for the Davis Cup Finals Group Stage.
Enjoying in Valencia in Group B alongside hosts Spain, plus France and Czech Republic, Australia is bidding to succeed in a 3rd consecutive remaining within the workforce competitors – and hopefully go one higher.
Australia begins towards France on Tuesday at 4pm native time (Wednesday 12am AEST), earlier than taking up Czech Republic on the similar time two days later, and Spain on Sunday (11am native time, 7pm AEST).
Regardless of Alex de Minaur having to withdraw on account of damage, Australia is represented by Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Max Purcell and Matt Ebden – all gamers in wonderful latest kind.
“It makes it harder, I assume, but it surely’s a great drawback to have, that’s for certain. I’d moderately it that means,” Australian captain Lleyton Hewitt mentioned about choosing the workforce from such a powerful present crop of gamers.
“All these boys at all times know that that is going to be a workforce effort, and it has been the final couple of years for us to make a run deep into the competitors as nicely.
“We’ve been ready to try this nicely, and the camaraderie’s nice, I feel we’ve acquired an amazing Australian tradition going as nicely amongst all of the boys, not simply the blokes which might be enjoying, it’s all of the help employees and the hitting companions and everybody that’s on the ties as nicely.
“Clearly it’s at all times a troublesome choice [regarding De Minaur’s hip injury], and Alex has achieved some unimaginable stuff in Davis Cup during the last three or 4 years now.
“However he’s been battling for a short while since Wimbledon, and he hasn’t actually been near 100 per cent, even on the US Open, which was apparent at occasions all through that. So it was at all times going to be a large problem for him to rise up to play right here.
“He was determined to, and yeah, in the long run it actually wasn’t a lot of a selection.”
Australia has not performed since its 2023 remaining loss to Italy, and because of making that remaining, immediately entered the 2024 Davis Cup Finals Group Stage with out having to play a qualifying tie.
France presents a troublesome opening task, represented by top-25 gamers Ugo Humbert and Arthur Fils, big-hitting Arthur Rinderknech, and Grand Slam doubles champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
But the French would suppose equally of the problem Australia presents.
Popyrin just lately gained the Montreal Masters and is recent off defeating Novak Djokovic on the US Open to succeed in the fourth spherical of a serious for the primary time.
Purcell and Thompson ended the US Open as doubles champions, after Thompson superior to the fourth spherical of the singles. Kokkinakis surprised Greek famous person Stefanos Tsitsipas within the first spherical in New York.
Just some weeks earlier, Ebden mixed with John Friends to win doubles gold on the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“It’s a troublesome group, however I feel any match in Davis Cup is hard. We again ourselves towards anybody although, as nicely,” Hewitt mentioned.
“We’ve been to the finals the final two years, we all know what to anticipate. We all know what we’ve acquired to do that week, and as I mentioned, these guys put within the onerous yards, not simply this week main into this tie however all year long as nicely, to provide themselves the most effective alternative of enjoying nicely and getting career-high rankings. In order that they’ll be stuffed with confidence once we begin tomorrow.
“I’ve acquired a lot perception within the 5 guys sitting up right here with me, that we’re able to doing that, and so they know that. They understand how a lot confidence I’ve in them as people, and I feel they’ve all had stellar careers. This yr on a private word as nicely – some huge highlights.
“I anticipate us to go on the market and compete onerous and play nicely, and I feel we’re a great shot.”