Australia’s Davis Cup team, riddled with injuries, is set for a significant shake-up, as captain Lleyton Hewitt must navigate some difficult choices ahead of the qualifier against Sweden.
Initially, in early January, Hewitt announced his squad for the trip to Stockholm, which included Alex de Minaur, Jordan Thompson, Thanasi Kokkinakis, and Nick Kyrgios.
Unfortunately, after three out of the four selected players faced injury setbacks during their Australian Open campaigns, Hewitt has been compelled to revisit his selections, according to a report by The First Serve.
Nick Kyrgios reacts to an abdominal injury during his first-round match against Jacob Fearnley at the Australian Open. Getty
Jordan Thompson’s battle with lower leg and foot injuries throughout the Australian Open has led to the inclusion of Aleksandar Vukic, who may line up for singles alongside de Minaur.
Meanwhile, doubles experts Matthew Ebden and John Peers have been included as replacements for Kyrgios, who has been struggling with persistent knee and wrist problems.
Kyrgios was anticipated to participate in his first Davis Cup since 2019 but suffered an abdominal injury in the lead-up to the Australian Open, which, combined with his wrist issues, made his performances in Melbourne challenging.
Kokkinakis, too, entered the tournament under an injury shadow after withdrawing from the Adelaide International.
During a gripping five-set match against Jack Draper in the second round, Kokkinakis sought treatment for a right pectoral issue.
After the match, Kokkinakis took to social media to express concern over a potential long-term absence due to the need for shoulder surgery.
Tune in to witness Australia’s Davis Cup clash against Sweden live and free on 9Gem and 9Now.
“I just tried to push through. I was uncertain about playing this week. I took a load of painkillers to get by,” he said.
“Post-match, I realised I had serious choices ahead of me, and recovery time is essential. I really went all out today and this week to gauge what I could manage.”
“I know I’ll be out for a long while, I think.”
While Kokkinakis has travelled with the squad, his exact role remains uncertain.
Both Australia and Sweden have until Thursday, when the draw for the tie is confirmed, to finalise their line-ups and playing format.
Jordan Thompson, Cruz Hewitt, Alex de Minaur and Thanasi Kokkinakis show their support for teammates Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell during the 2024 Davis Cup Finals. Getty Images for ITF
Here’s everything you need to know about Australia’s upcoming opening round Davis Cup tie against Sweden.
SCHEDULE
Australia has arrived in Sweden for its first-round Davis Cup qualifier, scheduled for Saturday, 1 February (AEDT).
Over two sessions, Australian players will face off against their Swedish counterparts in either singles or doubles competitions.
TEAMS
Australia
Players: Alex de Minaur, Aleksandar Vukic, Matthew Ebden, John Peers, Thanasi Kokkinakis
Captain: Lleyton Hewitt
Top-ranked Australian player de Minaur leads a team dealing with considerable uncertainty due to injuries.
Aleksandar Vukic is set to make his Davis Cup debut following a promising performance at the first Grand Slam of the year.
Sweden
Players: Leo Borg, Andre Giransson, Filip Bergevi
Captain: Simon Aspelin
Leo Borg, son of tennis legend Bjorn Borg, is the standout player for the Swedish squad.
FORMAT
The Davis Cup qualifiers will unfold across two rounds.
The first round features 26 nations in either home or away ties, comprising 14 teams from the 2024 Finals along with 12 World Group I victors from the previous year.
The winners from this round, alongside one wildcard, progress to a second round scheduled for later in the year, which also follows a home-or-away format.
The second round victors, plus one wildcard, will earn a spot in the finals of the Davis Cup which adopts a different format.
ORDER OF PLAY
Session one: Two singles matches commencing at 3am (AEDT)
Session two: Two reverse singles matches followed by a doubles match starting at 11pm (AEDT)
HOW TO WATCH
Australia’s first-round Davis Cup qualifier will be broadcast live and free on 9Gem and 9Now.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
Italy stands as the reigning champion, having triumphed over the Netherlands 2-0 in last year’s Davis Cup final in Malaga, Spain, successfully defending their title from 2023.
2024: Italy
2023: Italy
2022: Canada
2021: Russian Tennis Federation
2020: n/a
2019: Spain
2018: Croatia
2017: France
2016: Argentina
2015: Great Britain
WHERE IS THE DAVIS CUP FINAL IN 2025?
The 2025 Davis Cup final is set to be held in Bologna, Italy.
WHAT IS THE PRIZE MONEY FOR DAVIS CUP?
The eight teams competing in the finals share a prize pool that is subsequently divided among their players and national federations.
In 2024, the champions received $4,283,000, with the sum spread among each member.
Alongside this, group winners, runners-up, and third-place teams will also benefit from squad prizes.
HAS AUSTRALIA EVER WON THE DAVIS CUP?
Australia has amassed 22 individual titles and an additional six as part of the combined Australasia team since the tournament commenced in 1900. The United States leads with 32 titles overall.
WHICH COUNTRY HAS WON THE MOST DAVIS CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS?
The United States holds the record for the most titles in the competition’s history, having won 32 championships.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
