ATP Cup Preview: Powerhouse Russia Eyes Group D Dominance

Powerhouse Russia headlines Group D at the 2021 ATP Cup, which begins on 2 February in Melbourne. The second edition of the event features 12 countries competing across four groups, with the top team from each group advancing to the knock-out semi-finals.

Here is everything you need to know about Group D: who is playing, when they’ll hit the court and how to follow all the action.

Group D: Russia, Argentina, Japan
A young squad anchored by not one but two Top 10 players makes Russia a dangerous threat in Group D. Even if a country’s No. 2 singles player manages to cool the red-hot Andrey Rublev, who won the most titles and joint-most matches in 2020, they’d still be in for a battle against giant-slaying Russian No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, the reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion. Medvedev led Russia to the semi-finals at the inaugural ATP Cup, and he’ll be keen to start the season with even more success in Melbourne.

If any team has the best chance to spoil Team Russia’s party, it might be Japan, led by ATP Cup debutante Kei Nishikori. The Japanese No. 1 can hold his own against Medvedev, evidenced by a 2-2 record in his ATP Head2Head against the Russian, while Yoshihito Nishioka defeated Rublev in their only previous encounter. World No. 41 Nishikori also leads 3-1 in the Head2Head against Diego Schwartzman, but the Japanese player is still finding his best form as he seeks to lead Team Japan out of the ATP Cup group stage for the first time.

World No. 9 Schwartzman returns to lead a deep Argentina side after a career-best 2020 season saw him crack the Top 10 of the FedExATP Rankings and make his Nitto ATP Finals debut. He will receive plenty of support from lefty Guido Pella, who reached a career-high No. 20 in 2019, and a doubles duo made up of Horacio Zeballos, the No. 3-ranked player in the FedEx ATP Doubles Rankings, and Maximo Gonzalez, with whom Zeballos won an ATP Tour title and reached two finals in 2019.

Meet The Group D Players 

Russia	Argentina	Japan
Daniil Medvedev	Diego Schwartzman	Kei Nishikori
Andrey Rublev	Guido Pella	Yoshihito Nishioka
Aslan Karatsev	Horacio Zeballos	Ben McLachlan
Evgeny Donstoy	Maximo Gonzalez	Toshihide Matsui

Three Group D Matches To Watch

Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
The first day of action will feature a rematch of last year’s quarter-final as World No. 4 Medvedev begins his campaign against World No. 9 Schwartzman. He’ll be looking to extend his mastery over the Argentine in their sixth career clash. Most recently, Medvedev defeated Schwartzman in straight sets en route to the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals crown.

Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs Kei Nishikori (JPN)
Nishikori will make his ATP Cup debut against familiar foe Medvedev on Day 2 of group action. The Japanese player has the game to make the crafty Medvedev sweat, and the pair are deadlocked at two wins apiece in their Head2Head. Nishikori won their only meeting on Australian soil in three sets at 2019 Brisbane, but Medvedev will have the momentum on his side after finishing the season with a victory at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Andrey Rublev (RUS) vs Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN)
Rublev won Most Improved Player of the Year in last year's ATP Awards after a career-best season saw him lift a tour-leading five titles and rise to No. 8 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. But he’ll have a battle on his hands against Japan’s No. 2 Nishioka, whose speed around the court could prove to be a foil for Rublev's aggressive play. Nishioka leads their Head2Head after winning their only previous encounter at 2019 Sydney.

Where To Watch ATP Cup
TV Schedule

Group D Schedule 
View full group stage schedule

Tuesday, 2 February: Russia vs Argentina
John Cain Arena - starts 5:30pm
Andrey Rublev vs Guido Pella
Not before 7:00pm
Daniil Medvedev vs Diego Schwartzman
Evgeny Donskoy / Aslan Karatsev vs Maximo Gonzalez / Horacio Zeballos 

Wednesday, 3 February: Russia vs Japan
John Cain Arena - starts 5:30pm
Andrey Rublev vs Yoshihito Nishioka
Not before 7:00pm
Daniil Medvedev vs Kei Nishikori
Followed by doubles match – Players TBC

Thursday, 4 February: Argentina vs Japan
John Cain Arena - starts 5:30pm
Guido Pella vs Yoshihito Nishioka
Not before 7:00pm
Diego Schwartzman vs Kei Nishikori
Followed by doubles match – Players TBC

*Match schedule is subject to change in line with ATP rules and regulations

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Team France Will Be Motivated; Monfils Will Make Sure Of It

Team France will have plenty of motivation as it competes in the ATP Cup this week. Gael Monfils will make sure of it, according to his countrymen.

Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin are two of the best doubles players in the world, but they went 0-3 in the inaugural ATP Cup one year ago. Mahut says that not only do they want to work hard to turn that around as a doubles pair, but that Monfils will certainly be on the case.

“When you have Gael on the team, you always feel the pressure,” Mahut said, cracking a laugh. “Believe me.”

Mahut added that it is “revenge for us this year” in terms of the Frenchmen’s performance, a sentiment Roger-Vasselin agreed with.

“Last year we had bad results. We didn't win any matches in doubles,” Roger-Vasselin said. “We are really excited to play again. We'll try, for sure, our best to win all matches we can and help the team to win games and to qualify for the semi-finals.

The French believe having a Team Zone in the corner in the court like there was at last year’s event will help. They feed off each other during matches.

“Obviously it's a big help. In this kind of competition, you have the captain of course, and you have the guys just behind us on the chair. We really can count on Benoit and Gael to fire us up,” Mahut said. “Last year, we didn't play as good as we wanted to. It was a good experience. We look forward to playing again and having the chance to bring some points to the team.”

Paire is France’s No. 2 singles player, and he will try to get his country off to a quick start to its ties against Austria and Italy. But most important to him is supporting his teammates.

“Just most important for me is the team. If we win with the team, it's good. After, even if I lose, it doesn't matter, if the team wins,” Paire said. “I'm going to try to prepare to do as good a match against Fognini as I can on Wednesday. I really enjoyed last year. I want to do the same and enjoy with the team.”

Monfils and Paire are two of the most entertaining players on the ATP Tour, and they will do their best to put on a show as they try to break through Group C to reach the semi-finals.

“Just expect to have positive vibes and energy on the stands, some screaming,” Monfils said. “[It] will be definitely a big help, a big boost for us.”

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Hurkacz/Sinner Sink Aussie Duo In Melbourne Doubles Opener

Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner christened their doubles debut with a comfortable victory over Australian duo Scott Puodziunas and Calum Puttergill on Monday at the Great Ocean Road Open.

In singles, Hurkacz and Sinner sit on opposite sides of the draw as the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, respectively. Hurkacz seeks to continue the momentum after winning his second career singles title at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com to start the season, while 19-year-old Sinner turned heads after reaching the quarter-final at last year’s Roland Garros.

The pair partnered up to defeat wild cards Puodziunas and Puttergill in straight sets, combining for nine break opportunities against the Aussies. Hurkacz and Sinner needed one break of serve to seal each set as they marched to victory after 57 minutes.

Also in action at the Murray River Open, another pair of Delray Beach champions hit the court as Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar picked up where they left off in South Florida with another victory.

[WATCH LIVE 3]

Behar and Escobar needed just 50 minutes to record four breaks of serve against Australians Andrew Harris and Alexei Popyrin en route to a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Did You Know?
Hurkacz won an ATP Masters 1000 doubles title last year, partnering with Felix Auger-Aliassime to the Rolex Paris Masters crown.

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Team Austria Senses Italians Will Be Formidable Foes

When Austria faces off against Italy in a Group C clash Tuesday night at Melbourne Park, don’t bet on plenty of hugs and “great to see you again” pleasantries. Matteo Berrettini, Italy’s No. 1, said he wasn’t looking forward to facing Dominic Thiem in his first match of the 2021 ATP Cup. And in his press conference in Melbourne Monday, Thiem said the anxiety is mutual.

“We have a very good relationship, always fun matches against each other,” Thiem said of the Italian alpha male. “But he's a big, big player, so I'm also not too happy that he's the first guy I have to face in a new year after quite a while without an official match. It's going to be interesting. I hope the guy next to me is putting away some pressure for me.”

The guy next to Thiem was his best friend, 27-year-old Dennis Novak, the World No. 100, who is also coached by Thiem’s father, Wolfgang, Austria’s ATP Cup captain. Novak lost his only career match to Fabio Fognini, in a lopsided affair in Kitzbühel, but that was on clay more than five years ago.

“I have two tough opponents with Fabio (Fognini) and Benoit (Paire),” Novak said. “I played both of them already, so I know what I can expect. But I'm very (much) looking forward (to it). We prepared really well. I think it's a good preparation for the (Australian Open) also.”

Wolfgang Thiem said he was pleased with his team’s preparedness for the event. “We were preparing well in the last two weeks,” he said. “So (I’m) looking forward for interesting matches. I mean, we have all the 12 nations there, (and) the teams are really, really strong, the best players (are here). So, from the first match on, it will be really close. We, all the team, have to compete on a really high level.”

Thiem and Berrettini have a 2-2 career ATP Head2Head record, with the Italian prevailing on hard courts at the Nitto ATP Finals and in Shanghai, both in 2019. Thiem beat Berrettini at Roland Garros in 2018 and in Vienna in 2019. The Austrian, No. 3 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, said that he expects a tight match.

“Well, I mean, our head-to-head is tied two all,” he said. “Towards the end of 2019 we had three amazing matches in deep stages of big tournaments, (that were) high quality. I’m looking forward to playing him again.”

The 12-country ATP Cup runs 2-6 February at Melbourne Park.

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Berrettini, Fognini Sparking ‘Something Special’ For Italy At ATP Cup

With eight players sitting inside the Top 100 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Italy has no shortage of talent to choose from when putting together its ATP Cup team. Matteo Berrettini will be hoping his country’s tennis renaissance continues in Melbourne as he gears up for his tournament debut.

The 24-year-old is joined by two of Italy’s long-time standard bearers in men’s tennis, Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli. Fognini has won nine ATP Tour titles in singles, including the biggest of his career at the 2019 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. The 33-year-old also lifted the 2015 Australian Open doubles trophy with Bolelli, making them the first all-Italian men’s team to win a Grand Slam title. Doubles star Andrea Vavassori and captain Vicenzo Santopadre round out the squad.

For Berrettini, having a host of champions to look up to ahead of him – as well as #NextGenATP stars like 19-year-old Jannik Sinner rising fast – has always been a source of motivation throughout his career.

“We are always helping each other to get through our limits,” Berrettini said. “One week [Fabio] is winning a tournament, the next week I'm trying to win my tournament, at least my best result. I think it's really healthy competition.

“We were watching them and we were inspired by them. They're still doing great careers. I think it help us to figure out how to do it.”

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Berrettini burst onto the scene after a breakthrough 2019 season highlighted by a run to the US Open semi-finals. He racked up two titles en route to a career-high No. 8 FedEx ATP Ranking, but missed last year’s ATP Cup due to injury.

“I think we are all really excited to play, really excited to come back and play with crowd also, as well. It's been a long time... It's nice to play with a team. We're a strong team. We're good friends. It's going to be nice.”

That team support will be key for the Italians as they contest a heated Group C against Austria and France, anchored by Dominic Thiem and Gael Monflis. As one of four nations that boasts multiple Top 20 players, they’ll also be leaning on Fognini to do some damage in the No. 2 singles match.

A showman at heart, the 33-year-old will be channeling the energy of the Melbourne crowds more than ever at his second ATP Cup appearance.

“We are lucky that we are here and we play with a big crowd on court,” Fognini said. “My opinion, the player that I am, the person that I am, I feel I need [the crowd] because, of course, sometimes I'm a bit crazy. I do something special in every sense, but I really enjoy.”

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Moutet Masters Tiafoe Test At Murray River Open

#NextGenATP Frenchman Corentin Moutet made a statement start to the year after coming back from a set down against Frances Tiafoe to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Monday at the Murray River Open.

The 21-year-old came into the match looking to once again make waves in his season-opening event. Last year, Moutet posted his career-best result as he stormed into the final at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open as a qualifier, finishing runner-up to Andrey Rublev.

 [WATCH LIVE 3]

Moutet had to overcome a sluggish start in Melbourne as he found his rhythm against 2019 Australian Open quarter-finalist Tiafoe, No. 62 in the FedEx ATP Rankings. But once he settled into the match the lefty unleashed his speed around the court, forcing Tiafoe to hit an extra ball after what would normally be a clean winner.

The Frenchman outlasted Tiafoe in the third set to fight off break points and take a 3-1 lead, but he had trouble keeping him contained as Tiafoe made a late effort to get back on serve at 4-4. But Moutet held off Tiafoe and sealed his spot in the second round of the Murray River Open after two hours and seven minutes.

"It was so nice to play a match,” Moutet said afterwards. “It was a long time since I’ve played a match, especially in front of people. It wasn’t an easy one, because I had to play against a tough opponent who is a great player. A tough match, but definitely a lot of pleasure.”

More to follow...

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Team Argentina Ready For a Fight Against Russia

Team Argentina comes into its Tuesday night Group D tilt against Russia at the ATP Cup in Melbourne as an underdog. But the fiercely patriotic Argentines are dangerous whenever they suit up for their country, and at a press conference Monday they said they’re united and confident.

“Russia is a very tough, tough team,” said team captain, Jose “Chucho” Acasuso, who reached a career high of No. 20 in the FedEx ATP Rankings in 2006. “They have the two players (Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev) in the Top 10. “But I trust in our team. We have a really good team. We're ready to play, to fight tomorrow.”

Maximo Gonzalez, a 37-year old who has a FedEx ATP Doubles Ranking of No. 43, said the team has been bonding together in Melbourne. “After quarantine, we enjoy the city, (and being) together,” he said. “We have some dinner together. We can enjoy the city, (do) some tourist (activities). I think that is good to be back in the normal life.”

After losing his final match of 2020 against Daniil Medvedev at the Nitto ATP Finals, Schwartzman joked that he was less than thrilled to start the 2021 campaign against his all-too-familiar foe, whom he hasn’t beaten in five career matches. “I'm not very happy to start against Daniil,” he said, laughing. “I finished last year against him. It's going to be tough tomorrow because he's playing his best…For me it's also a good preparation, (a) good first match. I think I have more chances in the first match of the year than maybe when he (had his normal) rhythm.”

Argentina’s No. 1 singles player said that Medvedev is one of the top players on the tour. “Russia has a great team,” he said. “I think for us, it's a good preparation, (a) good start (to) the year. We are going to be there to fight every point.”

Horacio Zeballos, the world’s No. 3 ranked doubles player, said that it’ll be a thrill to play before crowds again. “It's going to be a nice sensation,” he said. “Especially here in Australia, the people, they always are very kind, nice people. Yeah, for sure we going to enjoy every match every time that we jump into the court.”

Schwartzman was asked if he’d feel more pressure this year, after cracking the Top 10 last year. He said that it was a different year with different goals but similarly high expectations that come from within. “I put a lot of pressure on me just myself,” he said. “I'm trying to improve every year.”

Guido Pella, who will play the No. 2 singles, admitted that his matchup with Rublev will be a tough one, but said he’s ready for the challenge. “Personally it's going to be tough even if I were in the same conditions as he is, but I was on lockdown for two weeks,” he said. “I didn't compete in the last five months, so it's going to be tough. He has all the pressure for that match, but I will try to do my best. I am playing for Argentina. That's a big situation for me, for all the rest of the team.”

The 12-country ATP Cup runs 2-6 February at Melbourne Park.

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No Room To Relax For Nishioka In ATP Cup Return

At last year’s inaugural ATP Cup, Yoshihito Nishioka underwent a baptism of fire as he took on the mantle of Japan’s No. 1 singles player in Kei Nishikori’s absence. The 25-year-old held his own to claim two crucial points for his team, and gave World No. 1 Rafael Nadal a stern test before Japan bowed out in the group stage.

Back in action in Melbourne, battle-tested Nishioka knows there’s no room to relax even as Nishikori readies for his own ATP Cup debut. With hard quarantine keeping his teammate out of commission, Nishioka knows that Team Japan will be leaning on him more than ever.

“It’s going to be a little bit different [from last year]. But [on the court] the situation is the same: three sets and three matches. So for sure it’s going to be very fun,” Nishioka said.

ATPTour.com caught up with the World No. 57 before the tournament to talk about last year’s stellar performance, his love for team events and how he’s adjusting to his new role as Team Japan’s No. 2.

How do you feel about representing Team Japan again at the ATP Cup?
It’s very exciting to play ATP Cup a second year as well. Last year it was 24 countries and this year it’s 12, so it’s going to be a little bit different. But [on the court] the situation is the same: three sets and three matches. So for sure it’s going to be very fun. 

I know it’s a very, very tough time right now. It’s tough [for players] to get practice, some players [got] no practice. Even Kei [Nishikori], he [was] not practising for 14 days. So this is very tough for Team Japan. But I think everyone is excited to play the tournament. For many players, it’s going to be the first tournament of the year.

The team events are my favourite. I know there is Davis Cup as well, but the ATP Cup is also a bit different. It is very exciting to play this year again. Hopefully we can try to win.

What do you enjoy about team events, and what makes the ATP Cup special for you?
Because tennis players are always travelling by ourselves, only with our team. So we don’t get to travel that much with friends. Especially the Japanese, we don’t have very many top players in our country so most people play at the Challengers, not [on the] ATP Tour.

We’re not going to be at the same tournament every time, only at the team tournaments we can stay together. I like that. We can play with a team, and also play for our country – that’s why I love it as a team event.

How would you introduce each of your teammates?
So Kei, everybody knows Kei. I don’t know how well the fans know about him, but he loves to play games. I think one of the nicest guys on Tour. He has taught me many things, inside the court and also outside the court.

Ben [McLachlan], I didn't know him before maybe five years [ago]. He’s also a nice guy. But I thought he was just very shy… but he wasn’t! He’s very, very funny. He has started learning to speak Japanese and he’s getting better and better. I hope his Japanese [continues] improving this time as well and we can try to have some conversations in Japanese, not only English.

Toshi [Toshihide Matsui] is the oldest guy in our team, and also in Japanese tennis. He can still play singles [at 42 years old], his body is very, very strong. I think he’s stronger than me for sure... He has many experiences to share, both good and bad experiences. So he can teach us about both things.

And me... Maybe I’m a little bit of a funny guy? [laughs]

Last year as Japan’s No. 1, you played some phenomenal tennis and even gave Rafael Nadal a stern test. What inspired those performances?
Last year was a very wonderful moment for me. I had a great time, and I think it was the perfect start to the year 2020. I don’t know why I started last year very well, but I was feeling very confident. It was the first tournament of the year and that’s the team event, which like I said is my favourite.

And last year, we didn’t have Kei [due to injury], so I was the No. 1. I [felt] a bit of pressure, but it was also very fun to play against the top players in the world. I was very excited to play for my country as the No. 1 player.

How different will it be to play as Japan’s No. 2? You’ll be taking the court first every time, does that affect your mentality? 
I think No.2 players, if you win the first match, it’s going to be good for the team and it puts pressure on the other opponent countries. So for me, the first match is going to be very important for Team Japan.

We’re going to play first against Russia, which is against [Andrey] Rublev. I know him pretty well. I know he won [against] many good players, he made the Top 10. I think he is younger than me, but still he is very, very good. He’s very aggressive. But I think I can figure out how to beat him and if I do, that will be a help to Kei so he can be [more] relaxed to play against [Daniil] Medvedev. [Argentina’s No. 2] Guido Pella, I’ve played him a couple of times, but he beat me every time. But also, Pella had a hard quarantine for 14 days, which is tough for him as well. 

How have Team Japan preparations changed with Kei Nishikori in hard quarantine?
I cannot imagine how tough [it will be] to play after 14 days. I cannot imagine... The most important thing is that he has to be healthy, because he has to play against Medvedev and Diego [Schwartzman], both great players.

For sure, we are all hoping he can come back fast... We just need to all support him, and I want to help as much as I can with what I can do. Kei is really important to beat the other countries, so we need him. He is very important to Team Japan. He motivates us as well, me, Ben and Matsui. Ben and I are both younger than them so when Kei is showing us what he can do, we get more motivated to go higher. So we are believing in him and we are trying our best for him. 

Former player Max Mirnyi, who coaches Nishikori, will be Japan’s team captain. How well do you know him, and what is he like as captain?
I know him pretty well. When I was at IMG Academy when I was 16 or 17, he was still playing on the Tour. He was playing singles as well, not only doubles. He practised with me many times at IMG Academy. We played a couple of sets and also doubles practice.

He’s very, very focused. I think he can bring us the great mentality of how to beat the top players. Of course Kei is here and he’s a top player too, but Max knows how to beat the top players as well. I think he can bring us a strong mentality. He can tell us many things to improve the Japanese team. 

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Korda Cruises To Second Challenger Title In Quimper

Sebastian Korda is making it look too easy.

On Sunday, the 20-year-old American punctuated his Top 100 breakthrough with a second ATP Challenger Tour title in Quimper, France. Dialed in from the first ball, Korda blitzed Slovakia's Filip Horansky 6-1, 6-1 in a mere 50 minutes to seal his victory at the Open Quimper Bretagne Occidentale.

Projected to enter the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time on Monday, it was a week the Florida native will never forget. He not only becomes the youngest American to win multiple Challenger titles since 2017, but will also be the youngest from his country to crack the Top 100 since an 18-year-old Frances Tiafoe five years ago.

"I always knew I had the game to do this," said Korda. "It's just been about getting my body right and really having some good people around me that push me every single day. It's a lot of little things but they are so important to get to where I want to be. It took some pressure off my shoulders when I heard I cracked the Top 100 for sure, but it's been a good week in Quimper and I'm happy to get my second Challenger title."

Seeded second at an ATP Challenger Tour event for the first time, Korda was forced to embrace the role of favourite throughout the week. After surviving a pair of marathon encounters to open the tournament, including one that saw him save a match point and rally from 1/5 down in the deciding tie-break, Korda found his rhythm.

The 20-year-old's backhand exploded off the indoor hard courts at the Parc des Expositions, defeating an in-form Benjamin Bonzi in straight sets in Saturday's semi-final, followed by an efficient championship performance against Horansky. He fired nine aces and converted five of 16 break points to defeat the Slovakian in under an hour.

"The week started out pretty tough," Korda added. "I played a guy [Tristan Lamasine] who was playing some really good tennis. But I just stayed with him from down 1/5 in the third-set breaker. I pulled through that match and had another three-setter in the second round. I started getting more comfortable and today I just played an incredible match. I just knew what to expect and executed a good gameplan today."

Photo: Corinne Dubreuil/FFT

Projected to rise to a career-high No. 88 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, Korda has soared more than 150 spots in the past year, cementing himself as one of the top contenders to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals in November. The American has now won 14 of his last 15 matches overall, also including a maiden Challenger title to cap his 2020 campaign in Eckental, Germany, and a first ATP Tour final appearance in Delray Beach to kick off 2021.

Having withdrawn from the upcoming Quimper-2 Challenger with a groin ailment, he will next appear at the ATP Challenger Tour stop in Biella, Italy, beginning 8 February.

Youngest Americans To Win Multiple Challenger Titles (since 2010)

Player	Age	Second Title
Taylor Fritz	17 years, 11 months	2015 Fairfield
Frances Tiafoe	18 years, 8 months	2016 Stockton
Michael Mmoh	19 years, 6 months	2017 Lexington
Stefan Kozlov	19 years, 8 months	2017 Las Vegas
Ernesto Escobedo	20 years, 3 months	2016 Monterrey
Sebastian Korda	20 years, 6 months	2021 Quimper
Reilly Opelka	20 years, 8 months	2018 Bordeaux
Jack Sock	20 years, 9 months	2013 Winnetka

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ATP Cup Preview: Will Thiem’s Team Emerge Victorious In Group C?

Third-seeded Austria is the headline act in Group C at the 2021 ATP Cup, which begins on 2 February in Melbourne. The second edition of the event features 12 countries competing across four groups, with the top teams from each group advancing to the knockout semi-finals.

Here is everything you need to know about Group C: who is playing, when they’ll hit the court and how to follow all the action.

Group C: Austria, Italy, France
Austria will attempt to reach the knockout stage at the ATP Cup for the first time, after finishing the inaugural edition of the event in 2020 with a 1-2 record. The third-seeded nation is led by US Open champion and World No. 3 Dominic Thiem, who will be aiming to carry his momentum from 2020 into the team competition. Thiem and fellow singles star Dennis Novak both ended last year’s event with one win from three matches. Doubles players Philipp Oswald and Tristan-Samuel Weissborn will make their tournament debuts this year.

Italy is one of four nations that boasts multiple Top 20 singles players in its line-up. World No. 10 Matteo Berrettini and World No. 17 Fabio Fognini will lead their nation in Group C. Berrettini, who is making his tournament debut this year, has won his most recent ATP Head2Head encounters against No. 1 singles rivals Thiem and Gael Monfils. Fognini finished the inaugural ATP Cup with a 3-2 record, but will hope to improve on his 1-2 singles mark when he faces Novak and Benoit Paire. Simone Bolelli, who partnered Fognini to two doubles wins at last year’s event, and Andrea Vavassori also feature for Italy.

After finishing their group in third position last year, Team France will have a point to prove at this year’s competition. Monfils leads his nation for the second straight year and will need to earn his first ATP Head2Head wins against Thiem (0-6) and Berrettini (0-1) if he is to improve his 1-1 tournament mark. No. 2 singles star Paire came within one point of a perfect 3-0 record at last year’s tournament, before falling in a final-set tie-break to Kevin Anderson. The 31-year-old owns a combined 4-2 record against No. 2 singles rivals Fognini and Novak. France’s roster also features one of the most experienced doubles teams in the competition, but Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin lost all three matches they played at the tournament last year. In a highly competitive group, the seven-time ATP Tour team titlists could decide France's fate this year.

Meet The Group C Players

Austria	Italy	France
Dominic Thiem	Matteo Berrettini	Gael Monfils
Dennis Novak	Fabio Fognini	Benoit Paire
Philipp Oswald	Simone Bolelli	Nicolas Mahut
Tristan-Samuel Weissborn	Andrea Vavassori	Edouard Roger-Vasselin

Three Group C Matches To Watch

Dominic Thiem (AUT) vs Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
In the opening tie in Group C, Thiem and Berrettini will both aim to take a 3-2 lead in their ATP Head2Head rivalry. After Thiem won their first encounter at Roland Garros in 2018, the pair contested a trilogy of hard-court clashes at the end of the 2019 ATP Tour season. Berrettini claimed wins at the Rolex Shanghai Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals and also pushed the Austrian deep into a third set at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. With only the group winners advancing to the semi-finals, an opening victory for Thiem or Berrettini could prove crucial to their nation’s title ambitions.

Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs Benoit Paire (FRA)
In one of the most intriguing matches of the ATP Cup group stage, Fognini and Paire will open the Day 2 clash between Italy and France. Both players have the talent and variety to produce great tennis and they proved that in their last ATP Head2Head meeting in Melbourne four years ago. Paire and Fognini battled for almost three-and-a-half hours in the 2017 Australian Open second round, before the Frenchman clinched a 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win to record his third victory in four matches against Fognini. Paire and Fognini will both be eager to deliver a win and give their nation the opportunity to clinch the tie in the No. 1 singles match between Berrettini and Monfils.

Matteo Berrettini (ITA) vs Gael Monfils (FRA)
Just 24 hours after his match against Thiem, Berrettini will return to John Cain Arena to face Monfils. The pair contested one of the most memorable matches of the 2019 US Open, when Berrettini dug deep to reach his maiden Grand Slam semi-final with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5) victory in just under four hours. The Italian struck 53 winners against Monfils — one of the fastest players on the ATP Tour — in that match and he will need to play with consistent aggression once again to earn another victory against the Frenchman. Monfils will aim to start the season strong for the second straight year when he faces the Italian in his first match of 2021. The 10-time ATP Tour titlist won 16 of his opening 19 matches in 2020, which included title runs in Montpellier and Rotterdam.

Where To Watch ATP Cup
TV Schedule

Group C Schedule 
View full group stage schedule

Tuesday, 2 February: Austria vs Italy
John Cain Arena - starts 10:00am
Dennis Novak vs Fabio Fognini
Followed by singles match
Dominic Thiem vs Matteo Berrettini
Followed by doubles match - Players TBC

Wednesday, 3 February: Italy vs France
John Cain Arena - starts 10:00am
Fabio Fognini vs Benoit Paire
Followed by singles match
Matteo Berrettini vs Gael Monfils
Followed by doubles match - Players TBC

Thursday, 4 February: Austria vs France
John Cain Arena - starts 10:00am
Dennis Novak vs Benoit Paire
Followed by singles match
Dominic Thiem vs Gael Monfils
Followed by doubles match - Players TBC

*Match schedule is subject to change in line with ATP rules and regulations

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Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic concerns could open door to Roger Federer dream

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are concerned about this summer's Olympic Games.

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Medvedev On Playing For Russia ‘It’s Something Special’

For the second straight year, Daniil Medvedev will start an ATP Tour season as the No. 1 singles player for Russia at the ATP Cup.

The Moscow native claimed wins in his opening four singles matches at the event in 2020, before falling to Novak Djokovic and Serbia in a thrilling semi-final clash. This year, he will be leading a new-look Russian side in Melbourne. Medvedev will be joined by tournament debutants Andrey Rublev, Aslan Karatsev and player/captain Evgeny Donskoy.

“I played [the ATP Cup] last year. Actually, I was the only one to play it from [this year’s] Team Russia. I only thought about this right now,” said Medvedev. “It's always cool, these team competitions, because it puts you out of the zone a little bit where you are always focusing on yourself… You want to win it as a team.

“You have a team supporting you, behind you, on the bench. It's something special. We are playing for the country. It's not usual [to have] team competitions in tennis. Actually, I think guys will feel it from the first second, especially [when] there [is] going to be a crowd.”

Despite being the only member of the team to have played the inaugural ATP Cup last year, Medvedev does not believe he will need to pass on any words of wisdom to his teammates ahead of their Group D ties against Argentina and Japan. The reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion is confident that his countrymen possess the mindset required to succeed in the team competition.

“I think they all know what they have to do. That's a compliment,” said Medvedev. “Everybody is in [a] great mood, ready to be there for the team. That's the most important.”

Medvedev enters the ATP Cup on a 10-match winning streak, which includes seven wins against Top 10 opposition. He will be joined by World No. 8 Andrey Rublev, who opened his 2020 campaign with 11 consecutive victories and back-to-back titles in Doha and Adelaide.

Rublev, the highest-ranked No. 2 singles player in this year’s competition, will aim to emulate his strong start to 2020 with a successful run in Melbourne. The seven-time ATP Tour titlist, who will face fellow No. 2 singles players Guido Pella and Yoshihito Nishioka in the group stage, is keen to manage his tournament expectations.

“It's going to be my first experience here. It's amazing to be part of with such a great guys, especially when Donskoy is the captain. I think we have a great team,” said Rublev. “You always have to be in reality and understand that all the players are playing so good. All the teams are strong. They have all the top players here. It's going to be really tough.

“In my case, I don't expect nothing. I just hope we're going to do our best. In the end, what's going to happen is going to happen. For me, [my priority] is to give my best, to enjoy, to give everything on the court, and then we'll see what's going to happen.”

[WATCH LIVE 1]

Medvedev and Rublev will be joined by teammates Karatsev and player/captain Donskoy in Melbourne. Following the resumption of the ATP Tour in August 2020, Karatsev claimed 15 wins from 16 matches during a stunning run on the ATP Challenger Tour. His only loss during that period came at the hands of three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka.

Alongside Canada’s Peter Polansky, Donskoy is one of only two player/captains at this year’s event. The 30-year-old, perhaps best known for his 2017 victory against Roger Federer in Dubai, is prepared for the unique emotions each of his roles will present at the tournament.

“When you [are] playing, of course you're nervous and you feel these shaky moments. But when you're trying to support your friends… you're nervous more because you're not controlling anything… it's going to be very tough for me mentally,” said Donskoy.

“Mentally, it will always [be a] full day of nerves for me, which is I think [is] normal. It doesn't matter if I'm a captain or not, it’s just how it is. You always care about them, care about the match, how it goes. [I will] just try to support them as much as possible.”

With a strong team spirit and two Top 10 singles players on its roster, this new-look Russian team is in a strong position to replicate the run of Medvedev and his 2020 teammates. To reach the semi-finals this year, the task is simple: win Group D. A strong start against Argentina on Day 1 would go a long way to achieving that goal.

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Tsitsipas: 'We'll Have A Huge Army Backing Us' At Favourite Event

Stefanos Tsitsipas is looking forward to competing at his favourite tournament, the ATP Cup, which begins on Tuesday.

“This honestly is my favourite event,” said Tsitsipas on Sunday. “I feel that [we've been] given a very good opportunity... able to compete with all the boys that I've known for so long. It unites us, it gives us the opportunity to play for something more special. To feel proud when we're out on the court playing tennis.”

Greece has been drawn in Group B at the 2021 ATP Cup alongside last year’s finalist Spain and host nation Australia. Captain Apostolos Tsitsipas is working hard in Melbourne to prepare his two sons, World No. 6 Stefanos and Petros Tsitsipas alongside Michail Pervolarakis and Markos Kalovelonis.

Looking ahead to Greece’s first tie against Australia, Stefanos Tsitsipas admitted he has found facing Alex de Minaur, the recent Antalya Open titlist (d. Bublik), a tough proposition.

“I always had big fights against him,” said Tsitsipas, who has an 3-0 ATP Head2Head record against De Minaur. “He has improved a lot since recent years, so he's coming from a very good run that he had in Antalya a few weeks ago. He looks like he's playing well. I need to be prepared well for that battle. He's covering the court really well. His speed is something tremendous. He can run and get balls out of nowhere. That's what makes him very dangerous.”

But the 23-year-old Tsitsipas knows that the Greek community in Melbourne will turn out in force, cheering just as loud as the supporters of the host nation. Last year, Australia defeated Greece 3-0, including two thrilling singles matches. Nick Kyrgios beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(7), 6-7(3), 7-6(5) and John Millman overcame Pervolarakis 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(1).

“People are going to be cheering our name, and being louder than any other nation, it's great. Greeks are very proud, and especially the Greeks of Australia. They are twice as proud as back home… There's an extra reason for me to go out and represent, play well. There's a lot of support that we're going to have this week. I'm very, very happy and glad that we have such a huge army backing us up.”

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Djokovic Aims To 'Feed Off Crowd's Energy' At ATP Cup

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is looking forward to feeding off the support of the crowd when defending champion Serbia starts its bid to retain the ATP Cup title on Tuesday.

“I’ve missed seeing crowds in the stands the most,” said Djokovic during Team Serbia's media conference on Sunday. “At this stage of my career, after playing professional tennis for more than 15 years, that is one of the biggest driving forces or motivations, inspirations. Playing in front of a crowd, feeding off that energy and exchanging great passion and joy that I, and the fans, have for the sport.

“This country has done a great job dealing with this virus. I'm grateful that we have an opportunity to practise, to play and to compete in the sport that we love. We are all excited to be here.”

Serbia’s two Group A ties will be contested on Rod Laver Arena, played host to Djokovic's eight Australian Open title runs since 2008.

“It does feel like a home for me in Australia, in Melbourne, particularly on Rod Laver [Arena]. That is, by far, [the] most successful tennis court in my career… [There are] too many memories, beautiful memories, to pick one that would stand out. Each year that I come back to the court, it feels even better. The more you win obviously on the court, the more confident you feel coming back to it.”

Viktor Troicki has the captain’s hat on this week, helping to steer Serbia’s bid to retain the ATP Cup trophy. It’s a big honour for the 34-year-old.

"I'm really looking forward to this,” said the former World No. 12. “I hope with my experience, and with my help, we can achieve again the same result this year. I know there's a lot of tough teams. We have a tough group, but I have a huge trust in my boys, this team. I hope we go all the way also this year.”

Djokovic will be supported on court by Dusan Lajovic and Filip Krajinovic, who are both placed inside the Top 35 of the FedEx ATP Rankings, and Nikola Cacic, who has won two ATP Tour doubles titles.

“It's going to be great event,” said Lajovic. “We have a tough group [and] tough matches right from the start. There is no room for any kind of mistakes. We’ve got to start strong. Hopefully, we can have a good tournament like last year. I believe that a lot of Serbian fans will come to support us, like last year. It's going to be I think a great experience to feel that energy again.”

Defending champion Serbia opens its Group A campaign at the 12-team ATP Cup on Tuesday against Canada, followed by its second tie on Thursday against Germany. The top team from each of the four groups will advance to the knock-out semi-finals.

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Nadal: 'We'll Try To Put On A Good Show'

Rafael Nadal wishes to put on a show at the 12-team ATP Cup as he looks to help Spain go one better than last year’s runner-up finish.

“[We will] try to give to the fans around the world and the fans here in Australia a good show,” said Nadal on Sunday. “For some of the people who are suffering a lot at home, we will try to [provide] good entertainment for them.

“I just [want to] congratulate the country for an amazing effort… to contain the virus here. It’s one of the best examples in the world about how to do the things well in this particular case. We appreciate so much the effort that the country and Tennis Australia have done to allow us to be here and play our sport.”

Spain begins its 2021 ATP Cup quest on Tuesday against host nation Australia and plays Greece in its second Group B tie on Thursday. The top team from each of the four groups will advance to the knock-out semi-finals.

Pepe Vendrell, Spain’s captain, is preparing his squad of Nadal, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers for a hard week, starting with their first tie against Australia.

“It's going to be a tough battle,” said Vendrell. “We played last year against Australia. They are playing at home and they have the support of the crowd. But we are very excited to be here and to start the season playing against Australia in ATP Cup. In my opinion, Spain is a country that loves to play as a team. We have this culture since we were young… In ATP Cup, it's a competition by teams. You play for your country. I think it's a great experience for everyone.”

Nadal got the better of Australian Alex de Minaur 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in a thrilling semi-final encounter last year. “He’s improving every year. I think it’s going to be a tough battle for all of us playing against a great team like Australia… We are a good team, with great players, [so] we have different options. Everybody is ready to play, and to play at a very competitive level.”

Bautista Agut, who was one of the standout performers at the inaugural ATP Cup last year with a perfect 6-0 (12-0 in sets) record, is raring to go. “We've been practising a lot in the past months. I think now it's time to compete. I think everybody did the job well [and] we are ready to start the season playing a nice event - the ATP Cup.”

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De Minaur Ready For Impact At ATP Cup: ‘I'm Very Pumped’

Alex de Minaur will be hoping that his strong start to the season will continue at the ATP Cup as he reprises his role of Australia’s No. 1 singles player.

The 21-year-old spent the off-season at his training base in Spain after a strong 2020 that saw him guide his country to the quarter-finals at the inaugural ATP Cup, as well as reach the final in Antwerp and quarter-finals at the US Open. He shows no signs of slowing down, and has already claimed his first Top 20 win of the year over David Goffin, No. 16 in the FedEx ATP Rankings, en route to the Antalya Open trophy earlier this month.

“I'm very happy with the job we've put in as a team throughout the pre-season and now these past couple weeks,” De Minaur said. “I feel like I'm ready. I'm really looking forward to going out there and stepping out on court and competing in Australia. It's been a long time coming so I'm very pumped, that's for sure.”

😈 @alexdeminaur is pumped 🆙

🇦🇺 #TeamAustralia | #ATPCup pic.twitter.com/JLgwdalzgn

— ATPCup (@ATPCup) January 31, 2021

De Minaur brings plenty of momentum to Australia, having already tasted ATP Tour success in Turkey. He had to undergo two weeks in hotel quarantine with the rest of the international players – an experience De Minaur said has helped him gain a new perspective ahead of the tournament.

“I started off the year really well. Now we've had a couple weeks during quarantine to prepare and look at different aspects of my game to kind of tweak, get ready for the Australian summer of tennis,” De Minaur reflected.

 

De Minaur will share singles duties with John Millman as Australia faces Rafael Nadal's Spain and Stefanos Tsistipas' Greece in Group B. Former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt will reprise his role as team captain, with doubles stars John Peers and Luke Saville waiting in the wings. Peers is a two-time Nitto ATP Finals doubles titlist (w/Kontinen), while Saville returns to Melbourne after reaching the final at the Australian Open last year. It will be Saville's first time representing Australia in a team competition at the professional level.

“This is a massive highlight for me,” said 26-year-old Saville. “I've been working very hard for this moment to represent Australia. It's been 10 years since I played Junior Davis Cup, so... I'm thrilled to be here alongside these guys.

“I'll be ready when I get the call up to go out and play or even be on the bench. A massive thrill for me to be here. Obviously going to really enjoy the next few days.”

*Match schedule is subject to change in line with ATP rules and regulations

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Shapovalov: ‘It's Events Like This That I Enjoy The Most’

Denis Shapovalov’s inspired performances at last year’s inaugural ATP Cup helped lift Canada out of the group stage, but he’ll have to dig even deeper to navigate a tricky draw that pits him against Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev for the second year in a row.

Shapovalov, who reprises his role as Canada’s No. 1 singles player, turned heads when he handed Zverev a 70-minute upset last year in the group stage. The 21-year-old won two singles and two doubles matches before narrowly losing in a thriller against Djokovic, pushing him to the brink in Canada’s quarter-final defeat to eventual champion Serbia. 

“I think it's exciting,” Shapovalov said of his rematch against Djokovic in Group A. “I had a great match against him last year. I feel confident. I feel like I'm playing really good tennis in practice. Of course, it's the start of the season so there's really not many expectations. You just kind of go out there and see where your level is at... It's really fun to be back out here playing, competing, especially with this group of guys. It's events like this that I enjoy the most.”

Shapovalov will have the perfect opportunity to test his level in his first match of the season – a hotly anticipated rematch against World No. 1 Djokovic awaits as Canada takes the court against Serbia on Day 1.

“It goes to show how strong this event is,” said Canadian captain Peter Polansky. “Last year we played [Serbia] in the quarter-finals, they ended up winning it. Now we're playing each other again, round-robin, right back at it.

“I feel good about it. We've got a very strong team here. This whole event is going to be a lot of high-quality matches. It's going to be a fun event.”

Shapovalov will be backed by an all-star supporting cast; Canada is one of only four countries anchored by two Top 20 singles players. Big-serving Milos Raonic is making his tournament debut after rising from No. 32 to No. 14 in the FedEx ATP Rankings in 2020, with Polansky and 29-year-old Steven Diez rounding out the squad.

“I'm happy and eager to be here [and] to play alongside these gentlemen,” Raonic said. “For me, always a little bit of a longer break is a good thing. It ended up being a lot longer, sort of double the off-season that we're used to. I was able to train without any physical issues. So I'm excited about starting up now.”

With many ATP Cup ties coming down to a deciding doubles match, Canada also benefits from a versatile squad full of players who can all pair up in a pinch: Last year at the ATP Cup, Shapovalov partnered with fellow #NextGenATP player Felix Auger-Aliassime to claim two crucial points, while Raonic himself partnered with Auger-Aliassime for extra match play last year.

For a squad that will have to dig deep to advance out of a stacked Group A, Team Canada comes armed with plenty of weapons as they chase their first ATP Cup trophy.

“I'll decide [the doubles partnership] before the match. Captain's choice. Might play myself, might play some of the boys. We'll see,” Polansky joked. “Twitter will know first.”

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Djokovic Lighting Up Melbourne Ahead Of ATP Cup Defence

Will Novak Djokovic and Team Serbia retain its ATP Cup trophy next week? The defending champions are certainly putting the hard yards in with just two days to go before the start of the 12-country event.

World No. 1 Djokovic and teammate Filip Krajinovic practised Saturday at Melbourne Park in preparation for their title defence. They will be joined by Serbia’s No. 2 singles player Dusan Lajovic and doubles standout Nikola Cacic.

Team Serbia, led by captain Viktor Troicki, will have to battle through Group A, which also includes Germany and Canada, to reach the knockout semi-finals. Serbia defeated Canada 3-0 in last year’s quarter-finals.

Listen To Troicki's ATP Tennis Radio Interview:

“It’s a really tough group, maybe the toughest group out there. [There are] really tough players on both Germany and Canada,” Troicki told ATP Tennis Radio. “It’s going to be tough for us, but we have Novak and hopefully Dutzee [Dusan Lajovic] also performs as well as he did last year. I’m really hoping and believing in my team. It’s going to be some great matches.

“There are some great teams. It’s a really tough competition this year as it was last year, but there will be some really fun matches to watch and I’m looking forward to it.”

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Novak On Rising With Best Friend Thiem: 'It's All A Dream'

Dennis Novak represented Austria as the country’s No. 2 singles player at last year’s inaugural ATP Cup, and the 27-year-old is set to do the same again next week in Melbourne.

Novak went 1-2 at the prestigious country-based tournament last year, with all three of his matches going to a deciding set. Since then, he cracked the Top 100 of the FedEx ATP Rankings for the first time. Now, Novak will try to help best friend and Austria’s No. 1 singles player, Dominic Thiem, make a splash at Melbourne Park.

Before the event begins, ATPTour.com caught up with Novak to discuss what it was like to grow up competing against Thiem in Austria, how he feels about playing for his childhood coach — who is also Thiem’s father — and more.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TEAM AUSTRIA

You’ve said when you first met Dominic at 11, 12 years old, you didn’t know right away you were going to be best friends. Are there any memories from that? Was he just winning too much?
In the Under-10s, Under-12s, he was by far the best of our age in Austria and I didn’t get along with him pretty good because for me he was a little bit arrogant and winning too much. It all changed two or three years later.

When you went to Gunther Bresnik’s academy when you were young, you learned from Dominic’s dad, Wolfgang Thiem. What are some of your memories of that?
When I came to the place where we were practising, I was only practising with Dominic’s father, because he was at a small federation in the upper Austria and I came there… I was there because they paid for me to practise, so I was practising with him all the time and a few times with Dominic and Bresnik.

Which countrymen did you watch growing up and what did you admire about them?
I was watching Jurgen Melzer a lot and Stefan Koubek. I was watching those two a lot and I remember I was also at the Davis Cup many years ago, when they played at the airport in Austria. There was an epic five-setter between Jurgen and Gilles Simon. I was there watching them and of course in Vienna at the tournament when we were kids. We went there almost every day after practice to watch the guys there. Jurgen and Stefan were the two I was watching the most.

Was that something you did with Dominic and what was the most fun about it?
Of course. When we started practising a lot together, we were talking a lot and we said how good would it be if we play Davis Cup together for our country? The dream came true and now we play Davis Cup together, we play the ATP Cup together, we can play the big tournaments together now. It’s all a dream.

If you could take one stroke from any one of your countrymen, what would it be and why?
I would take Dominic’s forehand, because it’s such a good shot. He can hit winners from every position on the court and he can play with very heavy spin, he can play flat, he can play fast, he can play a high spin.

Was it always a dominant shot going back to when you both were kids?
Yeah. His forehand was always really good, but his backhand is the same, too. In the youth, his forehand was much better than his backhand. He also changed his backhand from double-handed to one-handed, so at the beginning it was very weak. Everybody was playing to his backhand and I think that’s why his backhand is also like that now.

What was the ATP Cup like last year and why are you excited to play in it again?
It was new last year. We didn’t know what to expect. But then when we played in Sydney, the atmosphere and when the whole team is sitting on the court, it’s amazing. You feel the energy, you feel the support, especially me. I love team matches… I’m really excited and looking forward to it.

Last year you had some tight matches. What was that like, battling under the pressure with your teammates right there and the whole atmosphere?
It was a good experience, especially with Thomas [Muster as captain]. Up until last year, he was the only Austrian to win a Grand Slam in singles until the US Open [when Dominic won]. You could learn a lot from him. He was very into the game. When you look at him on the bench, it was like he was playing himself all the time. He was really pumped and you feel it on the court. They are so close to you and you hear them pushing you all the time.

What is it going to be like this year with a different captain, who was actually your childhood coach and current coach, Wolfgang Thiem?
It’s going to be cool I think, because we know each other for so long. I think he knows me the best and he knows Dominic also the best. I think it’s going to be a good combination.

What are three things you love most about your country?
The mountains are beautiful in Austria, the food. The desserts, Kaiserschmarnn, that’s the best. It’s like pancakes, but not round. You eat it with a little bit of sugar, with apple [compote]. And Vienna, the city. For me, it’s the best city in the world.

Tell us one stereotype about your country/countrymen that's true and one that's a common misconception.
I know one that’s not true. A lot of sportspeople say that Austria is like a ski country, but it’s not true. We also have good footballers, we have good tennis players. It’s not only about skiing in Austria.

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Alexander Zverev fumes over Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal Australian Open advantage

Alexander Zverev is not happy with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal's advantage.

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ATP Cup Preview: Can Greece & Australia Halt Spain In Group B?

Second-seeded Spain headlines Group B at the 2021 ATP Cup, which begins on 2 February in Melbourne. The second edition of the event features 12 countries competing across four groups, with the top teams from each group advancing to the knockout semi-finals.

Here is everything you need to know about Group B: who is playing, when they’ll hit the court and how to follow all the action.

Group B: Spain, Greece, Australia
Last year’s finalist Spain will have to go through Greece and Australia if they want another shot at the ATP Cup trophy. World No. 2 Rafael Nadal is set to lead his nation for the second year in a row, bolstered by his combined 9-1 ATP Head2Head record against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alex de Minaur, the other No. 1 singles players in the group. Spain will be a strong contender for every point as undefeated Roberto Bautista Agut reprises the No. 2 singles player role, and seasoned stars Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers wait in the wings in doubles.

Former Nitto ATP Finals champion Tsitsipas shoulders his country’s hopes as they look to avenge their 2020 showing: Tsitsipas won one match out of three as Greece bowed out with a 0-3 record, which included a defeat at the hands of Australia. The 22-year-old will contest a rematch of the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals championship match against De Minaur on Day 2 as he seeks to extend his perfect 3-0 ATP Head2Head record.

De Minaur’s Australia made it to the ATP Cup semi-finals last year, and the hosts are hoping to continue springing surprises against Spain and Greece. The 21-year-old Aussie put in some stellar performances, even taking a set off Nadal in a thrilling semi-final encounter. He’s set to get another shot at the 20-time Grand Slam champion as Australia opens against Spain on Day 1.

Meet The Group B Players

Spain	Greece	Australia
Rafael Nadal	Stefanos Tsitsipas	Alex de Minaur
Roberto Bautista Agut	Michail Pervolarakis	John Millman
Pablo Carreno Busta	Markos Kalovelonis	John Peers
Marcel Granollers	Petros Tsitsipas	Luke Saville

Three Group B Matches To Watch

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)
The last day of round-robin action will feature one of the most anticipated clashes of the tournament as 35-time ATP Masters 1000 champion Nadal faces 2019 Nitto ATP Finals winner Tsitsipas. The World No. 2 will come in with a commanding 6-1 lead in their ATP Head2Head, but should be ready for a stern test against a player who has pushed him to a deciding set in three of their most recent four matches.

Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs Alex de Minaur (AUS)
Nadal managed to keep an inspired de Minaur at bay at last year’s ATP Cup, and the Aussie will get the chance to exact revenge as Australia once again takes on Spain. It was the first time in three attempts that De Minaur had claimed a set against Nadal, but it was not enough to put away the Spaniard who won seven of the final eight games of the match.

Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) vs John Millman (AUS)
Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut will be looking to extend his undefeated streak at the ATP Cup as he gets his campaign started against John Millman. The familiar foes will meet for the sixth time, and although Millman is still looking for his first victory, he has pushed the Spaniard to a deciding set on three occasions. In their previous match on Australian soil, Bautista Agut narrowly escaped in a dramatic five-set marathon against Millman in the second round of the 2019 Australian Open.

Where To Watch ATP Cup
TV Schedule

Group B Schedule 
View full group stage schedule

Tuesday, 2 February: Spain vs Australia

Rod Laver Arena - starts 5:30pm
Roberto Bautista Agut vs John Millman
Not before 7:00pm
Rafael Nadal vs Alex de Minaur
Followed by doubles match - Players TBC

Wednesday, 3 February: Greece vs Australia

Rod Laver Arena - starts 5:30pm
Michail Pervolarakis vs John Millman
Not before 7:00pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Alex de Minaur
Followed by doubles match - Players TBC

Thursday, 4 February: Spain vs Greece

Rod Laver Arena - starts 5:30pm
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Michail Pervolarakis
Not before 7:00pm
Rafael Nadal vs Stefanos Tsitsipas
Followed by doubles match - Players TBC

*Match schedule is subject to change in line with ATP rules and regulations

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Scouting Report: 15 Things To Watch In Melbourne

After a two-week break, the ATP Tour returns to action with a packed schedule in Melbourne. The leading stars of the ATP Tour will compete across three tournaments in Victoria, with the ATP Cup and two ATP 250 events on the calendar.

At the ATP Cup, 15 of the Top 17 players in the FedEx ATP Rankings will compete for their nation. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Daniil Medvedev lead their countries, with each of the four group champions advancing to the semi-finals.

At the Great Ocean Road Open, Top 20 stars David Goffin and Karen Khachanov will each attempt to lift their fifth ATP Tour crowns. Delray Beach champion Hubert Hurkacz and #NextGenATP Italian Jannik Sinner will also feature in the draw.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka headlines the Murray River Open. The 2014 Australian Open titlist is joined at the ATP 250 by Grigor Dimitrov, #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and home favourite Nick Kyrgios.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH AT THE ATP CUP
1) Defending Champion: Serbia will seek its second ATP Cup trophy this year. The inaugural champion won all six ties it contested at the 2020 edition of the event, with wins against Canada, Russia and Spain in the knockout stages.

Across singles and doubles, Djokovic owns an 8-0 record at the innovative team event. Dusan Lajovic, Serbia’s No. 2 singles player, finished the tournament with a 4-2 record. Both men will return for this year’s competition, as Serbia headlines Group A alongside Canada and Germany.

2) Spain Returns: After coming within one victory of the trophy last year, Spain returns in 2021 with another strong team roster. The 2020 runner-up nation compiled a 5-1 tie record last year, which included wins against Belgium and Australia in the knockout rounds.

Nadal will lead his nation for the second time, after winning six of his eight matches at the tournament last year. The 20-time Grand Slam champion will be joined by Roberto Bautista Agut — who did not drop a set at last year’s tournament — Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers. Spain meets Greece and Australia in Group B.

3) Doubles Deciders: At the ATP Cup, it pays to have doubles experience in your team. At last year’s event, 14 ties were won in deciding doubles matches, including Serbia’s 2-1 final victory against Spain.

This year’s tournament will feature some of the leading doubles stars on the ATP Tour. Germany can rely on two-time Roland Garros champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies, while France will utilise the experience of Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin. Last year’s Nitto ATP Finals qualifiers Granollers (Spain), Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) and John Peers (Australia) will also feature in Melbourne.

4) Thiem, Medvedev Lead Their Nations: Thiem and Medvedev, who both contested the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals championship match, will aim to carry their momentum into 2021 with success at the ATP Cup. World No. 3 Thiem leads Austria in Group C, where he will face Matteo Berrettini (Italy) and Gael Monfils (France) in singles action.

Medvedev returns as the No. 1 singles star for 2020 semi-finalist Russia in Group D. The World No. 4 will meet Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) and Kei Nishikori (Japan) in his singles matches.

5) No. 2 Stars: The importance of a strong second singles player cannot be underestimated at the ATP Cup. Each tie at the event begins with No. 2 singles action, giving No. 2 singles players the unique opportunity to set the tone of each tie and place their nation one win from victory.

Lajovic and Bautista Agut, who played in the No. 2 position for finalists Serbia and Spain last year, finished the tournament with a combined 10-2 singles record. One of those losses was due to their meeting in the championship match, which Bautista Agut won in straight sets. World No. 8 Andrey Rublev and Top 20 stars Bautista Agut, Milos Raonic and Fabio Fognini will all compete in the No. 2 singles position this year.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH AT THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD OPEN
1) Headline Acts: Throughout the 2020 ATP Tour season, Goffin reached one semi-final. The Belgian equalled that mark in the first week of his 2021 campaign with a run to the Antalya Open semi-finals (l. to De Minaur). The World No. 14 will attempt to reach his first championship match since the 2019 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. Second seed Khachanov, who claimed four consecutive wins to open his 2020 season, will be aiming to repeat that feat in 2021 and advance to his first ATP Tour final since his title run at the 2018 Rolex Paris Masters.

2) Polish Power: While many players will be making their first appearances of the season in Melbourne, Hurkacz has already lifted a title this year. The 23-year-old did not drop a set in Delray Beach en route to his second ATP Tour crown. Hurkacz clinched the trophy with a 6-3, 6-3 win against #NextGenATP American Sebastian Korda.

3) Sinner’s Surge: Two years ago, Jannik Sinner was aiming to crack the Top 500 for the first time. The #NextGenATP Italian has since captured the Next Gen ATP Finals crown (2019) and his maiden ATP Tour title in Sofia (2020) to rise to a career-high No. 36. The youngest player in the Top 100 will look to continue his rise in 2021 with a fast start in Melbourne.

4) Back In Business: After undergoing right knee surgery in February 2020, Kevin Anderson showed glimpses of his best form towards the end of the season with runs to the Erste Bank Open semi-finals and Roland Garros third round. The South African will be aiming to continue that progress in Melbourne, where he will attempt to win an ATP Tour title in his opening tournament of the year for the second time (2019 Pune).

5) Colombians Headline: Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah lead the way in the Great Ocean Road Open doubles draw. The top seeds, who clinched the year-end No. 1 FedEx ATP Doubles Team Ranking in 2019, share the top half of the draw with fourth seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Henri Kontinen. Herbert and Kontinen could face singles stars Hubert Hurkacz and Jannik Sinner in their first match.

In the bottom half of the draw, Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares will start the second chapter of their partnership. The 2016 Australian Open and US Open champions could meet Antalya finalists Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek in the semi-finals.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH AT THE MURRAY RIVER OPEN
1) Strong Starter: Stan Wawrinka has won 16 tour-level titles throughout his career. This Swiss lifted four of those trophies in his first event of the year (2011, ’14-’16). Wawrinka, the top seed at the Murray River Open, will attempt to add to that record at the site of his maiden Grand Slam triumph in 2014.

2) Grigor’s Momentum: The Bulgarian reached the quarter-finals or better at his final four ATP Tour events of 2020 and also advanced to the Round of 16 at Roland Garros for the first time. Dimitrov will be able to draw confidence from memories of past success in Australia. The 29-year-old lifted the Brisbane trophy and reached the Australian Open semi-finals in 2017.

3) First Title For Felix?: Over the past two ATP Tour seasons, Felix Auger-Aliassime has finished as a runner-up at six tour-level events. The #NextGenATP Canadian, who won 22 hard court matches and reached three finals on the surface last year, will attempt to capture his first ATP Tour crown in Melbourne. Auger-Aliassime prepared for his 2021 campaign with a visit to the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca, where he set his sights on a place in the Top 10 of the FedEx ATP Rankings and a qualification spot at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

4) Kyrgios Returns: For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Nick Kyrgios will compete on the ATP Tour. The 25-year-old, who did not to return to action when play resumed in 2020, will make his first appearance since the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in February last year. Kyrgios will be aiming to lift his second ATP Tour title on home soil. The Aussie defeated defending champion Dimitrov en route to the 2018 Brisbane crown.

5) New Partnerships: Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic will attempt to lift their second title of the year at the Murray River Open. The all-Croatian pair, which claimed its maiden trophy on its team debut at the Antalya Open earlier this month, are joined in the top half of the draw by another new partnership: Marcelo Melo and Horia Tecau.

Second seeds Wesley Koolhof and Lukasz Kubot will also make their team debut in Melbourne. The second seeds share the bottom half of the draw with third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. Ram and Salisbury claimed the biggest title of their careers in Melbourne last year, when they dropped just one set en route to the Australian Open title.

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Zverev: ‘I Want To Perform Better for Germany'

Alexander Zverev is hoping to perform better for Germany at the ATP Cup, which begins on 2 February in Melbourne. Having gone 0-3 after facing three Top 20 opponents in the tournament last year, the 23-year-old is looking to deliver against Group A opponents Serbia, the defending champion, and Canada.

“I've been working extremely hard in the off-season,” said Zverev. “I'd like to think that I did everything I could to be as well-prepared as I can be… I definitely want to perform better for my team, for myself. [I want to] give ourselves the best chance that we can to go deep here.”

Zverev's path to a first ATP Cup victory is no easier this year. The 13-time ATP Tour titlist will face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Denis Shapovalov — one of the three men he lost to in last year’s tournament — in Group A.

“We'll know exactly where I'm at, know exactly how my level is, know exactly what I need to improve still,” said Zverev. “There are no easy matches. I think that just shows at the ATP Cup.”

Regardless of results, one of the most exciting elements of this competition will be the return of packed crowds in Melbourne. Zverev took the chance to praise Australia’s successful approach to the COVID-19 pandemic and shared his excitement to perform in front of full stands for the first time in almost a year.

“Tennis Australia did a great job for us tennis players to still be able to feel like we can practise, we can prepare for a Grand Slam. Hopefully, we can show our best tennis,” said Zverev. “I think Australia has been dealing with coronavirus the best that any country has in the world. Being able to play in front of a crowd, not living in a bubble now during the tournament, I think a lot of players really appreciate that.”

Ahead of the 2021 ATP Tour season, Zverev parted ways with coach David Ferrer. The Spaniard began working with Zverev in July last year, prior to the 6’6” right-hander’s run to his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open. Zverev will continue to work with his father, Alexander Zverev Sr. and receive support from his brother and former Top 30 player Mischa Zverev.

“I think we left everything open with David. I think with my dad and with my brother, Mischa, who was with me during the US Open, more involved now, I have a great coaching team,” said Zverev. “I think I can win big tournaments with the coaching staff that I have.”

Mischa will play an integral role at this year’s ATP Cup. Not only will he support his brother, he will lead his nation as Captain. The 2017 Australian Open quarter-finalist emphasised the importance of team spirit ahead of Germany’s first tie against Canada on Day 2.

“It's a unique experience… I hope we can, first of all, have a good time together as a team and win some matches,” said Zverev. “I think the biggest challenge for every captain is to create a team spirit so that every member of the team is really feeling like they're an important part of the whole ensemble. We go out there, we win together, we lose together, but at the end of the day we still have dinner as a team and we can still smile and laugh and get ready for the next days.”

With two wins from three matches, Jan-Lennard Struff was Germany’s most successful player at last year’s ATP Cup. The German returns this year as the No. 2 singles player and will open Germany’s Group A ties with matches against Dusan Lajovic and Milos Raonic.

“I'm really excited. It was a very good event last year. It was beautiful to start the year off with such a nice event,” said Struff. “I'm very happy to be able to participate this year again. It's a privilege to be here. It's an honour to play for my country again. It's going to be very challenging. We have a tough group.”

If Zverev and Struff claim one victory from the opening two matches of the tie, the fate of Germany will rest in experienced hands. For the second straight year, two-time Roland Garros champions Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies will represent their country in Australia.

Last year, Krawietz and Mies claimed one win from three doubles encounters. Mies is confident that the pair can improve on that record in 2021 and do their part to provide Germany with a better chance of reaching the knockout stage.

“I don't think it's extra pressure. We've been in the situation before... I think we had a good pre-season. We're ready to play,” said Mies. “We know the situation. We know if it's 1-all, it comes down to us. We feel confident. I think we're a great team. We hope for the best. I think we underperformed a little bit last year as a team, as a whole group. I thought Struff played extremely well. I think Sascha and me and Kevin, we can do a bit better this year.”

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Kyrgios: 'I Feel Mentally Completely Refreshed'

After spending almost a year away from the courts, World No. 47 Nick Kyrgios is eager to get back in the action as he kicks off the season on home soil at the Murray River Open alongside top seed Stan Wawrinka and #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Kyrgios last played at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC last February, opting not to compete after the Tour’s five-month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the often restless 25-year-old, the unexpected time off at home gave him a much-needed chance to recharge that he said has left him feeling mentally “refreshed”.

“Last year was a crazy year. I was incredibly lucky to just be with my family and friends and just kind of reset on everything,” Kyrgios said in a pre-tournament press conference. “I feel mentally completely refreshed, ready to go again.”

During the Tour’s five-month stoppage, Kyrgios stayed away from the tennis courts as he took advantage of the time off to immerse himself in other interests. But he got right back to work as this Australian swing approached, enjoying the relaxed restrictions in his hometown to continue training.

“I was lucky enough that Jordan Thompson came down to Canberra for the past month, so we were training together,” Kyrgios said, revealing that he’s been hitting for two hours a day for the past several months ahead of the Melbourne events. “I just felt mentally I felt like I was in a place [of] wanting to play and [I] feel refreshed.”

Kyrgios will have to be in top form from the start as he faces an early challenge at the Murray River Open. He will open against France's Alexandre Muller, and could face Bernard Tomic in their first Tour-level clash should they both advance to the second round.

“I'm just happy to be around it again. I am excited to get out there and play,” Kyrgios said. “[Let’s] see how it goes. Hopefully I can have some good results, as well...

“Everyone is really playing it by ear. Nobody really knows who is in form and who is not. I'm going to take it day by day and try to enjoy myself as much as I can.”

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Hewitt Counting On Australia To ‘Leave It All Out There’ In ATP Cup

Australian ATP Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt knows his players have their work cut out for them as Alex de Minaur and John Millman lead the charge against Spain and Greece in Group B.

Hewitt will once again be counting on World No.23 De Minaur in the pivotal role as Australia’s No. 1 singles player, a position he thrived in last year when he posted a come-from-behind upset over Alexander Zverev and pushed World No. 2 Rafael Nadal to the limit in a three-set marathon.

The 21-year-old also comes into this year’s tournament as one of the players with the most momentum after starting the season with a victory at the season-opening Antalya Open, an ATP 250 event.

Listen to Hewitt's ATP Tennis Radio interview:

“He’s got to be, in my mind, probably the quickest guy out there on Tour,” Hewitt said in an interview with ATP Tennis Radio. “How he gets back into his position after each shot is fantastic. He’s got great footwork, he’s got really good balance and he’s starting to add some real weapons to his game.

“He had a hell of a match against Rafa last year in Sydney... He knows it’s going to be an awfully big challenge, but one thing for Alex: he’s going to leave it all out there for us.”

The former World No. 1 was the captain a year ago as Australia reached the last four of the inaugural ATP Cup, only to lose in a heartbreaker against Spain. Now they’ll get another shot at the No. 2 seeds, a strong team led by Rafael Nadal that also features Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers.

“They’re one of the strongest nations, led by Rafa obviously but Bautista Agut is also a quality player. He’s certainly one of the strongest No. 2s they can put on any team,” Hewitt highlighted. “We’re going to have to be on our game… We know it’s going to be a challenge, but I’ve got a good feeling that our boys are going to enjoy feeling like the underdogs in this one.”

Check out more from the ATP Tennis Radio interview to hear Hewitt discuss how Millman will be a big asset, why doubles will play a very important role, and what the ATP Cup means for Australian tennis.

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Will Goffin Face 17-Year-Old Sensation Alcaraz In Great Ocean Road Open?

Top seed David Goffin has a bye in the first round of the Great Ocean Road Open, but he could face a stern test against a 17-year-old sensation in the second round.

Goffin, who reached the semi-finals of the Antalya Open to start his season, could play Carlos Alcaraz, the Newcomer of the Year in the 2020 ATP Awards. The Spanish teen, who earlier this year qualified for the Australian Open, will battle Hungarian Attila Balazs in the first round. Former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero coaches Alcaraz, who is already a three-time ATP Challenger Tour champion.

VIEW DRAW

Alcaraz isn’t the only #NextGenATP star in the Great Ocean Road Open draw, though. Jannik Sinner, the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals titlist, will play veteran Yen-Hsun Lu or home favourite Aleksandar Vukic in the second round. Other players to watch in the Italian’s quarter are seventh seed Miomir Kecmanovic and two-time Australian Open quarter-finalist Tennys Sandgren. 

There are several big hitters in the field, including second seed Karen Khachanov, who will open against 2020 Australian Open doubles finalist Max Purcell or Norbert Gombos. If the Russian wins his matches, there could be some tricky opponents in his path, with sixth seed Reilly Opelka, 16th seed Feliciano Lopez and former World No. 5 Kevin Anderson in his quarter.

[MY POINT]

Hubert Hurkacz got off to a flying start in 2021 when he captured the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com title. The third seed will try to maintain his momentum in Melbourne, where he will play Pedro Martinez or Mikael Torpegaard in the second round. Eighth seed Alexander Bublik is also in his quarter. The Kazakh, who has become one of the flashiest players on the ATP Tour with his sizzling strokes and underarm serve, will open against Dominik Koepfer or Christopher O’Connell.

Two players who competed on the same college team, ninth seed Sandgren and John-Patrick Smith, will clash in the first round. At the University of Tennessee in 2011, Smith played No. 1 singles and Sandgren No. 3 singles. Both players have won ATP Tour titles, with Sandgren triumphing once in singles and Smith lifting a doubles trophy.

Other first-round matches to watch include 14th seed Pablo Andujar facing hot-shot machine Pablo Cuevas, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Maxime Cressy meeting in a battle of net-rushers, and 15th seed Vasek Pospisil playing lefty Thiago Monteiro.

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Kyrgios Could Face Tomic in Murray River Open R2

It’s safe to say you’ll need some popcorn if Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic clash in the second round of next week’s Murray River Open.

The Aussies are two of the most captivating players on the ATP Tour. And if they both win their first-round match at Melbourne Park, they will play each other for the first time at tour-level. Kyrgios will play his first match since the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC last February against Alexandre Muller, and Tomic will face countryman Marc Polmans.

VIEW DRAW

Top seed Stan Wawrinka, the World No. 3, faces a daunting section at the ATP 250. The Swiss will play one of two veterans — Juan Ignacio Londero or Mikhail Kukushkin — in his season opener. The first seeded player he could face is 14th seed Richard Gasquet, the former World No. 7, who owns a 2-1 lead in their ATP Head2Head series.

Also in the top quarter of the draw are sixth seed Taylor Fritz and 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic. Former World No. 3 Cilic, seeded 11th, will open his season against big-hitting Frenchman Jeremy Chardy in one of the draw’s most intriguing first-round matches. They have played six times previously, with Cilic leading their rivalry 4-2.

[ATP HERITAGE]

Third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime will begin his 2021 campaign against Quentin Halys or Yuichi Sugita. The #NextGenATP Canadian, who could battle Norwegian star Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals, is pursuing his first ATP Tour title.

Second seed Grigor Dimitrov, the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion, could get Australian revenge against 15th seed Tommy Paul in the third round. One year ago, the American outlasted Dimitrov in a four-hour, 19-minute five-set thriller at the Australian Open. The Bulgarian returned the favour at the US Open, where he triumphed in straight sets.

Fourth seed Borna Coric will begin his year against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori or former Top 20 star Viktor Troicki, who will also be the Serbian captain in the ATP Cup.

First-round matches to watch include Corentin Moutet against Frances Tiafoe, 10th seed Adrian Mannarino facing Mikael Ymer and Thanasi Kokkinakis against Alex Bolt in a battle of Aussies who have overcome adversity throughout their careers.

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