Aleksandar Vukic has joined the squad to doubtlessly play singles alongside Alex de Minaur in Australia’s Davis Cup Qualifier tie in Stockholm.
Stockholm, Sweden, 30 January 2025 | Dan Imhoff
Lleyton Hewitt has full religion a revised Davis Cup workforce for Australia’s Qualifier tie towards Sweden on the weekend will get the job completed.
Stomach and wrist points for Nick Kyrgios and lower-leg and foot accidents for Jordan Thompson have opened the door for Aleksandar Vukic to make his debut, whereas doubles specialists Matthew Ebden and John Friends have returned for obligation alongside spearhead Alex de Minaur.
One of many heroes of Australia’s Davis Cup quarterfinal win over the USA, Thanasi Kokkinakis, has additionally travelled with the workforce for the tie, which begins on the Royal Tennis Corridor in Stockholm on Saturday, 1 February (AEDT).
“Nick received’t be coming right here. He’s suffered a few accidents by way of the Australian summer time,” Australian captain Hewitt mentioned. “I used to be excited to consider the potential for him to be again within the Davis Cup workforce, nevertheless it wasn’t to be and clearly he’s very underdone together with his physique, so it’s not stunning he’s acquired an damage making an attempt to play five-set tennis right away with out many matches.
> READ MORE: Recapping Aussie singles success at AO2025
“Hopefully, fingers crossed, we get by way of and he could also be an choice down the observe.
“I’m very pleased and assured with the squad that I’ve at my disposal. Very happy with the blokes too to be sincere as a result of they make it a precedence to play for Australia … It’s not a straightforward time for us.
“We’ve had a number of strain and expectation enjoying in Australia after which right away hop on a aircraft and make this a precedence.”
Leo Borg, son of the good Bjorn Borg, spearheads the Swedish workforce, which will even embrace former world No.50 Mikael Ymer, who makes his return following an 18-month anti-doping ban.
The 26-year-old Ymer final week received his first occasion again at an ITF M25 occasion in Luxembourg.
“He’s a high quality participant. We’ve got to be prepared for him,” Hewitt mentioned. “Clearly he got here in and performed a Futures [ITF event] final week and had success, however he’s lots higher participant than enjoying Futures. For me it’s about making ready my gamers in addition to potential and I totally again my gamers to go on the market and get the job completed.”
> READ MORE: Ebden and Friends awarded Order of Australia medals
Australia leads the head-to-head between the 2 nations 7-3, however Sweden received their most up-to-date conflict within the World Group first spherical in Adelaide in 2004 when Hewitt claimed Australia’s sole victory over Robin Soderling in a 4-1 defeat to a workforce that additionally included Thomas Enqvist, Jonas Bjorkman and Joachim Johansson.
“Two nice tennis nations which have had a number of success and a number of hard-fought matches through the years,” Hewitt mentioned. “One in all my biggest recollections is ’86 when Australia was in a position to beat Sweden within the last and a man that I idolised, Pat Money, had one in all his biggest moments. You want two good nations going collectively to make one thing as particular as that and that basically acquired me into Davis Cup and what it meant to play for Australia.
“I’ve acquired an excellent relationship with all of the previous Swedish gamers I’ve battled towards. I’ve performed Sweden in some massive Davis Cup matches myself.”
ORDER OF PLAY
Saturday, 1 February (AEDT): Two singles matches from 3am (AEDT)
Sunday, 2 February (AEDT): Two reverse singles matches and a doubles match from 11pm (AEDT)
HOW TO WATCH
Australia’s Davis Cup Qualifier first-round tie could be watched reside and free on 9Gem and 9Now.
Discover your strategy to play: Go to play.tennis.com.au to hit the courtroom and have some enjoyable!
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