Demon to lead home Cup push
But injuries have again cruelled hopes of picking Nick Kyrgios, who was denied a doubles berth against Sweden in February as his stop-start on-court career continues.
Captain Lleyton Hewitt's team, ranked No.2 in the world, is chasing a fourth consecutive appearance at the Davis Cup Final 8 in Italy in November.
He's picked de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, warrior Jordan Thompson and doubles specialist Matt Ebden for the second-round tie.
'Alex de Minaur obviously loves playing in Australia, and even more so playing on Ken Rosewall Arena. He feels like that's his home court out there,' Hewitt said.
'He's played some big matches on this court in the past, in the Sydney International, the Davis Cup and the United Cup as well. He's going to be really looking forward to getting back out there.
'Alex is a top-10 player and has had a fantastic season, putting himself in contention in all the big tournaments.
'Alexei Popyrin has come off a really good run again at the Canadian Open in Toronto, especially going in there as defending champion. Hopefully, he'll get some confidence during the US swing. He's going to be a big player for us in the Davis Cup tie.
'Jordan Thompson has had a few injuries this year, but he's been very solid every time he's come on court. He had a good run at Wimbledon, in singles and doubles and obviously him playing with Matty Ebden in the doubles, they've played some big Davis Cup matches for us in the past. It's good to have the four guys available for us.'
It will be de Minaur's 13th Davis Cup tie having surged back into the world's top 10 after taking his 10th career singles title in Washington last month.
Popyrin has also hit a career-high ranking of No.19 , becoming the seventh Australian man behind Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic and De Minaur to get into the world's top 20.
Australia leads Belgium 4-3 in the head-to-head series, including a 3-0 win in Hamburg during the group stage in 2022.
'We've played some big Davis Cup ties against Belgium. They play really well, they play with a lot of pride out there every time they're playing for their country, so we're certainly not taking anything for granted,' Hewitt said.
'We've had a pretty good run the last three or four years in the Davis Cup. We feel like we've got some unfinished business, and this is another stepping stone and another chance for us to put our self in contention.
'We'll be doing absolutely everything we can to get the result that we feel like we deserve and it's really nice to be playing on home soil.'
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Perth Now
16 hours ago
- Perth Now
Demon to lead home Cup push
Australia's top three ranked male players headlined by Alex de Minaur will fly the flag in the Davis Cup tie against Belgium in Sydney in September. But injuries have again cruelled hopes of picking Nick Kyrgios, who was denied a doubles berth against Sweden in February as his stop-start on-court career continues. Captain Lleyton Hewitt's team, ranked No.2 in the world, is chasing a fourth consecutive appearance at the Davis Cup Final 8 in Italy in November. He's picked de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, warrior Jordan Thompson and doubles specialist Matt Ebden for the second-round tie. 'Alex de Minaur obviously loves playing in Australia, and even more so playing on Ken Rosewall Arena. He feels like that's his home court out there,' Hewitt said. 'He's played some big matches on this court in the past, in the Sydney International, the Davis Cup and the United Cup as well. He's going to be really looking forward to getting back out there. 'Alex is a top-10 player and has had a fantastic season, putting himself in contention in all the big tournaments. 'Alexei Popyrin has come off a really good run again at the Canadian Open in Toronto, especially going in there as defending champion. Hopefully, he'll get some confidence during the US swing. He's going to be a big player for us in the Davis Cup tie. 'Jordan Thompson has had a few injuries this year, but he's been very solid every time he's come on court. He had a good run at Wimbledon, in singles and doubles and obviously him playing with Matty Ebden in the doubles, they've played some big Davis Cup matches for us in the past. It's good to have the four guys available for us.' It will be de Minaur's 13th Davis Cup tie having surged back into the world's top 10 after taking his 10th career singles title in Washington last month. Popyrin has also hit a career-high ranking of No.19 , becoming the seventh Australian man behind Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic and De Minaur to get into the world's top 20. Australia leads Belgium 4-3 in the head-to-head series, including a 3-0 win in Hamburg during the group stage in 2022. 'We've played some big Davis Cup ties against Belgium. They play really well, they play with a lot of pride out there every time they're playing for their country, so we're certainly not taking anything for granted,' Hewitt said. 'We've had a pretty good run the last three or four years in the Davis Cup. We feel like we've got some unfinished business, and this is another stepping stone and another chance for us to put our self in contention. 'We'll be doing absolutely everything we can to get the result that we feel like we deserve and it's really nice to be playing on home soil.'
The Advertiser
17 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Powerful Aussie line-up for Davis Cup fray in Sydney
Battling Jordan Thompson will spearhead Australia's push to make another Davis Cup finals week after being named in Lleyton Hewitt's side for their crucial qualifying tie with Belgium in Sydney. Thompson has just got back into action after an injury-ravaged year but Hewitt has had no hesitation plunging the ever reliable 31-year-old fighter into the team which must win the two-day tie at the Ken Rosewall Arena on September 13-14 if they're to qualify among the eight teams for the finals in Bologna in November. Alex de Minaur will, as ever, lead the lineup alongside Alexei Popyrin, with Hewitt potentially having the luxury for the first time of being able to field two top-20 players in the four singles ties. He'll also have Thompson, ranked 50 in the world, as a singles back-up while Olympic champion Matt Ebden has also been selected to join him in a formidable doubles partnership. The pair have been gaining useful practice, playing alongside each other at this week's Cincinnati Open. With only four players listed so far, Hewitt could also yet include another name to his team list should there be any injury concerns over the busy and demanding US Open spell. In contrast to the Australians being able to field three top-50 singles players, the Belgians have only one top-100 player, world No.54 Zizou Bergs, in their squad. Raphael Collignon (No.107) and Alexander Blockx (119) will be battling for the other singles berth, while Joran Vliegen and Sander Gille are both top-100 doubles players. Thompson made his return to action last week in Cincinnati, losing in the first round, after his heroics at Wimbledon in which he reached the fourth round despite struggling badly with a back injury, the latest in a catalogue of woes he's suffered all year. The seven winning nations in the September qualifiers will join defending champions Italy at the Bologna in 'final 8 week' between 18-23 November. Among the team nominations, de Minaur has been joined by several other top-10 stars, headed by Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, and Denmark's Holger Rune. Alcaraz and Rune will face off in a blockbuster Spain-Denmark clash in Marbella, while the Americans have a hugely powerful squad, also bolstered by Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, to take on the Czech Republic, who are led by Miami champion Jakub Mensik. Battling Jordan Thompson will spearhead Australia's push to make another Davis Cup finals week after being named in Lleyton Hewitt's side for their crucial qualifying tie with Belgium in Sydney. Thompson has just got back into action after an injury-ravaged year but Hewitt has had no hesitation plunging the ever reliable 31-year-old fighter into the team which must win the two-day tie at the Ken Rosewall Arena on September 13-14 if they're to qualify among the eight teams for the finals in Bologna in November. Alex de Minaur will, as ever, lead the lineup alongside Alexei Popyrin, with Hewitt potentially having the luxury for the first time of being able to field two top-20 players in the four singles ties. He'll also have Thompson, ranked 50 in the world, as a singles back-up while Olympic champion Matt Ebden has also been selected to join him in a formidable doubles partnership. The pair have been gaining useful practice, playing alongside each other at this week's Cincinnati Open. With only four players listed so far, Hewitt could also yet include another name to his team list should there be any injury concerns over the busy and demanding US Open spell. In contrast to the Australians being able to field three top-50 singles players, the Belgians have only one top-100 player, world No.54 Zizou Bergs, in their squad. Raphael Collignon (No.107) and Alexander Blockx (119) will be battling for the other singles berth, while Joran Vliegen and Sander Gille are both top-100 doubles players. Thompson made his return to action last week in Cincinnati, losing in the first round, after his heroics at Wimbledon in which he reached the fourth round despite struggling badly with a back injury, the latest in a catalogue of woes he's suffered all year. The seven winning nations in the September qualifiers will join defending champions Italy at the Bologna in 'final 8 week' between 18-23 November. Among the team nominations, de Minaur has been joined by several other top-10 stars, headed by Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, and Denmark's Holger Rune. Alcaraz and Rune will face off in a blockbuster Spain-Denmark clash in Marbella, while the Americans have a hugely powerful squad, also bolstered by Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, to take on the Czech Republic, who are led by Miami champion Jakub Mensik. Battling Jordan Thompson will spearhead Australia's push to make another Davis Cup finals week after being named in Lleyton Hewitt's side for their crucial qualifying tie with Belgium in Sydney. Thompson has just got back into action after an injury-ravaged year but Hewitt has had no hesitation plunging the ever reliable 31-year-old fighter into the team which must win the two-day tie at the Ken Rosewall Arena on September 13-14 if they're to qualify among the eight teams for the finals in Bologna in November. Alex de Minaur will, as ever, lead the lineup alongside Alexei Popyrin, with Hewitt potentially having the luxury for the first time of being able to field two top-20 players in the four singles ties. He'll also have Thompson, ranked 50 in the world, as a singles back-up while Olympic champion Matt Ebden has also been selected to join him in a formidable doubles partnership. The pair have been gaining useful practice, playing alongside each other at this week's Cincinnati Open. With only four players listed so far, Hewitt could also yet include another name to his team list should there be any injury concerns over the busy and demanding US Open spell. In contrast to the Australians being able to field three top-50 singles players, the Belgians have only one top-100 player, world No.54 Zizou Bergs, in their squad. Raphael Collignon (No.107) and Alexander Blockx (119) will be battling for the other singles berth, while Joran Vliegen and Sander Gille are both top-100 doubles players. Thompson made his return to action last week in Cincinnati, losing in the first round, after his heroics at Wimbledon in which he reached the fourth round despite struggling badly with a back injury, the latest in a catalogue of woes he's suffered all year. The seven winning nations in the September qualifiers will join defending champions Italy at the Bologna in 'final 8 week' between 18-23 November. Among the team nominations, de Minaur has been joined by several other top-10 stars, headed by Spain's Carlos Alcaraz, Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, and Denmark's Holger Rune. Alcaraz and Rune will face off in a blockbuster Spain-Denmark clash in Marbella, while the Americans have a hugely powerful squad, also bolstered by Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe, to take on the Czech Republic, who are led by Miami champion Jakub Mensik.
News.com.au
18 hours ago
- News.com.au
Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin to lead Australian Davis Cup team for Sydney clash with Belgium
Australia's top three ranked male players headlined by Alex de Minaur will fly the flag in the Davis Cup tie against Belgium in Sydney in September. But injuries have again cruelled hopes of picking Nick Kyrgios, who was denied a doubles berth against Sweden in February as his stop-start on-court career continues. Captain Lleyton Hewitt's team, ranked No.2 in the world, is chasing a fourth consecutive appearance at the Davis Cup Final 8 in Italy in November. He's picked de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, warrior Jordan Thompson and doubles specialist Matt Ebden for the second-round tie. 'Alex de Minaur obviously loves playing in Australia, and even more so playing on Ken Rosewall Arena. He feels like that's his home court out there,' Hewitt said. 'He's played some big matches on this court in the past, in the Sydney International, the Davis Cup and the United Cup as well. He's going to be really looking forward to getting back out there. 'Alex is a top-10 player and has had a fantastic season, putting himself in contention in all the big tournaments. 'Alexei Popyrin has come off a really good run again at the Canadian Open in Toronto, especially going in there as defending champion. Hopefully, he'll get some confidence during the US swing. He's going to be a big player for us in the Davis Cup tie. 'Jordan Thompson has had a few injuries this year, but he's been very solid every time he's come on court. He had a good run at Wimbledon, in singles and doubles and obviously him playing with Matty Ebden in the doubles, they've played some big Davis Cup matches for us in the past. It's good to have the four guys available for us.' It will be de Minaur's 13th Davis Cup tie having surged back into the world's top 10 after taking his 10th career singles title in Washington last month. Popyrin has also hit a career-high ranking of No.19 , becoming the seventh Australian man behind Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt, Mark Philippoussis, Nick Kyrgios, Bernard Tomic and De Minaur to get into the world's top 20. Australia leads Belgium 4-3 in the head-to-head series, including a 3-0 win in Hamburg during the group stage in 2022. 'We've played some big Davis Cup ties against Belgium. They play really well, they play with a lot of pride out there every time they're playing for their country, so we're certainly not taking anything for granted,' Hewitt said. 'We've had a pretty good run the last three or four years in the Davis Cup. We feel like we've got some unfinished business, and this is another stepping stone and another chance for us to put our self in contention. 'We'll be doing absolutely everything we can to get the result that we feel like we deserve and it's really nice to be playing on home soil.'
