Tennis News

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 an arsenal 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 two tournaments 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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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

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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Australian Open: ATP Cup among six warm-up events at Melbourne Park this week

The world’s top tennis players come out of quarantine to warm up for the Australian Open as Melbourne Park hosts six simultaneous events.

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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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