Australia’s tennis men will have to down a powerful US side in the quarter-finals if they are to go on and achieve their dream of regaining the Davis Cup in Malaga in November.
Thursday’s draw for the Cup’s 'final 8’ week at the Spanish venue could hardly have been more forbidding for Lleyton Hewitt's team, with champions Italy most likely to be awaiting them in the semis should they get through their last-eight tie.
In the quarters, the USA-Australia tie will be a collision between the two teams who have won the World Cup of men's tennis more times than any other.
Lleyton Hewitt's 28-time winners, who are seeking their first title in 21 years, will face Bob Bryan's Americans, the record 32-time champs who are also seeking to end a 17-year-old victory drought.
It’s a tough opener for Hewitt's squad, who are hoping to make it third time lucky in Malaga after reaching the final in the last two editions, beaten by Canada in 2022 and Italy last year.
If Australia can overcome a team who can currently boast five men in the world's top 20 - Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Sebastian Korda, Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton - it will be no comfort to know world No.1 Jannik Sinner may be awaiting them in the semis should Italy beat Argentina.
Sinner was magnificent throughout last year's tournament and hammered Alex de Minaur in the final. Since then, he's gone on to win both the Australian and US Opens and become Italy's first world No.1 in a dazzling 2024 season.
It’s a tall order but the Australians, who qualified confidently in Valencia last week, even without the services of their recuperating No.1 de Minaur, believe they are well-equipped to beat anyone.
De Minaur has two months to get into shape for the November 19-24 event after clearly struggling since his Wimbledon-ending hip injury in July.
But with a strong back-up in the shape of two world top-30 players in the soaring Alexei Popyrin and Jordan Thompson, and a world-beating doubles pairing of Max Purcell and Matt Ebden, the Aussies will be tough again at their happy hunting ground at the Jose Maria Martin Carpena indoor arena.
On the other side of the draw, Germany will face 2022 champions Canada, while Netherlands will play hosts Spain, who defeated Australia in the group stages last week.
