Australia to face Austria in Davis Cup

Tuesday, 10 April 2018:

Australia have been drawn to take on Austria in their Davis Cup World Group play-off in September.

Captain Lleyton Hewitt will travel with his team to Europe for the away tie following Tuesday's draw at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) headquarters in London.

Victory in the tie would ensure Australia remain in the World Group for a sixth straight year.

The play-off will take place on September 14-16 - only five days after the US Open ends - with the venue yet to be decided but the surface likely to be clay.

Austria have played their last three home ties on clay, the favoured surface of their top player, world No.7 Dominic Thiem.

Hewitt will be hoping to call upon Nick Kyrgios, Matthew Ebden and John Millman while plenty of intrigue will centre on teenager Alex De Minaur's development this year and the potential return to top-level tennis of Bernard Tomic.

The two countries have battled three times in the Davis Cup with Australia leading the ledger 2-1.

DAVIS CUP WORLD GROUP PLAYOFFS:

* Austria v Australia

* Britain v Uzbekistan

* Argentina v Colombia

* Switzerland v Sweden

* Serbia v India

* Canada v Netherlands

* Hungary v Czech Republic

* Japan v Bosnia






AAP