World's greatest tennis players look to shine as ATP Cup draw made
The new world tennis team event ATP Cup’s draw announced on Monday (September 16) in Sydney will see the world’s greatest tennis players joining the league.
World number one Novak Djokovic will begin his 2020 season in Brisbane, Rafael Nadal in Perth and Roger Federer in Sydney. The championship will take place from January 3-12 whcih will lead-up to 2019’s first Grand Slam, the Australian open in Melbourne.
The title will feature 24 nations playing in splits of six groups across Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
From the round-robin stage, eight teams featuring up to five players each will compete in the knockout phase in Sydney. A tournament in which world’s top 30 men will participate, only one GOAT will be the last man standing with ties comprising two singles and one double’s match.
At the draw, Djokovic’s Serbia will face France, South Africa, Germany, Greece, Canada and wildcard entry Australia in Brisbane.
Also read: World’s top 10 tennis champs commit to new ATP Cup in Australia
Spaniard Nadal’s nation will compete against Japan, Georgia, Russia, Italy and the United States in Perth while Roger Federer’s Switzerland take on Belgium, Austria, Croatia, Argentina and the Andy Murray-led Britain in Sydney.
Based on the ranking of their number one singles player, the final five nations in the ATP Cup standing will be determined. The second entry deadline has been scheduled for November 13.
The prize pool of the new-look start of the year is ranged at $15 million and a maximum of 750 singles and 250 doubles ATP rankings points.
It will be held on the back of a revamped Davis Cup, run by the International Tennis Federation, in November, bringing together 18 nations in one place for a week at the end of the 2019 season.
ATP Cup draw:
Group A (Brisbane) – Serbia, France, South Africa +1 TBC
Group B (Perth) – Spain, Japan, Georgia +1 TBC
Group C (Sydney) – Switzerland, Belgium, Britain +1 TBC
Group D (Perth) – Russia, Italy, USA +1 TBC
Group E (Sydney) – Austria, Croatia, Argentina +1 TBC
Group F (Brisbane) – Germany, Greece, Canada, Australia.
(With inputs from PTI)
