News24
22 Jan 2021, 16:13 GMT+10
Defending champions Serbia were handed a "brutal" draw in the ATP Cup on Friday, with Novak Djokovic's team facing Germany and Canada in the group stage.
The tournament - launched last year as a rival to the Davis Cup - has been slimmed down to 12 teams this year and will be played in Melbourne as a curtain-raiser to the Australian Open, rather than the multi-city format employed in 2020.
It was delayed to 1-5 February because of Covid-19 restrictions in the host city and the prize money on offer has also been halved to US$7.5 million, reflecting a leaner, pandemic-affected budget.
Commentator Mark Petchey said the Serbians faced a tricky draw in Group A against the Alexander Zverev-inspired Germany and a Canada team featuring Denis Shapovalov and Milos Raonic.
"That first group that's come out is pretty, pretty brutal really with Serbia, Germany and Canada," Petchey said.
"Obviously there's a lot of talent in the Canadian team, particularly with someone like Raonic on these (hard) courts."
In Group B, Spanish great Rafael Nadal will line up for his homeland against Greece and Australia, who received a wildcard entry as tournament hosts.
US Open champion Dominic Thiem's Austria are pitted against Italy and France in Group C, while Russia, Argentina and Japan compete in Group D.
World No 1 Djokovic successfully used the event as an Australian Open warm-up last year, leading Serbia to victory over Spain in the final before claiming his eighth major at Melbourne Park and 17th overall.
Get a daily dose of Illinois Intelligencer news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Illinois Intelligencer.
More InformationWASHINGTON - Diplomats sat beside stacks of briefing papers, flanked by flags and emphasized their closeness. But they were geographically ...
Despite nearly letting victory slip from their grasp on Thursday night, the San Diego State Aztecs remain on course to ...
Washington [US], February 27 (ANI): The United States on Friday (local time) imposed visa restrictions on 76 Saudi individuals who ...
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez is an overwhelming favourite as he fights for the first time this year on Saturday against Turkey's ...
KYIV -- Ukraine has announced a fresh set of sanctions against 10 individuals close to ousted pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych, ...
Paris, Feb 26, 2021 (AFP) -Our weekly roundup of offbeat stories from around the world:Sheer relief A wild Australian sheep ...
AUSTIN, Texas: Texas lawmakers have begun hearings into the causes of the enormous power outages that plagued Texas residents at ...
WASHINGTON DC: - Career foreign service diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield was approved to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations this ...
NEW YORK, New York - Like a mob boss looking for payback, Donald Trump wanted the Supreme Court to do ...
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered immediate inspections of all Boeing 777-200 planes using Pratt ...
BRUSSELS, Belgium - In a largely symbolic move, foreign ministers of the European Union agreed this week to sanction four ...
WASHINGTON, DC - Moderna has announced, following approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, that it will place 15 ...