Australia won’t face pressure to rush Nick Kyrgios back from injury after becoming the first team to reach the quarter-finals of the inaugural ATP Cup.
Greece’s loss to Germany in Brisbane early on Monday means Australia will top Group F regardless of their result from their last round-robin match against Greece on Tuesday.
The early passage will be relief for Australia captain Lleyton Hewitt, who had to replace Kyrgios with world No.48 John Millman for Sunday’s stirring win over Canada which gave his team a 2-0 record.
Kyrgios was withdrawn from that tie to a back complaint and, depending on his condition, Hewitt may be tempted to give him more rest in the dead rubber against the Greeks.
Millman showed he was up to the task of filling the No.2 singles role by toppling Canada’s world No.21 Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 on Sunday, sending his home crowd at Pat Rafter Arena into raptures.
Australia’s top seed Alex de Minaur will seek to continue his fine run of form against world No.6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who won his singles match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev but couldn’t stop the Greeks falling 2-1 on Sunday.
“Yet again it’s going to be another incredibly tough match,” de Minaur said of facing Tsitsipas.
“Stefanos, he’s got a heck of a lot of firepower, so I’m going to have to come out with my team and have a game plan to try and neutralise him and play my game as much as I can.
“I know it’s going to be an incredibly tough match but that’s the beauty of it.
“I’ve got another chance to go out there and just test myself and see what I can do.”