Australia’s best-performed players in the Australian Open, Bernard Tomic and Lleyton Hewitt, have been named in the nation’s Davis Cup team to play China in February.
Captain Pat Rafter also included Australia’s second-ranked men’s player, Matthew Ebden, and Chris Guccione to play in the Asia-Oceania zone first-round tie in Geelong from February 10-12.
Rafter said Tomic, Australia’s top-ranked player, and Davis Cup regular Hewitt had both declared themselves available, despite Hewitt having carried a toe injury into the Australian Open.
But Rafter said Hewitt’s physical condition would be monitored in the lead-up.
Both Hewitt and Tomic reached the fourth round at Melbourne Park.
Australia must win the tie against China, then another tie in April against Asia-Oceania opposition, to qualify for a World Group play-off tie in September.
If they won that, they would return to the top tier next year for the first time since 2007.
Australian team: Lleyton Hewitt, Bernard Tomic, Matthew Ebden, Chris Guccione.