Lleyton Hewitt is expected to choose grass as the surface for his Davis Cup captaincy debut, with Kooyong favoured to host just its second Davis Cup tie in a decade when Australia meets the United States in March.
Hewitt opened his record-breaking representative career when Australia last played the US – back in 1999 in the competition’s centenary tie at Boston’s historic Longwood Cricket Club. Having recently succeeded caretaker captain Wally Masur, the dual grand slam champion’s first major decision will be to nominate a surface and venue to take on Jim Courier’s Americans.
A full-strength Australian team would include Wimbledon quarter-finalists Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios, both of whom have missed ties this year for disciplinary reasons, as well as serve-volleyer Sam Groth. The only contender likely to nominate grass as his weakest surface is teenager Thanasi Kokkinakis, who is entering a new doubles partnership and coach-sharing partnership with the versatile Groth.
The US blooded newcomer Jack Sock, the world No.26, in the 3-1 playoff win over Uzbekistan to remain in the elite world group, after losing 3-2 in the first round to eventual champion Britain. The top-ranked American in singles is John Isner at No.11, but neither he nor the 16-time grand slam doubles champions Mike and Bob Bryan made the September trip to Tashkent.
