Tennis: Hewitt, Kyrgios to lead Aussies against Czechs

Tennis: Hewitt, Kyrgios to lead Aussies against Czechs

SYDNEY - Australia on Tuesday named Lleyton Hewitt and Nick Kyrgios in a full-strength team for next month's Davis Cup World Group showdown with the Czech Republic.

The first-round tie, in Ostrava from March 6-8, will see Australia take on a Czech team without stars Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek.

Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic are the likely singles players for Australia with veteran Hewitt and Sam Groth rounding out the line-up under new captain Wally Masur.

"The boys are all raring to go and excited to be back competing in Davis Cup after a big Australian summer and a lot of matches," Masur said.

"It's not an easy ask to face one of the very best teams in the first round. This is going to be a tough tie but the team is committed to doing their best and we expect a very competitive weekend." Emerging youngsters Thanasi Kokkinakis and Alex Bolt will also travel with the squad, which will prepare for the tie with a training camp in Prague.

Lukas Rosol is spearheading the Czech team after world number eight Berdych said he would give the tie a miss. Veteran Stepanek is injured. Both were pivotal players in their Davis Cup-winning teams of 2012 and 2013.

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