Nick Kyrgios warns Germany ahead of their ATP Cup clash in Brisbane

For the first time in a career, players will have the opportunity to compete at men's team event ahead of the Australian Open, with many players from the very top embracing the ATP Cup in the quest for the title and potential 750 ATP points. Twenty-four countries will fight in six groups in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth, with eight best squads continuing the title chase in Sydney. Group F promises to deliver exciting clashes for all three days, with the host nation Australia, Germany, Canada and Greece fighting to top the standings and secure Sydney ticket. World's leading young guns will have the opportunity to play against each other and we will have a chance to see some mouth-watering encounters already on Friday, with Denis Shapovalov facing Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev who challenges Alex de Minaur.

Germany and Australia had met in the first Davis Cup World Group round last year in February here at Pat Rafter Arena, with the Germans scoring a 3-1 triumph to steal the victory and become the first nation with a win over Australia in Brisbane since the World Group was introduced in 1981. Nick Kyrgios defeated Jan-Lennard Struff in the second tie and will face him again on Friday, confident in his country's abilities and praising the top-ranked Aussie Alex de Minaur. Two years ago, Alexander Zverev defeated the Sydney native in the deciding tie break of the fifth set following a titanic battle that lasted for almost four hours, with de Minaur improving his game drastically since then to become a three-time ATP champion and the top-10 contender in 2020. 

"We lost to them in a tough battle in 2018 but the way de Minaur is playing now, it is night and day in comparison to how he was the last time we played them," Kyrgios said. "I don't think they will like how many balls he gets back in this heat. Germany shouldn't have the edge over us, I have beaten Zverev multiple times and Struff as well."

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