Nick Kyrgios has recovered from a hip injury and apparently buried the hatchet with Bernard Tomic after he was named in Australia’s Davis Cup team to play Slovakia yesterday.
Australia’s temperamental number one has been feuding with the equally trouble-prone Tomic, but they will unite in an attempt to secure a spot in the top-tier World Group — and take a shot at the title — next year.
The play-off will mark the first time in three years that 21-year-old Kyrgios, who retired from the US Open last week with a hip problem, and Tomic have played in the same Davis Cup team.
Kyrgios, the world number 15, will take on Andrej Martin in today’s opening match, while 21st-ranked Tomic takes on Jozef Kovalik. Both Slovakian players are outside the top 100.
Australian doubles specialists Sam Groth and John Peers will play Martin and Igor Zelenay on Saturday, ahead of the reverse singles on Sunday.
Tomic said he was looking forward to teaming up with Kyrgios, his sometime doubles partner with whom he had a falling-out over the Davis Cup earlier this year.
“The last few days has been a good experience. I’m really excited to be a part of it from Friday with Nick,” Tomic said.
“I experienced something last year. We were in the semi-finals against the UK and we had a chance there.
“I would love nothing more one day than to be a Davis Cup champion with these guys and it’s all going to take a big team — not just myself.
“It’s a challenge I’m ready to go through and hopefully one day we can win that trophy.”
Tomic accused Kyrgios of faking illness to avoid playing Australia’s Davis Cup tie against the United States in March. Kyrgios later took to social media to hit back at the 23-year-old.
“I want to get the job done which hopefully get us back in the World Group,” Kyrgios said, while team captain Lleyton Hewitt added that if Australia won the tie it would be a “building block for 2017”.
It will be the first time Australia and Slovakia have met in the Davis Cup, with the winner securing a spot in the 2017 World Group and the loser dropping into Asia Oceania Group One.
Australia have won 28 Davis Cup titles, making them the second most successful team behind the United States. But it is 13 years since they last lifted the trophy.