Australia to host the Czech Republic in opening round of their 2017 Davis Cup campaign
AUSTRALIA will kick off its 2017 Davis Cup campaign at home after drawing the Czech Republic in the opening round.
Lleyton Hewitt’s team will face the talented Czechs in Australia from February 3-5 next year.
If the 28-time champion survives what is certain to be a torrid challenge, Australia would play either the US or Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
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Australia would host the US because of a quirk of the draw which obliges Jim Courier’s team to play successive ties in Australia.
Australia played two ties in a row under the home and away format to help mark the competition centenary in 1999.
Australia reclaimed a place in the elite World Group with a gaping 3-0 victory over Slovakia in Sydney at the weekend.
That triumph followed first-round defeat to arch-rival US at Kooyong in March.
Australia beat the Czechs in Ostrava last year in a significant upset, capped by Thanasi Kokkinakis’ heroics.