By Chris Dutton
Tennis ACT boss Ross Triffitt is adamant Canberra can force its way on to the Davis Cup schedule in the coming years despite being overlooked for the opening tie of the 2017 season.
Australia will play against the Czech Republic at Kooyong in the first round from February 3-5 on hardcourts despite the venue being known for its grass surface.
Tennis ACT boss Ross Triffitt.Credit: Jeffrey Chan
Canberra has previously struggled to attract Davis Cup action to the capital because of the Australian team's preference to play on grass instead of the state of the art plexicushion at Lyneham.
But Triffitt says the decision to play on hardcourts and the Canberra International winning Tennis Australia's tournament of the year proves the multimillion-dollar Lyneham facility is on the radar.
"The reality is that there are a lot of different elements to the decision of where Davis Cup will be played," Triffitt said.
"I understand all of the considerations and I feel pretty confident that at some point, a lot of those considerations will line up correctly for Canberra.
"I believe the success we've had with the venue holds us in a good position and there will be a point in the future where Tennis Australia agree this is the right place for Davis Cup.
"There are a whole bunch of things that go into it and Melbourne makes sense for this one. But we will continue to bid and I'm sure at some point we will be successful."
Triffitt is entering the final months of his tenure as Tennis ACT chief executive and his team was rewarded with a prize at the John Newcombe Medal on Monday night.
The Canberra International won the prize for the most outstanding professional tournament of the year.
The revamped Lyneham hub – which boasts 28 courts including synthetic grass, Italian clay and hardcourt – has paved the way for professional tennis to return to Canberra.
It has also given Tennis Australia officials a chance to see if the venue is capable of handling bigger events, including the Davis Cup.
Triffitt resigned at the Tennis ACT annual general meeting in November and will depart in February after eight years at the helm.
"There is a lot of dialogue about [tournaments in Canberra] and the messaging we're getting back from Tennis Australia is that they're very supportive of us as a venue to host Davis Cup," Triffitt said.
"It's really just about finding the right tie. It's a shame things haven't lined up yet, but they will.
"Tennis Australia is making a big investment in five pro-tour events we have and we've got great content so they obviously take us very seriously."