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Melbourne - Controversial star Nick Kyrgios will play but Bernard Tomic was unavailable for the Australia team named on Tuesday for next week's Davis Cup World Group tie with the Czech Republic.
Captain Lleyton Hewitt named world number 13 Kyrgios along
with Sam Groth, Jordan Thompson and doubles specialist John Peers for the
February 3-5 opening round clash on hard-court at Kooyong in Melbourne.
Kyrgios was picked despite being slapped with $5 500 in
fines for swearing and throwing his racquet after his extraordinary second
round defeat at the Australian Open last week.
He committed the offences during the third set of his
second-round match against Italian Andreas Seppi, before slumping to a five-set
loss.
Thompson, 22, will make his debut after the 27th-ranked
Tomic made himself unavailable, reportedly citing scheduling issues.
Hewitt and Tennis Australia made no mention of Tomic when
the team was announced.
"The team are hungry and eager to get Australia off to
a good start in the World Group next week, and are looking forward to the match
against the Czech Republic," Hewitt said.
"To be at home on hard-court at Kooyong will give us
every opportunity to secure a win."
Seventeen-year-old Alex de Minaur, who last week won his
first Grand Slam main draw match at the Australian Open, will join the team as
a hitting partner.
Australia have met the three-time Davis Cup champions eight times and hold a 7-1 record over the Czech team. They most recently met in Ostrava in March 2015, when Australia won 3-2.
