Nick Kyrgios has guaranteed himself some Australian Open
match practice with a debut appearance at the Hopman Cup in Perth.
After being a late scratching last year with a back injury,
Kyrgios has been confirmed to lead the Australia Green outfit as two local
pairings feature in the mixed teams' exhibition tournament for the first time
in 30 years.
Retiring champion Lleyton Hewitt and Casey Dellacqua will
form the Australia Gold team, with officials yet to find a partner for Kyrgios
for the January 3-9 Open warm-up event.
With the threat of a 28-day suspension from the ATP Tour
hanging over his head, Kyrgios would be banned from official Open lead-up
tournaments in Brisbane, Chennai, Doha, Auckland and Sydney if he accrues fines
totalling $US3500 ($A4820) in his final two outings of 2015 in Valencia and
Paris.
But the two-time grand slam quarter-finalist is now assured
of at least three singles and doubles matches in a solid start to the
Australian summer.
As well as Hewitt and Kyrgios, the Hopman Cup has attracted
world No.2 Andy Murray, flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils and rising American
star Jack Sock.
"I didn't get to play this year so I'm really looking
forward to just being healthy and getting out there," Kyrgios said.
"My good friend Thanasi (Kokkinakis) has played there
and he told me it's one of the best places he's ever played at.
"I really enjoy that sort of atmosphere. It's serious
but, at times, it's all about the fun and obviously playing for the crowd, so I
really enjoy that."
In another coup for tournament director Paul Kilderry,
women's world No.1 Serena Williams, a dual winner of the Hopman Cup, has opted
to return to Perth once again to launch her new season.
The six-times Australian Open champion will team up with
Sock as the Americans start favourites to land a seventh Hopman Cup title.
"Perth definitely started something quite amazing, so I
think it's only natural and fair and reasonable that I go back to Perth,"
said Williams, who reached the 2015 final with John Isner.
"We were so close to winning last year. I'm really
excited to be back. For me, the Hopman Cup is super great preparation for the
Australian Open."
Other leading women's drawcards in 2016 include Germany's
former Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki, French Open runner-up Lucie Safarova
of the Czech Republic and Heather Watson partnering Murray for Great Britain.
2016 HOPMAN CUP PAIRINGS:
* Australia Gold: Lleyton Hewitt and Casey Dellacqua
* Australia Green: Nick Kyrgios and TBA
* USA: Jack Sock and Serena Williams
* Great Britain: Andy Murray and Heather Watson
* France: Gael Monfils and Caroline Garcia
* Czech Republic: Jiri Veseley and Lucie Safarova
* Germany: Alexander Zverev and Sabine Lisicki
* Ukraine: Alexandr Dolgopolov and Elina Svitolina
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