Melbourne - Arab Today
Controversial star Nick Kyrgios will play but Bernard Tomic was unavailable for the Australia team named 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 hardcourt at Kooyong in Melbourne.
Kyrgios was picked despite being slapped with US$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 hardcourt 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.