Brisbane to Host Davis Cup Tie Between Australia and South Korea

AUSTRALIA'S Davis Cup team will prepare for life after Lleyton Hewitt in Brisbane next month. 
 
In a further boost for the venue which hosted record crowds at the Brisbane International in January, the Queensland Tennis Centre at Tennyson will stage Australia's tie against South Korea from April 6-8.

Team stalwart Hewitt will not play as he nurses a foot problem expected to keep him off the court until June.

Australian hopes will rest on Queenslander Bernard Tomic and most likely the nation's No.2, Matt Ebden, for the Asia Oceania Zonal second-round tie.

World No.85 Ebden made his Davis Cup debut in Australia's 5-0 first-round win against China in Geelong last month, winning a dead rubber after Tomic, Hewitt and Chris Guccione had sealed victory.

Meanwhile, Marinko Matosevic stormed into contention for a Davis Cup recall by reaching his first ATP quarter-final yesterday.

Matosevic, who lost his only Davis Cup match in a 2011 tie against China, came through qualifying to upset sixth-seeded Russian Alex Bogomolov Jr at Delray Beach.

Head of Australian men's tennis Todd Woodbridge is excited by the options for a Davis Cup role that "a couple of years ago it looked like we were going to struggle to fill".

"We look at the line-up knowing that Lleyton's no longer going to be in the plan for this particular tie," Woodbridge said.

"Bernard, this will be his fourth playing tie and he knows how to shoulder responsibility and handle pressure. It's really who's going to vie for that second singles spot.

"Matt Ebden is a choice by top 100. Marinko Matosevic has played before, maybe he's starting to hit some form."

On the fringes of selection is James Duckworth, who upset Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in Brisbane this year.

"We've known who the targets possibly are and they're starting to follow through with the results," Woodbridge said.

"It's a bit more of a challenging and exciting time for some of our young guys because there's a bit of pressure on them to try to get that spot, a want for that spot."

The hardcourt tie is ideal for Australia's new guard to gain Davis Cup experience and move a step closer to ending the nation's five-year absence from the elite World Group.

South Korea's highest-ranked player is No.285 Yong-Kyu Lim.

The winning team will advance to the September playoffs for a chance to return to the 16-nation World Group in 2013.

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