Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal lead field for 2021 ATP Cup

Sports Tuesday 05/January/2021 16:55 PM
By: ANI
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal lead field for 2021 ATP Cup

London: Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic and Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal are set to return for the 2021 ATP Cup.

In 2020, Serbia defeated Spain 2-1 in a thrilling championship clash, which included an exciting match-up between Djokovic and Nadal. Twelve countries will battle for the prestigious team trophy, with 2020 finalists Serbia and Spain leading the way. This year's ATP Cup will take place at Melbourne Park alongside two ATP 250 events, with the three tournaments being held the week before the Australian Open.

The draw will take place on January 20, when the 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three for the group stage, round-robin play. The four group winners will advance to the semi-finals.

"Playing as a team, for one's country, is a rare privilege in tennis which brings the best out of our players. This was highlighted by the incredible matches and camaraderie on display at last year's inaugural ATP Cup," said ATP Cup Managing Director Ross Hutchins in an official statement.

"We would like to thank our partners, Tennis Australia, for their dedication and commitment to staging this year's tournament, which promises to deliver a strong start to the new 2021 season," he added.

The showpiece event will take place from February 1 to February 5 in Melbourne.

Reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Daniil Medvedev headlines Russia's team alongside fellow Top 10 star Andrey Rublev, and World No. 3 Dominic Thiem will try to take Austria to glory.

The 2021 ATP Cup will feature 14 of the Top 15 players in the FedEx ATP Rankings. Each team will consist of four players per country.