Djokovic, Nadal lead field for 2021 ATP Cup

ATP Media Release: (January 4, 2021) World No.1 Novak Djokovic and world No.2 Rafael Nadal headline the event as the top-ranked singles players for Serbia and Spain, respectively. In 2020, Serbia defeated Spain 2-1 in a championship clash. This year’s event will be held from February 1-5 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 ATP Rankings. Each team will consist of four players per country.

Qualification for the 2021 ATP Cup is based on the ATP Ranking of each country’s top-ranked singles player, while Australia qualifies by virtue of a host wildcard. Alex de Minaur, who earned two Top 15 wins at last year’s inaugural ATP Cup, will once again lead the way for Australia.

ATP Cup Managing Director Ross Hutchins said: “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. 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. We cannot wait for tennis fans around the world to again share in the excitement and energy of this special event.”

ATP Cup Tournament Director Tom Larner said: “Last year we launched the global tennis season with the inaugural ATP Cup. It was a huge success with both players and fans, and we are excited to present the second edition in Melbourne in 2021. The players are looking forward to stepping up and representing their countries again, and the field, including defending champions Serbia and finalists Spain, is strong. This is a format that shows off the passion of the players and we’re expecting some spectacular tennis action.”

This year’s ATP Cup will take place at Melbourne Park alongside two WTA 500 and two ATP 250 events, the week before the Australian Open. The draw will take place on 20 January, when the 12 teams will be divided into four groups of three for group stage, round-robin play. The four group winners will advance to the semifinals.