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Sport
Darren Walton

Hewitt eyes overdue Davis Cup title glory

Alex de Minaur will lead off Australia's Davis Cup tie against Hungary's Zsombor Piros in Sydney. (AAP)

They need no added motivation, but Lleyton Hewitt is imploring his charges to seize the moment as the veteran skipper targets a drought-breaking Australian Davis Cup triumph in 2022.

A playing hero of Australia's last Cup success in 2003, Hewitt won't settle for merely beating Hungary in this weekend's qualifying tie against Hungary in Sydney.

"We want to be playing in the finals at the end of the year. That's when we can win the event and I truly believe that we have the players to go deep in the competition," he said ahead of Friday night's opening singles rubbers.

Almost two decades is too long between drinks for Hewitt, who is proud to captain a side equally as passionate and ambitious.

Team spearhead Alex de Minaur, singles No.2 Thanasi Kokkinakis, back-up Alexei Popyrin and the doubles pairing of Olympic bronze medallist John Peers and Cup debutant Luke Saville have all made huge sacrifices to put their country above personal interests to play in a rare home tie in Australia.

The mercurial Nick Kyrgios is also waiting in the wings, keen for a return to teams' tennis in which he so thrives.

"It's not easy to go away for a couple of weeks (after the Australian summer), come back and then knowing again that straight away the next morning they're on a plane again for big events on the tour," Hewitt said.

"So I'm just really fortunate to have the guys to put themselves out there to do that, not just for me and (coaches) 'Rochey' (Tony Roche) and Crabby (Jaymon Crabb) but also for the country to give us the opportunity.

"Everyone knows how I feel about the (revamped) format but, at the end of the day - and I keep telling the guys - you get the opportunity to wear this (gold jacket).

"We're playing for our country and these guys have dreamt for this opportunity and have worked so hard for this opportunity. It's pretty special."

Australia edged Hungary 2-1 in the 2021 Davis Cup Finals in November in Turin, with de Minaur needing a third-set tiebreaker to see off Marton Fucsovics to keep the tie alive after John Millman lost the opening rubber against Zsombor Piros.

Peers then teamed Alex Bolt to clinch victory in the doubles.

De Minaur leads Australia off against Piros at Ken Rosewall Arena on Friday night before Kokkinakis takes on Hungarian No.1 Fucsovics.

"It's always important just to get that momentum and I'm very happy to have Alex going off first," Hewitt said.

"He's hitting the ball great, moving well, enjoys playing on that court.

"So, for us, it's important to get out there and really build some momentum early in the tie and try and put the opposition on the back foot right from the get-go.

"We expect a really tough tie. We only played these guys a couple of months ago and it was bloody high quality tennis all three rubbers.

"So we're expecting nothing less this weekend."

SCHEDULE FOR AUSTRALIA'S DAVIS CUP QUALIFYING TIE AGAINST HUNGARY AT SYDNEY'S KEN ROSEWALL ARENA:

Friday's singles, from 1700 AEDT

Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Zsombor Piros (HUN)

Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v Marton Fucsovics (HUN)

Saturday's doubles, from 1300 AEDT

John Peers and Luke Saville (AUS) v Fucsovics and Fabian Marozsan (HUN)

Saturday's reverse singles

De Minaur (AUS) v Fucsovics (HUN)

Kokkinakis (AUS) v Piros (HUN)

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