Australia draw old foes Sweden in Davis Cup

Australia have been presented with a potentially tricky path to the Davis Cup Final 8 as they continue their quest for a first win since 2003

With the competition reverting to home-or-away ties rather than a round-robin group stage, Lleyton Hewitt's team must travel to Sweden, then, should they win, beat Belgium or Chile in the second round to progress to the Final 8.

That will be played in November in Italy, home of the holders, who have won the right to host the Final 8 for the next three years, replacing Malaga, in Spain. Bologna will be the venue for the 2025 event.

With the ATP finals in Turin, and Jannik Sinner the world No.1, Italy - who were given a wildcard to the Final 8 - increasingly appears to be the home of men's tennis.

Under competition regulations the losing 2024 finalists Netherlands, the world No.4, received the second wildcard granting them a bye into the second round of the qualifiers rather than second-ranked Australia, beaten finalists in 2022 and 2023, and a semi-finalist this year.

The tie with Sweden evokes memories of the days when they and Australia were titans of men's tennis.

In both 1983 and 1986 the pair met in the final, on the grass of Kooyong, Melbourne. Australia won each time with Pat Cash, John Fitzgerald, Paul McNamee, and (in 1983 only) Mark Edmondson making up the victorious home team.

While Australian men's tennis is on a resurgence Sweden are far from the power they were when they won this competition six times from 1984-1998.