LONDON: Top-ranked Novak Djokovic and US Open champion Daniil Medvedev headline the rosters announced on Monday for the Davis Cup finals that begin next month.

Djokovic, a 20-time major champion who fell one win short of a calendar-year Grand Slam in 2021, is joined on Serbia’s squad by Filip Krajinovic, Dusan Lajovic, Laslo Djere and Miomir Kekmanovic.

Medvedev, who is ranked No. 2 and claimed his first Grand Slam title by beating Djokovic in the final at Flushing Meadows in September, leads a Russian team that includes No. 6 Andrey Rublev, No. 19 Aslan Karatsev, No. 30 Karen Khachanov and Evgeny Donskoy.

Eighteen countries will participate in group-stage matches starting Nov. 25 on indoor hard courts in Madrid; Innsbruck, Austria; and Turin, Italy. After the quarter-finals in those cities, the semi-finals and final will be held in Madrid.

Spain are the reigning champions thanks to their 2019 title; the Davis Cup was called off last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2021