World number 106 Felix Auger-Aliassime has vowed to make the most of his opportunity to impress for Canada in the Davis Cup.
Canada are relying on a youthful team to help them overcome Slovakia in the two-day tie, which gets under way in Bratislava on Friday.
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Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov lead the line for Frank Dancevic’s team, with experienced duo Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil unavailable due to injuries.
Veteran Daniel Nestor has now retired and Dancevic is hoping the youngsters can guide Canada to November’s Davis Cup Finals in Madrid.
World number 106 Auger-Aliassime, who won the Junior Davis Cup for Canada alongside Shapovalov, is relishing the opportunity to prove his worth in the senior event.
Auger-Aliassime told the Davis Cup’s official website: “I’ll remember this weekend for a long time. “To be here is a privilege and to step on the court this weekend will be a huge honour.
I always wanted to play for my country. “I remember when Denis and I were part of the team that won Junior Davis Cup, we had messages of congratulations from Milos and Vasek and we both said it’d be great one day to be leading the team in Davis Cup.
That dream has become a reality and it’s great to have a friend in Denis alongside me this weekend.”
