The first edition of the ATP Cup starts on Friday. The game will be played on hard court in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, with a prize money of 15 million US dollars. The German team, led by team captain Boris Becker, will contest their opening match against Australia on Friday (8.30 a.m.CET / Sky).

Which stars are there?

Almost all current top players are in the 24 teams. The world's number one Rafael Nadal leads Spain, Novak Djokovic wants to cheer with Serbia, the shooting stars Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas lead Russia and Greece. However, the Swiss icon Roger Federer has canceled .

W el che opportunities, the German team?

The German Tennis Federation (DTB) wants to attack with top players Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff in singles and French Open winners Kevin Krawietz / Andreas Mies in doubles. Zverev even spoke of a possible triumph at the tournament premiere before the start. In the group, the German team has to play Greece and Canada after the game against Australia.

How does the mode work?

The teams are initially divided into six groups. The winners of the individual seasons and the two best group runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals, from then on they play in knockout mode. The individual matches consist of two singles and a double with two winning sets each.

How big is the impact of the ATP Cup on the world rankings?

A single player can earn a maximum of 750 points if he wins all of his duels and also the tournament. This is quite significant, only the four Grand Slam tournaments (2000 points), the ATP Finals (1500) and the nine ATP Masters (1000) have more. The doubles can win 250 ATP points.

How do the devastating bushfires affect the tournament?

The environmental disaster is the number one topic before the first games. The situation is particularly tense around Sydney. Tournament director Tom Larner pointed out before the start that there will be sufficient medical personnel on the facility. Smoke and the resulting air pollution are particularly worrying. Australia's tennis association has announced plans to raise funds for the victims of the devastating bush fires at upcoming tournaments on the fifth continent .