Canberra tennis player Alun Jones finally feels like he's "part of the club" after winning selection in Australia's Davis Cup team to play Taiwan starting tomorrow.
Jones will become the 96th player to represent Australia in a Davis Cup tie after captain John Fitzgerald handed him his gold jacket in a ceremony on Tuesday night.
And while the 27-year-old is not guaranteed of any match time in the crucial Asia-Oceania Group One playoff, he rates it as the highlight of his career.
Jones is hoping teammates Lleyton Hewitt, Chris Guccione and Paul Hanley can get Australia off to a perfect 3-0 start at Kaohsiung's Yang-Ming Tennis Centre, allowing him to play a dead rubber on Sunday.
If he does he will become the first Canberran to play Davis Cup.
Jones told The Canberra Times last night he was overwhelmed to be representing his country.
"There is only 96 players that have ever been in the team so it's unbelievable to be a part of it," Jones said.
"I don't think it gets much better than this, being part of something that has such a long history and being part of such a great team.
"It's something I've always dreamt about and definitely the best moment of my life."
Jones has a physchological edge over Taiwanese No2 Yeu-Tzuoo Wang after beating him in the Adelaide International in January.
He said he was confident of doing the job again if called upon.
"I've been playing really well on the practice courts this week.
"The courts suit my game, they've got a little bit of bounce which is good for my forehand.
"It will be good against these guys because they all play flat and hard."
Jones has enjoyed career-best form over the past six months, recording a breakthrough win at the Australian Open last month as well as taking a set off world No2 Rafael Nadal at the US Open last year.
He was confident his teammates could pave the way for him to make his debut on Saturday.
"I'm pretty relaxed and Gooch and Hewitt are looking pretty fit and healthy.
"I don't think I'll be getting an early call up at this stage but if I do get a chance it will be a great feeling and I'll just go for it."
Guccione faces a telling battle against Taiwan's world No108 Yen-Hsun Lu, who beat him in Memphis last March.
The big-serving lefthander said a reversal of that result would provide a huge boost for Australia.
"Obviously Lleyton's a very good chance to win his match so if I can beat Lu, it's a huge blow for them," Guccione said.
"It's most likely two-zero - that'll be huge and a long way back for them, especially with doubles coming up on Saturday and then Lleyton to back up on Sunday."
Since making his Cup debut in 2005, 22-year-old Guccione has compiled a reasonable 4-4 record in the competition.
But, with claycourt specialist Peter Luczak also on the scene - and currently ranked above Guccione at 82nd in the standings - the lanky Victorian has never been able to nail down the No2 singles position in the team behind Hewitt.
With aspirations of one day being considered a Davis Cup stalwart, that's just what Guccione is now trying to do. "It would be great to have the second spot, or even the first spot, secured," he said.
with AAP
TOMORROW-SUNDAY
Asia/Ocea nia first-round tie
Australia v Chinese Taipei, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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