The Canberra International's No.2 seed, Matthew Ebden, has endorsed the revamped Canberra Tennis Centre as being capable of hosting next year's Davis Cup tie between Australia and the US.
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Ebden had little trouble in progressing to the second round of the $50,000 ATP Challenger tournament with a straight sets 6-4, 6-1 victory against last year's junior US Open champion Omar Jasika on Tuesday.
The week-long Canberra International, which also includes a $50,000 ITF women's event, is the first major tournament held at the Canberra Tennis Centre since it was reopened this year.
Tennis ACT is preparing a bid to bring the Davis Cup to Canberra for the first time when Australia takes on the US in a marquee tie from March 4-6 next year.
Ebden, 27, is ranked 108th in the world and could be part of a new-look Australian team that could also include Bernard Tomic, home-town favourite Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Ebden said he was very impressed with the $10.5 million Canberra Tennis Centre.
"The facility could definitely host a Davis Cup tie," Ebden said.
"There's a huge centre court here with a lot of space around and you could put a lot of big stands up.
"To come here and see all the blue hard courts and the gym and the amazing facilities ... I don't see why not."
After a season interrupted by injury and illness, Ebden is working his way back into form having won the ATP Challenger tournament in Traralgon last week.
He proved far too strong for 18-year-old Jasika, winning the match in 53 minutes against last year's world No.1-ranked junior.
"I was particularly happy with my serve, but pretty much all round," Ebden said.
"To beat Omar in less than an hour is pretty good.
"I played him earlier in the year when I was starting up and he nearly beat me, so I knew he's a really good player."
Ebden will now face Benjamin Mitchell, who will be well rested after Dane Propoggia retired down 1-6, 0-3 in the second set.
"I've played [Mitchell] once or twice and he's always tough," Ebden said.
"He's in been in great form lately and he was a really good junior.
"So I'm expecting another tough match."
Top seed John Millman barely broke a sweat in disposing of qualifier Blake Mott 6-1, 6-0, while No.3 seed Jordan Thompson had a tougher ask in getting past former World No.39 Marinko Matosevic in three sets (6-2, 2-6, 6-4).
In the women's tournament, Australian Storm Sanders was knocked out in the first round by Japan's Ayaka Okuno 6-4, 7-5.
Play continues in the Canberra International at 10am on Wednesday.
