Australia’s Davis Cup Finals squad has been named, with Thanasi Kokkinakis set to play, but the Aussies will be without national No.1 Alex de Minaur.

With eight weeks to go until the ‘final 8’ it is not inconceivable that de Minaur could make it – changes in personnel are permitted for some time yet, but being left out of the squad released in Europe on Monday suggests he will not.

Alexei Popyrin, Novak Djokovic’s US Open nemesis, leads the same five-man party who battled their way through the group stage earlier this month, but now face a daunting quarter-final against the United States.

Should Hewitt’s men come past that obstacle holders Italy, led by world No.1 Jannik Sinner, are in line to bar their path to a third successive final.

Jordan Thompson, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Max Purcell and Matthew Ebden make up Australia’s quintet for the Malaga climax, with the team desperate to end a drought that now dates back more than two decades to 2003, when current team captain Hewitt was playing.

It is a strong unit, with Popyrin and Thompson both ranked in the top 30 while Purcell and Ebden are grand slam doubles winners respectively ranked fifth and eighth in the world. But it would be stronger with world singles No.11 de Minaur.

Kokkinakis will be fired up to return to his best after having been soundly beaten on his Laver Cup debut in Berlin last Friday.

The Australian giant killer was unable to repeat his shock US Open triumph over Stefanos Tsitsipas

Kokkinakis, seeking to kick off his ‘Team World’ career in the tennis invitation event in style, went into his singles rubber against Tsitsipas with high hopes on Friday, having beaten the jaded Team Europe star in the first round at Flushing Meadows three weeks ago.

But Tsitsipas, who had complained of burn-out and lack of drive after his four-set defeat to the much lower ranked Kokkinakis in New York, seemed to have been rejuvenated by the more relaxed team competition atmosphere in Berlin as he outplayed the Adelaide man 6-1 6-4.

AUSTRALIAN SQUAD (for Davis Cup Finals’ final 8′, Malaga, Spain, November 19-24): Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Max Purcell, Matthew Ebden. Captain: Lleyton Hewitt.

Quarter-finals: Australia v United States, Italy v Argentina, Spain v Netherlands, Canada v Germany.

With AAP