NORWAY easily qualified for the 2022 ATP Cup on the back of a sizzing season from top ranked player Casper Ruud. The Norwegian finished inside the Top 10 and competed at the ATP Finals series, but now he will have to find a way to overcome the fact his nation has no depth and will struggle outside his singles.

2022 NORWAY TEAM

Casper Ruud
Viktor Durasovic
Lukas Hellum-Lillengen
Leyton Rivera
Andreja Petrovic

There is no doubting Norway is up against it, even if Ruud has a remarkable run in the singles. One would expect him to beat Cristian Garin when they play Chile, perhaps even Roberto Bautista Agut against Spain, but he will fall short against Novak Djokovic. Once Ruud loses a singles, it will be game over for Norway, with Durasovic ranked 343rd in the world, coming up against a couple of Top 35 players against Spain and Serbia. Even against Chile it will be tough, with Alejandro Tabilo ranked far higher too.

As for the other three Norwegians, Hellum-Lilleengen is ranked 1308th, Petrovic is ranked 1861st, and Rivera is unranked. Between them, they have played a total of one career ATP Tour match. In other words, Ruud and Durasovic will be expected to play every match until the dead rubbers start coming in.

Where Norway could fare alright is in the clash with Chile, and it is a possibility that they get the points in that one. Against both Spain and Serbia however, it just will not happen. Ruud in career-best form will still struggle to see them win a second match, even with the doubles being unpredictable. It will be fascinating to see how Norway plays it, though they will look back fondly on stunning the United States with Ruud and Durasovic somehow beating doubles players Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek in the doubles. They were swept by both Russia and Italy in the other matches though.

Prediction: 4th in Group A