DAVIS CUP: U.S. vs. Brazil Preview

Written by: Staff on 31st January 2013

Davis Cup semi final between Spain and the United States

DAVIS CUP: U.S. vs. Brazil Preview

epa03397494 The US tennis team (L-R) Bob and Mike Bryan, Sam Querrey, John Isner and the captain Jim Courier pose before the first match of the Davis Cup semi final between Spain and the United States on 14 September 2012 in Oviedo, Asturias, northern Spain. EPA/JL CEREIJIDO |

The opening day of play in the best-of-five match series features each country’s No. 1 singles player against the No. 2 player from the opposing country. The exact order of play was determined at Thursday’s Draw Ceremony, which was held at The Times-Union Center. The second day of competition features the pivotal doubles match. The event concludes Sunday with the “reverse singles,” starting with each country’s No. 1 player squaring off followed by the No. 2 players. Each match is best-of-five-sets until one nation wins three matches and clinches the tie. The remaining matches, if any, are played as best-of-three sets.

DAY/LOCAL TIME EVENT DETAILS/PAIRING

Friday, 2 p.m. Singles A: Sam Querrey (USA) v. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)

Singles B: John Isner (USA) v. Thiago Alves (BRA)

Saturday, 2 p.m. Doubles: Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) v. Marcelo Melo/Bruno Soares (BRA)

Sunday, 12 p.m. Singles C: John Isner (USA) v. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA)

Singles D: Sam Querrey (USA) v. Thiago Alves (BRA)

—

The 2013 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first round match between the United States and Brazil will begin on Friday at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., on an indoor hard court.

Tomorrow will be the first home tie for both John Isner and Sam Querrey, the USA No. 1 and 2 singles players, respectively. Neither players have played a Davis Cup match on hard courts, as all matches have been contended on clay. Isner holds a 5-5 singles record in Davis Cup and Querrey has won one Davis Cup singles rubber in six matches. This will be just the second home match for U.S. Davis Cup Captain and Florida native Jim Courier. The U.S. played all three of its matches on the road in 2012, posting wins over Roger Federer’s Swiss team and France before losing to Spain in the semifinals. The matchup with Brazil will be the first home tie for the U.S. since the 2011 quarterfinals in Austin, Texas, and just the third home tie for the U.S. since 2009. In that time, the U.S. team has played seven road matches–all on clay.

Querrey will open Friday’s play and face left-hander Thomaz Bellucci. Querrey and Bellucci have never faced each other. Querrey is ranked No. 20 in the world, while Bellucci is ranked No. 36 in the world. World No. 16 Isner will then take on No. 141 Thiago Alves. Isner and Alves have never faced each other. Querrey is 0-2 when playing in the first singles rubber, while Isner is 2-2 when playing in the second singles rubber.

The U.S. is 109-16 all-time in Davis Cup ties played at home and undefeated in Florida (6-0). This will be the seventh Davis Cup tie played in the state of Florida and first since the U.S. defeated Sweden, 4-1, in the 2004 quarterfinal at the Delray Beach Tennis Center.

This match will mark the fifth meeting between the U.S. and Brazil in Davis Cup with the U.S. leading the overall series 3-1. The U.S. posted its last victory against Brazil in the 1997 first round in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil, when Courier and Jacksonville resident MaliVai Washington led the U.S. to a 4-1 win. Brazil is playing the World Group for the first time since 2003. It has not won a World Group first round tie since 2001, when they hosted Morocco.

The U.S. leads all nations with 32 Davis Cup titles and owns the longest uninterrupted run in the World Group, dating back to 1989. The U.S. holds a 212-66 all-time Davis Cup record and has a winning record against 35 of the 39 countries faced and a level record with one country. The U.S. is undefeated versus 21 countries and holds an active winning streak against 34 nations. Founded in 1900, Davis Cup is the world’s largest annual international men’s team competition with 130 nations competing in 2013.

Topics: Bob Bryan, Brazil Davis Cup, Davis Cup, John Isner, Mike Bryan, Sam Querrey, Sports, Tennis News, Thiago Alves, Thomaz Bellucci, US Davis Cup