United States vs. Brazil Davis Cup

Written by: Staff on 1st February 2013

United States vs. Brazil Davis Cup

epa03564488 Sam Querrey of the United States returns to Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil (not seen), during the first single of the Davis Cup 2013 World Group First Round match between the United States and Brazil in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, 01 February 2013. EPA/BRIAN BLANCO CORBIS OUT |

In the opening rubber, Sam Querrey won his first Davis Cup live singles match by defeating Brazil No. 1 Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. In the first set, Querrey had a perfect first-serve percentage. This was Querrey’s first Davis Cup match played at home and first Davis Cup match played on a hard court. Querrey is now 1-2 when playing in the first singles rubber and holds an overall 2-5 Davis Cup singles record.

In the second singles rubber, John Isner, the tallest man ever to play Davis Cup for the United States at 6-foot-9, served 32 aces in his win against Thiago Alves 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3, to put the U.S. up 2-0 against Brazil. Like Querrey, this was also Isner’s first home tie and first Davis Cup match played on a hard court. Isner is now 6-5 in Davis Cup singles play and is 3-2 when he plays in the second singles rubber. This was Isner’s first win since October after suffering from a knee injury.

UNITED STATES LEADS BRAZIL, 2-0

DAY/LOCAL TIME EVENT DETAILS/PAIRING

Friday, 2 p.m. Singles A: Sam Querrey (USA) d. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 63 64 64

Singles B: John Isner (USA) d. Thiago Alves (BRA) 63 76(4) 63

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 Belucci (BRA)

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

*Team captains may substitute the doubles team up to one hour before the match.

PREVIEW NOTES – DAY TWO

The 2013 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group First Round between the United States and Brazil continues Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET on an indoor hard court at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.

The doubles rubber is the only match on the schedule. The doubles teams nominated at Thursday’s Draw Ceremony were the world’s No. 1 doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan for the United States and Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares for Brazil. Captains may adjust their doubles line-ups up to one hour before the match.

The Bryan brothers have a 20-2 record when playing together in Davis Cup competition, making them the winningest doubles team in U.S. Davis Cup history. Mike has two Davis Cup doubles wins without Bob, while Bob has one doubles win without Mike. The Bryan brothers last lost in Davis Cup in the 2008 World Group Quarterfinal versus France, where the Bryans lost to Michael Llodra and Arnaud Clement in four sets. Bob and Mike avenged that loss in the 2008 Olympic bronze-medal match.

Melo and Soares have played together five times in Davis Cup competition and are 4-1 in their careers. They hold a 2-1 record over the Bryan brothers on the ATP World Tour, defeating Bob and Mike at the French Open in 2010 and in Washington D.C. in 2011. The Bryans last won against Melo and Soares in Valencia in 2011.

The U.S. is 155-3 when leading 2-0. The U.S. team last led 2-0 in the 2012 World Group First Round versus Switzerland after John Isner defeated Roger Federer in the second singles rubber. The last time the U.S. held a 2-0 lead at home was the 2008 quarterfinal vs. France.

The tie concludes Sunday with “reverse singles” starting with each country’s No. 1 player squaring off followed by the No. 2 players in the fifth and final match. Should the U.S. win the doubles point on Saturday, both singles matches will be best-of-three sets. Should the U.S. lost the doubles point, each match is best-of-five-sets until one country wins three matches.

Topics: Davis Cup, John Isner, Sam Querrey, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Thiago Alves, Thomaz Bellucci