U.S. Versus Great Britain in Davis Cup

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 21st January 2014

U.S. Versus Great Britain in Davis Cup

epa04033910 Andy Murray of Britain is seen during a practice session for the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2014. EPA/MADE NAGI |

USTA Names US Davis Cup Team

The USTA and U.S. Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier announced that top-ranked American and world No. 13 John Isner, world No. 51 Sam Querrey and the world’s No. 1 doubles team of Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan will represent the United States in the 2014 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas First Round tie against Great Britain. The best-of-five rubber series will be played on a temporary clay court in left field at Petco Park in San Diego January 31-February 2.

Reigning Wimbledon champion Andy Murray is expected to compete for Great Britain.

The best-of-five rubber series begins Friday, January 31, at 11 a.m. PT, with two singles rubbers, featuring each country’s No. 1 player against the other country’s No. 2 player. Saturday’s schedule features the pivotal doubles rubber at noon. The final day of play on Sunday, also beginning at 11 a.m. PT, will feature two “reverse singles” rubbers, when the No. 1 players square off followed by the No. 2 players meeting each other in the final rubber. All rubbers are best-of-five sets until one nation clinches the tie. A revised schedule for Sunday may take place if a team clinches in the third or fourth rubber. Sunday in America is Super Bowl Sunday. The winner of this tie will play the Italy-Argentina winner in the Quarterfinals.

Great Britain Selects Rookie To Complete The Team

As BBC Sport has secured a three-year deal to broadcast all of Great Britain’s Davis Cup World Group matches until 2016, captain Leon Smith has taken a calculated gamble and named 19 year-old rookie Kyle Edmund to line up against the United States in the upcoming World Group face-off at San Diego’s Petco Park.

Edmund, who won last week’s Futures event on clay in Sunrise, Florida and is currently playing another in Plantation, is regarded as a superior player on the surface rather than Dan Evans who is ranked 222 places on the ATP World Tour computer.

The team will be spearheaded by world no.4 Andy Murray, who also appears to be in line to play doubles with Colin Fleming although Australian Open quarterfinals Dominic Inglot has been named as a travelling reserve. James Ward will also make the trip.

Captain Smith said: “I’ve had to take into account a number of factors with regards to team selection, including the surface we’ll play on, and we’ll now spend the next week making sure the team are prepared in the best possible way to give us our best chance of getting the win.

The tie will be Great Britain’s first World Group match since 2008, after gaining promotion to the world’s elite following victory over Croatia in September 2013.The winner of GB v USA will play the winners of the Italy v Argentina tie in April 2014.

Smith added: “We’re relishing the opportunity to compete in the World Group once again, and I’m delighted that Andy is able to play in the tie. This will be a huge step up for us against what will be a very strong US team.”

Meantime the BBC is happy about their new deal and Director of Sport, Barbara Slater, said: “2014 has the markings of a fantastic year of sport and I’m pleased that we can now add Great Britain’s Davis Cup matches to our coverage on the BBC. These ties are a welcome addition to our existing sport portfolio which this year includes the Winter Olympics, the World Cup, Wimbledon, Commonwealth Games, The Open, ATP World Tour Finals and Formula 1.”

ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said: “This new agreement will guarantee that British tennis fans have widespread access to our premier team competition, and sees a return of Davis Cup by BNP Paribas to free-to-air television in the UK for the first time since 2008.”

Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, ATP World Tour Finals, Bob Bryan, Great Britain, Jim Courier, John Isner, Mike Bryan, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, U.S.