PLAYERS PREPARE FOR FIRST DAVIS CUP TIE OF 2015

Written by: Staff on 4th March 2015

PLAYERS PREPARE FOR FIRST DAVIS CUP TIE OF 2015

epa04645686 Belgium's David Goffin serves a shot during a training session before the upcoming Davis Cup World Group - First Round, 1/8 final tennis match Belgium against Switzerland, at the Country Hall, in Liege, Belgium, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. Switzerland will face Belgium in its first tie as a reigning Davis Cup champion. EPA/LAURENT GILLIERON |

Border battles abound in round one of the 2015 Davis Cup with Germany taking on France, Brazil traveling to Argentina and World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Serbia facing Croatia. Elsewhere, the United States takes on Great Britain in a rematch of last year and Japan and Canada get set for a thrilling clash:

Serbia vs. Croatia

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic leads Viktor Troicki, Nenad Zimonjic and Filip Krajinovic as 2010 champion Team Serbia hosts Croatia on the indoor hard court of Kraljevo Sports Centre. Young gun Borna Coric will be at the helm of Team Croatia, which includes Mate Delic, Franko Skugor and Marin Draganja, after World No. 10 Marin Cilic pulled out due to an injury.

“We had expected a miracle, but Cilic is not ready for five-sets matches,” said Croatian captain Zeljko Krajan.

The two teams have met only once in Davis Cup in 2010, and Serbia claimed the win.

Canada vs. Japan

World No. 4 Kei Nishikori headlines Japan in the eagerly awaited clash against World No. 6 Milos Raonic and Team Canada in Vancouver.

“It’s never easy to play against him – but I also enjoy playing with him,” Nishikori said of Raonic.

The Japanese star, who is in his first week at a career-high Emirates ATP Ranking, will lead Tatsuma Ito, Go Soeda and Yasutaka Uchiyama xon the indoor hard court of the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.

“Getting a chance to play [Nishikori on home soil is something I look forward to,” said Raonic, who will lead veteran doubles specialist Daniel Nestor, World No. 62 Vasek Pospisil and Frank Dancevic in a repeat of last year’s first round clash, which saw Japan extend their record over Canada to 6-0.

Great Britain vs. United States

In a rematch of last year’s first-round clash, Great Britain, led by World No. 5 Andy Murray, seeks victory against the United States, this time on home soil in Glasgow. World No. 20 John Isner heads the American team, which also includes Donald Young and top doubles team Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, as they meet Murray, James Ward, Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot on a hard court at the Emirates Arena.

“It should be a great atmosphere,” said Andy Murray. “Obviously an indoor hard court is a quite neutral surface for everyone. It will be tough if they are all fit and well. It will be a tough one for us to win but it’s possible.”

The United States leads the head-to-head 11-8.

Germany vs. France

World No. 14 Gilles Simon, World No. 19 Gael Monfils and Top 20 doubles player Nicolas Mahut travel to the Fraport Arena in Frankfurt for a meeting with Germany in a rematch of the 2014 World Group quarter-final.

French tennis player Gael Monfils (R) and French Davis Cup team captain Arnaud Clement (L) during a training session of the French Davis Cup team at the Fraport Arena in Frankfurt, Germany, 03 March 2015. France faces Germany in the first round of the Davis Cup from 06 until 08 March 2015. EPA/ARNE DEDERT

Philipp Kohlschreiber, Benjamin Becker, Jan-Lennard Struff and Andre Begemann hope to end a 76-year losing streak against the French when they face their European neighbors on their hometown, indoor hard court.

Czech Republic vs. Australia

Three-time champion Czech Republic, which includes Lukas Rosol, Jiri Vesely, Jan Mertl and Adam Pavlasek, face off against 28-time champion Australia. Veteran Lleyton Hewitt joins Bernard Tomic, Sam Groth and Thanasi Kokkinakis as they travel to Ostrava for their tie on the hard court of the Cez Arena.

Australia holds a 6-1 lead against the Czechs, including a victory in their most recent meeting in 1997. (Photo courtesy of Thanasi Kokkinakis).

Italy vs. Kazakhstan

Four Top 100 players comprise a strong Italian contingent as they meet Kazakhstan for the first time in Astana on the indoor hard court of the National Tennis Centre.

Fabio Fognini, Andreas Seppi, Simone Bolelli and Paolo Lorenzi lead last year’s semi-finalists against Mikhail Kukushkin, Andrey Golubev, Aleksandr Nedovyesov and Dmitry Popko.

Switzerland vs. Belgium

Switzerland travels to Liege to meet Belgium on the hard court of the Country Hall du Sart Tilman. Yann Marti, Adrien Bossel, Henri Laaksonen and Michael Lammer represent the defending champion as David Goffin, Steve Darcis, Ruben Bemelmans and Niels Desein hope to advance Belgium to the World Group quarter-finals for the first time since 2007.

Swiss Davis Cup Team tennis players Henri Laaksonen, Yann Marti, captain Severin Luethi, Adrien Bossel and Michael Lammer, from left to right, pose for a group picture after a press conference before the upcoming Davis Cup World Group – First Round, 1/8 final tennis match against Belgium, at the Country Hall, in Liege, Belgium, Tuesday, March 3, 2015. Switzerland will face Belgium in its first tie as a reigning Davis Cup champion. EPA/LAURENT GILLIERON

The Swiss team leads the Belgians 4-3, which includes a win at their most recent meeting in 2008.

Argentina vs. Brazil

Leonardo Mayer, Diego Schwartzman, Carlos Berlocq and Federico Delbonis travel to Buenos Aires for an all-South American clash against Brazil – Joao Souza, Thomaz Bellucci, Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares. The long-time rivals will battle for the first time in the World Group on red clay of the Tecnópolis. (Photo courtesy of Soares).

Argentina enters as the favourites, having scored a big win over Spain in the World Group last September. The last time they were defeated by the visitors was in 1975.

(Courtesy of the ATP and original story – http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2015/03/9/Wednesday-Davis-Cup-Preview.aspx )

Topics: Bnp Paribas, Davis Cup, Sports, Tennis News

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