With the Olympics around the corner, several of the top players like Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have decided to sit out Davis Cup quarterfinal ties this weekend. But some in the Top 20 will be on court.
Croatia travels to Portland, Oregon to take on a deep USA team. Marin Cilic and Borna Coric lead the visitors against John Isner, Jack Sock and the Bryan brothers.
“It’s going to be a very tough match for both of us as we’ve never played each other,” said Isner who takes on Coric. “It’s a bit of an unknown going out there. Of course, each of us is going to have our tactics and we’re going to go out there and try to implement them to the best of our ability. I’m excited to play. He’s one of the extremely great young talents we have in professional tennis right now.”
In Trinec, France and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga head to the Czech Republic to battle Lukos Rosol and Jiri Vesely.
“It is always a pleasure to be on this team. I have so many good memories and I have spent so many intense moments. It is a real honour to be back with the French flag on my jersey,” said Tsonga.
Argentina also travels to Italy and Great Britain goes to Serbia.
“Andy’s not here, Novak’s not here, so that obviously balances things,” British Davis Cup captain Leon Smith said. “It’s very even on paper but the home team always has the edge for choosing the surface and the home crowd support. On the other hand, we have a lot of Davis Cup experience across the team so it should be a really close match.”
WORLD GROUP QUARTERFINALS
SERBIA v GREAT BRITAIN
Venue: Tasmajdan Stadium, Belgrade, SRB (clay – outdoor)
Serbia hosts Great Britain in Belgrade in their first meeting since 2006, when Serbia played under the flag of Serbia and Montenegro. Great Britain has not defeated Serbia (then playing under the flag of Yugoslavia) on its own turf since 1956, when it recorded a 5-0 victory in a tie that, like this year, was also played on clay in Belgrade. A win for the home team would end Great Britain’s hopes of becoming the 6th different nation to defend the Davis Cup title since the formation of the World Group in 1981.
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) v Kyle Edmund (GBR)
Dusan Lajovic (SRB) v James Ward (GBR)
Janko Tipsarevic/Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) v Dominic Inglot/Jamie Murray (GBR)
Dusan Lajovic (SRB) v Kyle Edmund (GBR)
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) v James Ward (GBR)
ITALY v ARGENTINA
Venue: Circolo Tennis Baratoff, Pesaro, ITA (clay – outdoor)
Italy will hope to deny serial semifinalist Argentina and reach just its 2nd World Group semifinal since 1988 when the two teams meet in Pesaro. Italy, who last reached the semifinals in 2014, is hoping to prevent Argentina from reaching a remarkable 11th World Group semifinal since 2002.
Andreas Seppi (ITA) v Federico Delbonis (ARG)
Fabio Fognini (ITA) v Juan Monaco (ARG)
Marco Cecchinato/Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) v Juan Martin del Potro/Guido Pella (ARG)
Fabio Fognini (ITA) v Federico Delbonis (ARG)
Andreas Seppi (ITA) v Juan Monaco (ARG)
CZECH REPUBLIC v FRANCE
Venue: Werk Arena, Trinec, CZE (hard – indoor)
France, who defeated Czech Republic 4-1 in their last meeting in the 2014 World Group semifinals, will be hoping for a repeat of its last performance when it travels to Trinec for another clash against the 3-time champions. While it leads the overall head-to-head 8-7, France has not defeated the Czechs on their own soil since 1926 – when the great Rene Lacoste, Henri Cochet and Jacques Brugnon helped them to victory in Prague.
Lukas Rosol (CZE) v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)
Jiri Vesely (CZE) v Lucas Pouille (FRA)
Adam Pavlasek/Radek Stepanek (CZE) v Pierre-Hugues Herbert/Nicolas Mahut (FRA)
Jiri Vesely (CZE) v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)
Lukas Rosol (CZE) v Lucas Pouille (FRA)
USA v CROATIA
Venue: Tualatin Hills Tennis Center, Portland, USA (hard – outdoor)
Croatia continues its time on the road in Davis Cup by BNP Paribas with a trip to Portland, Oregon, to face USA. Croatia is set to play its 10th tie away from home in its last 11 Davis Cup ties, but will have high hopes of continuing its unbeaten streak against the Davis Cup’s most successful nation having never lost to USA in three previous encounters. USA, meanwhile, is looking for a return to its former glories, starting with a place in the semifinals for the first time since 2012
Jack Sock (USA) v Marin Cilic (CRO)
John Isner (USA) v Borna Coric (CRO)
Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) v Ivan Dodig/Marin Draganja (CRO)
John Isner (USA) v Marin Cilic (CRO)
Jack Sock (USA) v Borna Coric (CRO)
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