2013/05/25

Djokovic Limps, Serbia Advances: World No. 1 overcomes ankle injury to eliminate U.S. in World Group Quarterfinals

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DAVIS CUP: DJOKOVIC LIMPS, SERBIA ADVANCES

World No. 1 overcomes ankle injury to eliminate U.S. in World Group Quarterfinals

 

By Junior Williams

 

(April 7, 2013) BOISE, Idaho -  The toughness of Novak Djokovic was on full display Sunday at the Davis Cup World Group Quarterfinals.

The world’s top ranked singles player battled through an ankle injury suffered early in the match and defeated American Sam Querrey 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-0 to give Serbia a 3-1 victory against the United States, earning a berth in the semifinals.

 

Midway though the third game of the first set with the score tied at 1-1, Djokovic crumpled to the ground in pain and had to be carried off the court by members of the Serbian team, stunning thousands on hand at Taco Bell Arena who were wondering if the six-time grand slam winner would continue playing the match.

 

After receiving treatment for several minutes, Djokovic — who led Serbia to its first and only Davis Cup championship in 2010 — returned to the court amid cheers from the crowd, and went on to actually break Querrey to put Serbia up 2-1.

 

Djokovic said his physiotherapist “did everything in his power after (the injury) happened to make sure I can continue playing. Because in his interest, my interest, and everybody, of course I want to continue on playing. I don’t want to retire the match.

 

“We did tests that indicated I could continue on, that it wasn’t an extreme ligament strain. That allowed me to continue on. I took some medications.”

Djokovic also made it clear he didn’t want to let Serbia down: “Obviously it’s very strong emotion when you play for your country. I guess that’s the biggest reason why I kept playing.”

 

The watch was on to see how well Djokovic would serve following the injury. He went on to hold that game, but it was clear that the ankle was bothering him as he hobbled during and after rallies. The U.S. broke back at 3-3 on a Djokovic double fault.

 

In the eleventh game of the set, Querrey’s forehand into the net cord gave Serbia a break and a 6-5 lead. Djokovic had to save three break points to close out the set.

 

Querrey bounced back in the second set despite a pectoral injury which prevented him from executing his trademark booming serves. The top-ranked American had no aces in the entire after striking six in the first. Querrey saved two break points to go up 6-5, and went on to win the second set tiebreak 7-4. The U.S. secured a mini-break at 6-4 when Djokovic took a Querrey return in mid-air and hit it wide of the sideline. A Djokovic shot into the net on the next point gave the U.S. the game and knotted the match at a set apiece.

 

But in the third set, a Querrey double fault gave Serbia a break and a 2-0 lead. After that, it was all Djokovic. His mobility improved as did his groundstrokes and his service game. The Serb hit twelve winners in the set to Querrey’s five, and had a 70-percent first serve percentage.

As for Querrey, the 20th-ranked player in the world couldn’t overcome his pectoral injury. The result: A 48-percent first serve percentage in the set, and three double faults. For the entire match, he ended up with more double faults (eight) than aces (seven).

 

“It hurt on my serve,” said Querrey. “I wasn’t able to get my usual pop, and that’s tough when you’re playing against the best returner in the world. I was trying, but, yeah, it was just kind of sore there second, third and fourth sets. ”

 

The first game of the fourth set saw Querrey broken at love, and Djokovic swept the remainder of the games.

 

“You take away Sam’s serve,  that is a different change” said U.S. Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier. “That would be like stripping Novak of his movement. That’s one of Sam’s two big key weapons. His serve went from 130 to barely over 100 at times just because he couldn’t get it there because of his pec.”

 

After the final point of the 2 hour 35 minute match, the world number one raised his arms in victory and was lifted off the ground and hugged by his Serbian teammates, whom he saluted in the post-match news conference.

 

“It wasn’t about my win Friday or today,” said Djokovic. “It was just about the team win, the team effort. That’s something that is very special and beautiful about this competition. You can represent your country and you get to be part of a team. You get to feel the team spirit that carries you on to victory.”

 

Next up for Serbia: A home tie against Canada, fresh from a quarterfinal victory over Italy. As for what’s next for Djokovic, he said he first has to assess the seriousness of his ankle injury. “I was planning to play Monte-Carlo,” said the world number one. “I live there and train there, so it feels like a home tournament to me. I love playing there, so I’m going to do everything in my power to recover for that tournament.”

 

“How realistic it is, to be honest, I don’t know. I don’t know what to tell you right now. It’s still too early.”

 

The home loss is a bitter pill to swallow for the U.S., whose Davis Cup season has come to an end. The Americans — whose last home defeat was in 2011 to Spain in Austin, Texas — now must wait until a September draw after the semifinals and World Group Play-offs — to find out who their first opponent will be for the 2014 campaign.

 

But Captain Courier had some kind words for Boise, saying the city “did an outstanding job welcoming both teams … It was a tremendous atmosphere. It’s one of the pluses about the way Davis Cup is played today is the atmosphere.

 

“I think Boise has a lot to be proud of.”

 

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US Versus Serbia Davis Cup Tickets go on Sale February 27

 

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., February 20, 2013 – The USTA announced today that tickets for the 2013 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Quarterfinal between the United States and Serbia will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, February 27, at 10 a.m. MST.  An exclusive pre-sale for USTA members begins on Monday, February 25, at 10 a.m. MST and ends on Tuesday, February 26, at 11:59 p.m. MST (or while supplies last).  The best-of-five match series will be played at the Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho, April 5-7.

 

Ticket prices range from $90 to $500 and are sold as three-day packages ($30-$166 per day). Additional ticket fees apply. Tickets can be purchased:

**While a telephone number has been provided, the USTA strongly encourages using the online ticket method to order.

 

The best-of-five match series begins Friday, April 5, with two singles matches, featuring each country’s No. 1 player against the other country’s No. 2 player.  Saturday’s schedule features the pivotal doubles match.  The final day of play on Sunday will feature two “reverse singles” matches, when the No. 1 players square off followed by the No. 2 players meeting each other in the final match. All matches are best-of-five sets until one nation clinches the tie.

 

This will be the second consecutive home tie for the U.S. Davis Cup team after winning the 2013 World Group First Round in Jacksonville, Fla., against Brazil. This will be just the third home match as U.S. Davis Cup Captain for Jim Courier and just the fourth home tie for the U.S. since 2009.  In that time, the U.S. team has played seven road matches–all on clay.  The U.S. is 110-16 all-time in Davis Cup ties played at home. Idaho is the 34th state to host a U.S. Davis Cup tie.

 

This match will mark just the second meeting between the U.S. and Serbia in Davis Cup competition.  Serbia won the only meeting, 3-2, in the 2010 World Group First Round in Belgrade by a Novak Djokovic-led team. Serbia is only one of three countries to have a winning record against the U.S. Davis Cup Team. World No. 1 Djokovic has committed to playing in this quarterfinal.

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2013 Fed Cup Coverage This Weekend on Tennis Channel

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(February 7, 2013) Tennis Channel will provide exclusive live coverage of the U.S. Fed Cup team’s first-round competition against Italy in Rimini, Italy, this weekend, with complete telecasts Saturday, Feb. 9, and Sunday, Feb. 10. The battle is a rematch of the 2010 Fed Cup championship, won by Italy. The contest will feature two singles matches on Saturday, and two singles matches and the doubles match Sunday. Tennis Channel will carry all matches live, beginning at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday and 7:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.

Coverage from 105 Stadium Rimini, Italy, is as follows (subject to change):

Saturday, Feb. 9:

9 a.m. – Live Singles #1

11 a.m. – Live Singles #2

Sunday, Feb. 10:

7:30 a.m. – Live Singles #3

9:30 a.m. – Live Singles #4

11:30 a.m. – Live Doubles

The United States and Italy have faced each other eleven times in Fed Cup play, with the Americans winning the first nine meetings. However, Italy has defeated the United States in recent years, with back-to-back victories in the 2009 and 2010 championship rounds. The United States leads all nations with 17 Fed Cup championships, the most recent in 2000.

The 2013 U.S. Fed Cup team is captained for the fifth year by retired American tennis star Mary Joe Fernandez, who won the Fed Cup championship as a player in 1996. Melanie Oudin, will replace 2013 Australian Open semifinalist Sloane Stephens, who was forced to withdraw from the competition due to an abdominal injury. Fed Cup newcomer, Jamie Hampton enters this weekend’s matchup after an impressive third-round appearance at the Australian Open before losing to Azarenka. Varvara Lepchenko, who will also make her Fed Cup debut this weekend, had a breakout season last year when she reached the fourth round at the French Open and the third rounds at both Wimbledon and the US Open. Liezel Huber is currently the World No. 8 ranked doubles player, holding five Grand Slam doubles titles and winning the 2010 US Open mixed doubles title with Bob Bryan.

Italy, Fed Cup winner in 2006, 2009 and 2010, enters 2013 after losing to defending champions Czech Republic in last year’s semifinals. The Italian team is captained by Corrado Barazzutti and features World No. 7 Sara Errani, Roberta Vinci, Karin Knapp and Nastassja Burnett.

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US Versus Serbia Davis Cup Quarterfinal to be Held in Boise

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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., February 3, 2013 – The USTA and U.S. Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier announced today that Boise, Idaho, has been selected as the site for the 2013 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas quarterfinal match between the United States and Serbia, April 5-7. The matches will be played at the Taco Bell Arena on the campus of Boise State University, which will have an expected capacity of approximately 11,700.

 

The event is being organized, staged and promoted by the USTA. Tickets will go on sale to the general public in late-February. For more information, fans can call the U.S. Davis Cup hotline at (888) 484-8782 or visit www.usta.com/daviscup.

 

The best-of-five match series begins Friday, April 5, with two singles matches, featuring each country’s No. 1 player against the other country’s No. 2 player. Saturday’s schedule features the pivotal doubles match, and the final day of play on Sunday includes two “reverse singles” matches, where the No. 1 players square off followed by the No. 2 players going head-to-head. All matches are best-of-five sets until one country wins three matches.

 

This will be the second consecutive home tie for the U.S. Davis Cup team after winning the 2013 World Group First Round in Jacksonville, Fla., against Brazil. This will be just the third home match as U.S. Davis Cup Captain for Courier and just the fourth home tie for the U.S. since 2009. In that time, the U.S. team has played seven road matches–all on clay. The U.S. is 110-16 all-time in Davis Cup ties played at home. Idaho is the 34th state to host a U.S. Davis Cup tie.

 

This match will mark just the second meeting between the U.S. and Serbia in Davis Cup competition. Serbia won the only meeting, 3-2, in the 2010 World Group First Round in Belgrade by a Novak Djokovic-led team. Serbia is only one of three countries to have a winning record against the U.S. Davis Cup Team.

 

Tennis Channel will present live daily coverage of the U.S. vs. Serbia Davis Cup match.

 

The site selection is subject to final approval by the International Tennis Federation.

 

The winner of the United States and Serbia tie will play in the semifinals, September 13-15.

 

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Ferrer Victory Sends Spain into Davis Cup Final

World No. 5 David Ferrer sent Spain back into the Davis Cup final for a chance to win a fourth time in five years by defeating John Isner  6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 on Sunday in Gijon to clinch the tie 3-1 against the United States.

Spain will play the Czech Republic on the road in the Davis Cup final in November. The Czechs defeated Argentina 3-1 in Argentina.

“I am very happy, this is a dream for me,“ said Ferrer.  “Another Davis Cup final, I won the last match and I’m really happy.  Isner is a good top 10 player.”

Isner’s 70 errors helped to keep Ferrer perfect on clay in Davis Cup play at 16-0.

With or without Rafael Nadal, Spain fields a strong team.

“It was disappointing. The Spanish team was just too good,” said Isner.“They won the important points, and it’s a bit discouraging for me because I wanted to contribute like I did in the first two ties, and that’s a credit to (Nicolas) Almagro and Ferrer, who got two of their points from me.”

 

“I think it was a great battle between two of the best teams in the world. Spain is the high watermark in Davis Cup in the last 15 years and we knew it was going to be a very tricky tie for us and we were close,” said US Davis cup Captain Jim Courier. “All of us who live in tennis know that there are always a few points that make big differences and the Spaniards found a way to win some key points in the three matches that they won.”

 

“There is a lot for this team to be proud of and what we have achieved this year—the way we have approached it, attacked it and the draw, the obstacles we have had. We are proud of our effort and we salute the Spanish team for their efforts and their victory. Two great teams went out there and competed and it was very close. The team that played better when they needed to won the matches.

 

“It has been a very positive year for us on the U.S. Davis Cup Team. We have been given the most difficult draw that you can have in this era to play the teams we have on the road. We had some great wins and we had some competitive losses.”

 

Following the Ferrer – Isner match, US Davis Cup Captain Courier and Spanish Davis Cup Captain Alex Corretja decided not to play the final rubber, which was scheduled to be Sam Querrey against Nicolas Almagro.

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Bryan Brothers Keep US Hopes Alive in Davis Cup Doubles Win

Team USA is still alive in the Davis Cup World Group semifinal – but just barely.

Bob and Mike Bryan kept the US hopes alive holding back Spain’s Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez to win the doubles rubber on Saturday 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 to close the gap to 2-1 versus Spain, in Gijon.

Spain aiming for their fourth final in five years won both singles rubber on Friday thanks to wins from David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro.

During the match, Granollers had a calf injury and his movement was hampered.

“We stayed the course the whole way and three hours 40 minutes was maybe one of the longest Davis Cup matches we ever played,” the Bryan Brothers told Spanish television.

“We’re happy to get the team to Sunday and I have all the faith in John and Sam to play some good tennis tomorrow and we’ll see what happens.”

Mike Bryan has now played in 24 Davis Cup doubles matches, tying John Van Ryn for first all-time in most doubles matches played in US Davis Cup history, overall  Mike Bryan is 22-2 in Davis Cup competition. He also is tied with Van Ryn for the most individual doubles wins with 22.

On Sunday David Ferrer hopes to close out the tie for Spain with a win over American John Isner in reverse singles. Almagro is scheduled to play Sam Querrey in the second match.

 

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Spain Takes a Commanding 2-0 Lead Over US in Davis Cup Semifinals

Spain is a win away from advancing to the Davis Cup final for the fourth time in five years. In Gijon, Spain’s  David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro gave Spain at 2-0 lead on day 1 versus the United States in the Davis Cup World Group semifinals on Friday.

No. 5 Ferrer, days removed from the US Open, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, moved past No. 26 Sam Querrey 4-6 6-2 6-2 6-4.

“It’s never easy to adapt from hard court to clay, and with only three to four days even less,” said Ferrer. “I didn’t feel too bad, but I didn’t play perfect tennis, either.”

Querrey failed to convert on 12 break point chances. “On a couple of them, I should have been more aggressive but he played good points,” said Querrey. “I feel if I get one of those breaks, it could be a different game.”

“It was a very tough match throughout, he didn’t make it easy for me,” Ferrer said to Spanish television.

In the second rubber on the day, Almagro braved 25 aces from the racquet John Isner to complete a perfect day for Spain 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.

The doubles rubber takes place on Saturday with brothers Mike and Bob Bryan taking on Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez. Reverse singles will take place on Sunday.

Only once has the US ever rallied from an 0-2 deficit, back in 1934 against Australia. Spain is a perfect 37-0 after winning both opening singles matches, since World Group play began.

“Nothing is impossible, said US Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier about coming back from an 0-2 deficit on the road. “Our sport doesn’t have a clock; you have to win the last point. Spain will do everything it can to win the last point, as will the United States, but nothing is impossible,”

“Proud of both these guys. They both went out there and laid it on the line and fought hard. They were two great battles, and all of us on the team are very proud of what these guys did today.”

The winner of the tie will face either Argentina or the Czech Republic in the Davis Cup final in November.

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Notes and Quotes From The US Davis Cup Team News Conference

The draw for this weekend’s Davis Cup World Group Semifinal between the United States and Spain was held on Thursday in Gijon, Spain. Here are some quotes from the United States team’s news conference:

 


U.S. DAVIS CUP CAPTAIN JIM COURIER

On playing in Gijon and facing a tough Spanish team…

 

The stadium is very well done; the facilities are wonderful for us. We have had a very good practice week. I think the hometown, Spain, is the favorite. They are a fantastic team; they could make three or four Davis cup teams that would be very good, considering how many players they have. But we are here to play, we are here to compete and we will take our chances here this weekend.

 

We are expecting a very difficult battle. That is what all these matches, whether is it home or away, are about, it is about getting ready, getting set and letting fire.

 

JOHN ISNER

 

On facing Spain in their home country…

 

Our team has played in some tough environments before and we expect a tough environment tomorrow, but at the same time we know it is going to be a lot of fun. I am just going to go out there and try to enjoy it. It is going to be a good challenge and it is going to be in front of a big crowd. I don’t think it is going to be anything I’m not used to.

 

They have two guys who are top ten in the world playing this tie. The team is so deep.

 

SAM QUERREY


On playing for the U.S. in Davis Cup for the first time since 2010…

 

It is really exciting to be back on the team. It has been a few years since I played back in 2010. I was out last year with elbow surgery but I have come back and I feel like I am playing really well. I am excited to be part of this team and I am really looking forward to it. The handful of Davis Cup teams I have played in the past have been really fun, it is exciting to play on a team every now and then.

 

On opening up the tie tomorrow in the first singles rubber…

 

I didn’t really have a preference playing first or second. Either way David Ferrer is a tough player, it is going to be a tough match.

 

 

BOB BRYAN


On facing Granollers and Lopez in the doubles rubber…

 

I am definitely expecting those two guys [Granollers and Lopez] to out there. They are one of the best teams in the world. They have won a Masters on clay, they have played us tough, a couple times. They had match point against us in Toronto. There is going to be no surprises, we know we have our hands full. We are practicing hard, we feel good, riding some confidence from a good summer, as are they. It is whoever plays better and executes on the day is going to win.

 

MIKE BRYAN

On facing Spain in doubles and playing away ties…

 

We have a pretty good record on the road.  We treat all these road ties as Grand Slam finals. We played every road tie on clay and we are pretty comfortable on clay. We have good game plans coming in playing a lot of clay court players and we are playing another really good clay court team. This could be our toughest away tie match, as it is against a top five team in the world.

 

As Bob said, we are going to have to execute, we will treat it just like we did the US Open final a week ago. Davis Cup matches are huge for us.

 

Weekend Schedule

Friday, 12 p.m.
Singles A:              Sam Querrey (USA) vs. David Ferrer (ESP)
Singles B:              John Isner (USA) vs. Nicolas Almagro (ESP)

Saturday, 2 p.m.
Doubles:                Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (USA) vs. Marcel Granollers/Marc Lopez (ESP)*

Sunday, 12 p.m.
Singles C:             John Isner (USA) vs. David Ferrer (ESP)
Singles D:             Sam Querrey (USA) vs. Nicolas Almagro (ESP)

Matches will be streamed for free live on USTA.com. Matches will also be televised live on Tennis Channel with Friday’s singles matches airing at 6 a.m. ET, Saturday’s doubles match airing at 8 a.m., and Sunday’s singles matches airing at 6 a.m.

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U.S. vs Spain Davis Cup on Tennis Channel This Weekend

Tennis Channel  will provide exclusive coverage of the United States semifinal competition against defending champion Spain in Gijon, Spain, this weekend, with live telecasts of each match and same-day, “Instant Encore” replays. Highlighting the competition, American John Isner will face US Open semifinalist and World No. 5 David Ferrer for the first time since the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris last fall, when Isner defeated the Spaniard during the quarterfinals. However, Ferrer has the career upper hand, holding a 3-1 record against the 6-foot-9-inch American. Rounding out the United States team is Sam Querrery and the 2012 US Open doubles champions, twins Bob and Mike Bryan.

If the United States claims victory over Spain this weekend, the Americans will face either Argentina or the Czech Republic in the final. In addition to televising the United States and Spain’s matches each morning, Tennis Channel will cover semifinal competition between 2011 Davis Cup runner-up Argentina and Czech Republic in Buenos Aires, Argentina, each evening.

Coverage from Parque Hermanos Castro in Spain and Parque Roca in Argentina (all times ET):

Friday, Sept. 14:

6 a.m. – Live Singles #1 Spain vs. USA

9 a.m. – Live Singles #2 Spain vs. USA

{12 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1 Spain vs. USA}

{3 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2 Spain vs. USA}

8 p.m. – Singles #1 Czech Republic vs. Argentina

11 p.m. – Singles #2 Czech vs. Argentina

Saturday, Sept. 15:

8 a.m. – Live Doubles Spain vs. USA

{5 p.m. – Instant Encore Doubles Spain vs. USA}

8 p.m. – Doubles Czech Republic vs. Argentina

{11 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2 Czech Republic vs. Argentina}

Sunday, Sept. 16:

6 a.m. – Live Singles #1 Spain vs. USA

9 a.m. – Live Singles #2 Spain vs. USA

{12 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1 Spain vs. USA}

{3 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2 Spain vs. USA}

8 p.m. – Singles #1 Czech Republic vs. Argentina

11 p.m. – Singles #2 Czech Republic vs. Argentina

The United States and Spain have faced each other ten times in Davis Cup play, with the nations tied at five wins apiece. The Americans’ last victory against the Spaniards came in 2007 when they won 4-1 in the quarterfinal in Winston-Salem, N.C. However, Spain has won the last two meetings against the United States, winning last year’s quarterfinal competition in Austin, Texas, and the 2008 semifinal in Spain. The United States has not defeated Spain on away soil since 1972. The Americans enter this weekend’s match after their second clay-court victory of the year against France in the quarterfinal. The United States leads all nations in Davis Cup championships, winning its 32nd title in 2007 with a 4-1 win against Russia.

Spain has dominated the past decade with five Davis Cup championships since 2000, the most recent in 2011 when it beat Argentina 3-1 in Seville, Spain. The Spanish team is captained by former star Alex Corretja and features the same players who beat Austria 4-1 in the quarterfinal: Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro, Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez.

The Czech Republic holds a 3-1 advantage over Argentina in Davis Cup competition, most recently winning a 2009 quarterfinal in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Argentina’s sole victory over the Czech Republic came in 2005 in Buenos Aires. The Czech Republic enters this weekend’s match after defeating Serbia 4-1 in the quarterfinals. The Czech nation clinched its only Davis Cup trophy in 1980, when it defeated Italy in Prague while competing under the flag of Czechoslovakia.

The Argentine team is bidding to reach the Davis Cup championship round for its second- consecutive year and has finished runner-up in 1981, 2006 and 2008. Argentina’s team is captained by Martin Jaite and features World No. 8 Juan Martin Del Potro, Juan Monaco, Carlos Berlocq and Eduardo Schwank.

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US Davis Cup Team Named to Battle Defending Champion Spain

The USTA and U.S. Davis Cup Captain Jim Courier announced on Tuesday that world No. 10 John Isner, No. 28 Sam Querrey, and 2012 Olympic doubles gold medalists Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan will represent the United States in the 2012 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Semifinal tie against Spain, September 14-16.  The tie will be played on an outdoor red clay court at the Parque Hermanos Castro in Gijon, Spain.

Spain, the defending Davis Cup champion, announced their roster of No.5 David Ferrer, No. 12 Nicolas Almagro, No. 24 Marcel Granollers, and Top 10 doubles player Marc Lopez earlier today. Spain has won the Davis Cup title three out of the last four years (2008, 2009 and 2011).

“Our team is battle-tested after two tough road wins this year against Switzerland and France,” said second-year U.S. Davis Cup Captain Courier, who has a 3-0 record on the road. “Playing against Spain on clay is the ultimate test in Davis Cup and we look forward to the challenge in Gijon.”

“It’s the ultimate ask,” Courier told media.

“We have had the toughest draw you can have in Davis Cup with the road matches we have faced, and this one is the ultimate ask in current Davis Cup tennis. Going into Spain, playing them on red clay, they haven’t lost in a long, long time. We certainly feel like we’re going to have a chance, but we also feel like we’re not the favorites. We felt that way in the first two matches this year, too.”

Courier also announced that two-time NCAA singles champion Steve Johnson, former US Open boys’ singles finalist Denis Kudla and 2011 NCAA doubles champion Austin Krajicek will be practice partners for the team.  All three have served as practice partners before.

Matches will be telecast live on Tennis Channel starting at 6 a.m. ET on Friday, 8 a.m. ET on Saturday, and 6 a.m. ET on Sunday.  USTA.com will also feature live streaming of all Davis Cup matches in the United States for free.

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 pivotal doubles match is played Saturday, followed by Sunday’s “reverse singles,” starting with each country’s No. 1 players squaring off followed by the No. 2 players in the fifth and final match.

This semifinal tie will mark the 11th matchup overall between the U.S. and Spain in Davis Cup competition.  The countries are tied in their series with five wins each with the last meeting taking place in the 2011 World Group Quarterfinal in Austin, Texas (Spain won that tie, 3-1). The Spaniards last defeated the U.S. in Spain in the 2008 World Group Semifinal on clay, where Spain later went on to win the Davis Cup title that year.

The winner of this match will face the winner of the semifinal between the Czech Republic and Argentina. If the U.S. wins, it will either travel to Argentina or host the Czech Republic in the final, November 16-18.

Isner, 27, will be competing in his sixth Davis Cup tie and is 5-3 in singles and 2-0 in doubles.  Isner defeated Roger Federer in the U.S. Davis Cup team’s first round win at Switzerland in February, one of the biggest wins of his career, and won his sixth career ATP singles title this year at the Winston-Salem Open, an Emirates Airline US Open Series event. The tallest player in U.S. Davis Cup history at 6-foot-9, Isner made his Davis Cup debut in the 2010 World Group First Round in Serbia where he became the first U.S. player to compete in three live rubbers in the same tie since James Blake in the 2003 first round.   He turned professional after an outstanding four-year career at the University of Georgia, leading the Bulldogs to the 2007 NCAA team title as a senior. Isner is currently No. 10 in the world and is coming off a third round appearance at the US Open.

Querrey, 24, will be competing on the U.S. Davis Cup team for the first time since the 2010 World Group Playoff in Colombia and holds a 1-4 Davis Cup singles record in three ties. Querrey made his Davis Cup debut against Rafael Nadal on clay in Madrid in the 2008 World Group Semifinal, losing in four sets. He peaked at No. 17 in the world in January 2011, but was forced to undergo right elbow surgery in June last year that sidelined him for three months. This year, Querrey climbed back up the rankings after winning his seventh career ATP title at the Emirates Airline US Open Series event in Los Angeles and reaching three ATP semifinals. Like Isner, Querrey reached the third round of the 2012 US Open.

Bob Bryan, 34, holds a 20-2 doubles record in Davis Cup and a 19-2 record with twin brother, Mike. He is also 4-2 in singles (all dead rubbers). Bob did not compete in February’s first round match at Switzerland due to the birth of his daughter. In 2009, the Bryans’ win in the Davis Cup first round versus Switzerland put them first all-time in U.S. Davis Cup history with 15 doubles wins as a team and they are the only brothers to pair in victory for the U.S. In 2010, Bob and Mike broke the all-time Open era record of 62 team doubles titles after winning the Emirates Airline US Open Series event in Los Angeles and have since extended their record to 80 doubles titles. The Bryan brothers won the gold medal in doubles at the 2012 Olympics in London, where they completed a career Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal. Bob and Mike are currently in the quarterfinals of the US Open, of which they are three-time champions.

Mike Bryan, 34, played without twin brother Bob for just the second time in his Davis Cup career during the 2012 World Group First Round, where he teamed with Mardy Fish to defeat 2008 Olympic doubles gold medalists Federer and Wawrinka to clinch the tie for the U.S.  Mike holds a 21-2 record in Davis Cup doubles matches and is 19-2 with Bob (Mike partnered with Fish in the 2008 semifinal against Spain).  He played in 19 consecutive doubles matches for the U.S. Davis Cup team since he and Bob joined the team in September 2003 until suffering from food poisoning before the 2010 World Group First Round in Serbia (Isner replaced Mike and teamed with Bob).  The Bryan brothers currently share the No. 3 doubles ranking and finished six of the past seven years as the top-ranked doubles team in the world.  They have qualified for the year-end Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. Mike owns 82 career tour-level doubles titles.

Founded in 1900, Davis Cup is the world’s largest annual international men’s team competition with 125 nations competing this year.  The U.S. leads all nations with 32 Davis Cup titles.

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