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U.S. Davis Cup team to take on Britain

March 5, 2015

LOS ANGELES — Tennis Channel will provide exclusive live coverage of the U.S. Davis Cup team’s first-round competition against Britain in Glasgow, Scotland, this weekend, with the first match underway Friday, March 6, at 8 a.m. ET. The United States and Britain, whose rivalry began Davis Cup in 1900 – when the tournament field consisted of just the two of them – find themselves in a rematch of last year’s first round, when the British team defeated the Americans 3-1 in San Diego. Highlighting the matchup, top-ranked American John Isner will face former Wimbledon champion and Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray. Although Murray holds a 3-0 record against Isner, the pair have never faced each other in Davis Cup play. Rounding out the United States team is Donald Young and World No. 1 doubles brothers Bob and Mike Bryan.

The meeting will consist of two singles matches on Friday, followed by the doubles match Saturday, March 7, at 8 a.m. ET. Tennis Channel’s coverage concludes with the remaining singles play Sunday, March 8, at 9 a.m. ET. Each match is worth one point, with three victories enough to secure a trip to the July quarterfinals to face either France or Germany.

Tennis Channel will also offer live coverage of the France-Germany competition in Frankfurt, Germany on Tennis Channel’s digital subscription service, Tennis Channel Plus, Friday-Sunday. Stars set to play include France’s Gilles Simon, Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet; and Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber.Tennis Channel will also offer select live coverage of Belgium-Switzerland play in Liege, Belgium, Friday, March 6, beginning at 8 a.m. ET.

Emmy Award-winning announcer Brett Haber (@BrettHaber) will handle play-by-play responsibilities during Tennis Channel’s United States-Britain Davis Cup coverage this weekend, with former U.S. Davis Cup player Justin Gimelstob (@justingimelstob) in the analyst’s role. Former tennis player Leif Shiras (@LShirock) and renowned tennis coach Paul Annacone (@paul_annacone) will call action for the France-Germany tie airing on Tennis Channel Plus. Following all Davis Cup action this weekend, all Tennis Channel’s on-air talent members will discuss the day’s action.

Tennis Channel’s Live Davis Cup coverage is as follows (all time ET):

Friday, March 6:

Saturday, March 7:

8 a.m. – Doubles United States v. Britain / Belgium v. Switzerland

Sunday, March 8:

The United States holds an 11-8 advantage over Britain. The two countries’ rivalry dates back to 1900, when a group of Americans led by Harvard tennis player Dwight Davis, who won the intercollegiate singles championship as a student in 1899, challenged Britain in what became the first Davis Cup competition. The most recent meeting between the two nations was during the same stage of Davis Cup play last year, when Britain beat the United States in San Diego. The American squad is bidding to win its first Davis Cup crown since 2007 and leads all nations with 23 Davis Cup titles.

The U.S. Davis Cup team is captained by Jim Courier, who as a player was on the 1999 team that beat Britain. Isner, the tallest player in U.S. Davis Cup history, at 6-foot-10, won his ninth career singles title at last year’s Emirates Airline US Open Series in Atlanta and reached the third round at the Australian Open this year. Young, who made his debut appearance for the U.S. Davis Cup team during the first round last year, enters this weekend’s competition after advancing to his second ATP singles final in Delray Beach, Fla. Twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, the world’s top-ranked doubles team, hold the all-time Open era record with 16 Grand Slam men’s doubles titles and captured an Olympic gold medal in doubles at the London games in 2012.

After defeating the United States in the first round last year, Britain lost to Italy in the quarterfinals last April. This year’s team is captained by Leon Smith and features Murray, James Ward, Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot. Britain has clinched the Davis Cup trophy on nine occasions.