Davis Cup World Group Playoffs 2014 – USA vs. Slovakia
For the first time since 1988, Team USA is in danger of falling out of the Davis Cup World Group come 2015. Standing in its way…Team Slovakia, battling to climb back into the World Group for the first time since 2006 – where they lost in the First Round to Chile just months after reaching the 2005 Davis Cup Final vs. Croatia.
Slovakia has taken-out Latvia, then Austria in Group-1 play this year to reach this weekend’s Playoff; while the U.S. fell to Great Britain at home – at Petco Park in San Diego – thanks to two easy wins from Andy Murray and an incredible upset from James Ward. Ranked 175th in the World, Ward defeated 49th-ranked Sam Querrey in Day-1’s second rubber, nearly guaranteeing a win for Great Britain.
In fact, this week during the draw, Slovakia threw a curve giving Team USA another unfamiliar face, electing Norbert Gombos – ranked 126th in the World – to play the first singles rubber against top-ranked American John Isner.
Day-1 starts with Isner and Gombos, and ends with Querrey and Klizan.
Slovakia. USA. Davis Cup World Group Playoff. 2015 World Group status on the line…
