By Alberto Amalfi | @Tennis_Now | Friday, January 5, 2024
A trio of massive hitters will lead the U.S. Davis Cup squad.
Taylor Fritz, Sebastian Korda and Christopher Eubanks will signify the U.S. in its 2024 Davis Cup Qualifying tie vs. Ukraine, set for February 1-2 at SEB Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania.
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U.S. captain Bob Bryan additionally chosen doubles standouts Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek to the crew.
The U.S. and Ukraine have been drawn to play one another within the Qualifier, with Ukraine drawing the selection of floor.
The SEB Arena may even host the World Group I tie between Lithuania and Georgia on February 3-4. Both ties shall be performed on an indoor laborious courtroom.
Tennis Channel will carry protection within the United States.
The U.S.-Ukraine Qualifier is a best-of-five match sequence, starting with two singles matches on Thursday, February 1, starting at 6 p.m. native time (11 a.m. ET). A doubles match and two reverse singles matches will comply with on Friday, February 2, starting at 5 p.m. native time (10 a.m. ET).
The first to win three of these matches will advance to the 2024 Davis Cup Finals – a 16-nation, multi-city competitors held later this yr, culminating with the Final 8 stage in November in Malaga, Spain.
This would be the first assembly between the U.S. and Ukraine in Davis Cup, although the U.S. notably hosted Ukraine in a 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifier in Asheville, N.C., that helped increase greater than $1 million for Ukraine disaster reduction by way of the Tennis Plays for Peace initiative.
The U.S. certified for the Group Stage of the Davis Cup Finals final yr however returned to this yr’s Qualifying pool after failing to advance to the Final 8.
Ukraine was promoted to the Qualifying pool this yr after defeating Colombia in a World Group I tie in September.
The 26-year-old Fritz is the top-ranked American man in singles at No. 10. He’s performed eight Davis Cup ties for the U.S. since debuting in 2019 and has a 5-3 Davis Cup singles report.
Korda, 23, is ranked No. 24 in singles. This is his second Davis Cup nomination, after debuting with a singles victory over Colombia’s Nicolas Mejia in 2022 Qualifying.
Eubanks, 27, is ranked No. 34 in singles. This is his debut Davis Cup nomination, approaching the heels of a 2023 season that noticed him win his first ATP singles title and attain the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
The 33-year-old Krajicek is the present world doubles No. 1 and went 3-1 in Davis Cup doubles in 2023. He gained 5 doubles titles in 2023 and completed the yr ranked No. 1, solely the fifth American man within the historical past of the ATP doubles rankings to take action.
Ram, 39, is ranked No. 6 in doubles and is a former world doubles No. 1. He gained his fourth doubles main and third straight US Open title in 2023 and is 7-2 all-time in Davis Cup doubles.
Photo credit score: Matthew Stockman/Getty
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