U.S. Preps for Davis Cup Quarterfinals Match With France This Weekend

The 2012 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group quarterfinals match between the United States and France will take place Friday-Sunday, April 6-8 at the Monte Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France. The U.S. will be competing for its sixth time on the road since defeating Switzerland in the 2009 first round held in Birmingham, Ala. 

This quarterfinal tie will be the 16th matchup between the United States and France where the U.S. leads 8-7 overall. The U.S. last beat France in the 2008 quarterfinals in Winston-Salem, N.C. Eleven of the fifteen last times the U.S. and France have met, the winner of the match-up has gone on to win the Davis Cup title. Captain Jim Courier of the U.S. team and French Captain Guy Forget played each other in the 1995 first round where Courier won the match 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. 

"I’m happy to be back on the Davis Cup team," said Bob Bryan. "I had some of my best memories playing for our country. Yeah, it’s going to be exciting, as always, and we’ll be ready to go."

This also marks the first time a tie will be streamed live online at USTA.com. All five can be viewed online for free, which allows the Davis Cup to become more main stream to fans who wish to watch the competition over the course of the three days.

Ryan Harrison is a last minute addition to the team after Mardy Fish’s withdrawal. Harrison won his first Davis Cup match in the first round against Switzerland. Harrison is ranked 66th and will be the lowest overall ranked player to compete in a live singles match since Fish in the first round of 2003.

"It’s very tough that Mardy was not able to make it, and we’re all disappointed that he is not in the greatest health right now," said Harrison of replacing Fish. "I think he’s going to be ready to go soon."

The U.S. Davis Cup team now has an overall record of 62-25 while playing on clay and France is 96-46. The United States also holds the longest run in the World Group which dates back to 1989. The U.S. has a winning record against 35 countries faced and an even record with another two. The United States leads the Davis Cup with 32 current Davis Cup titles.