The USTA announced on Thursday that Belmont University in Nashville has been selected as the host site for the 2018 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Quarterfinal between the United States and Belgium, April 6-8. The matchup between the U.S. and Belgium will be played at the Curb Event Center.
Davis Cup will come to Nashville for the first time in 40 years, as Vanderbilt University hosted a tie against South Africa in 1978. Founded in 1900, Davis Cup by BNP Paribas is the World Cup of Tennis and is the largest annual international team competition in sport with approximately 135 nations competing each year.
The best-of-five match series between the U.S. and Belgium begins on Friday, April 6, 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 features the 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 tiebreak sets; the first country to win three matches wins the tie. A revised schedule for Sunday may take place if a team clinches in the third or fourth match.
“The USTA is excited to bring the next U.S. Davis Cup tie to Nashville, a city with a strong passion for the sport, a region that has a vibrant tennis community, and an area with an incredibly diverse fan base,” said Katrina Adams, Chairman of the Board and President, USTA. “We are lucky enough to have a host site in Belmont University that has been home to numerous high-profile events, and will truly embrace the international spectacle that is Davis Cup tennis.”
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 23, at 10 a CT. Three-day ticket packages for Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be sold at prices ranging from $240 to $750 ($80 to $250 per day), representing the greatest initial ticket value. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.usta.com/daviscup.
USTA members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets in advance through a special USTA member-only presale beginning Tuesday, Feb, 20, and running through Thursday, Feb. 22 (or while supplies last).
“The Davis Cup is to tennis what the World Cup is to Soccer-it’s the biggest world-wide team competition in the sport,” said Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher. “To be able to host this event at Belmont University and in Nashville is an opportunity to put our university and our city on the world stage. This quarterfinal event with Belgium, the No. 2 seed, will be one of the highlights of the tennis year. We can’t wait to show Belmont’s and Nashville’s hospitality to the world.”
Butch Spyridon, President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp remarked, “The Davis Cup event gives us an opportunity to showcase Belmont and Nashville to a new audience. We are honored to have been selected and will do our best to deliver a first class experience to the players and fans, while we further enhance our event resume.”
The U.S. comes to Nashville after defeating Serbia in the World Group First Round earlier this month, 3-1, in Nis, Serbia. The winner of this tie advances to the World Group Semifinal, Sept. 14-16.
The U.S. holds a 4-0 record over Belgium in Davis Cup play. The U.S. last faced Belgium in the 2005 World Group Playoff in Leuven, Belgium. The U.S. won the tie, 4-1, on a team led by Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Bob and Mike Bryan. The U.S. also squared off against Belgium in the 1998 World Group Quarterfinal in 1998 in Indianapolis, as well as in 1953 and 1957.
U.S. Davis Cup Team Captain Jim Courier will select the four players to represent the United States no later than ten days prior to the event.
Tennis Channel will present live daily coverage of the World Group Quarterfinal.
The U.S. leads all nations with 32 Davis Cup titles. Overall, Team USA holds a 218-71 all-time Davis Cup record and owns the longest uninterrupted run in the World Group, dating back to 1989. For more information, including access to player and historical Davis Cup records, please go to www.usta.com/daviscup or www.daviscup.com.
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