Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates after beating Robin Haase of the Netherlands during the Davis Cup men's singles tennis match in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Vincent Jannink)
LONDON - Canada will host top-ranked Spain in the first round of the 2013 Davis Cup World Group.
The two teams have met only once before, with Spain winning 4-1 at home on clay in 1991.
But Canada, led by 15th-ranked Milos Raonic, will likely pick an indoor venue and fast surface for the Feb. 1-3 best-of-five tennis series that will make the conditions much tougher for the Spaniards.
The Canadians are ranked No. 12 in the 16-team World Group.
They kept their spot in the competition's elite group with a 4-1 victory over South Africa in a playoff last weekend.
Earlier this year, Canada lost 4-1 to France in the first round of World Group play.
"We want to be the first Canadian team to ever win a World Group tie and we will continue to work towards that for February," said Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau. "We get to host them in Canada, in front of our home crowd and we will use that to our advantage and are really looking forward to this opportunity."
Spain captain Alex Corretja isn't taking the Canadians lightly.
"Canada was one of the strongest rivals we could have gotten, not only for the quality of a team led by Milos Raonic but also because we'll have to play as visiting team just one week after the Australian Open, which means another long trip and time change," said Corretja said. "It will be a complicated tie."
Meantime, Switzerland was paired against the Czech Republic in Wednesday's draw, setting up a potential head-to-head between two of the top players in the game — Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych.
The top-ranked Federer has a career 11-5 record against Berdych, but the No. 6 Czech defeated him in four sets at the U.S. Open. Berdych also beat Federer in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2010 and at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Switzerland will be at home for the series. Federer does not always play in the early rounds of the Davis Cup, and his plans for 2013 are uncertain.
In other matches, the United States will be at home against Brazil, and Argentina will host Germany. It's also France vs. Israel, Kazakhstan vs. Austria, Italy vs. Croatia and Belgium vs. Serbia.
Federer played in last weekend's playoff against the Netherlands, winning both of his singles matches to lead Switzerland to a 3-2 victory that ensured his country stayed in the World Group for 2013.
Berdych secured all three points for the Czechs in their semifinal win over Argentina. The Czechs will host Spain in the final Nov. 16-18.
The Czechs hold a 6-2 advantage against Switzerland, although the Swiss won the last time they met on home soil in 1998.
— With files from The Associated Press
© The Canadian Press, 2012
19 Sep, 2012
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Source: http://www.globalnews.ca/Sports/canada+to+host+top-ranked+spain+in+first+round+of+davis+cup+world+group/6442717979/story.html
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