Liege, Belgium (SportsNetwork.com) – Switzerland may be the reigning Davis Cup
champion, but 2014 heroes Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka are not playing this
time around.
The best-of-five opening-round affair in Liege will not feature any of tennis’
biggest stars this week, as the Swiss are led by 344th-ranked Henri Laaksonen,
while the Belgians’ highest-ranked player in world No. 102, Steve Darcis.
Friday’s opening singles will pit Laaksonen against 132nd-ranked Ruben
Bemelmans and Darcis versus world No. 576 Swiss Michael Lammer on the indoor
hardcourt at Country Hall du Sart Tilman.
Saturday’s doubles has a Swiss duo of Lammer and Adrien Bossel taking on a
Belgian pairing of Bemelmans and Niels Desein, while Sunday’s reverse singles
call for Darcis to tangle with Laaksonen and Bemelmans to battle Lammer.
The Swiss are captained by Severin Luthi, while Belgium is skippered by Johan
Van Herck.
The former world No. 1 great Federer and Wawrinka led the Swiss to their
first-ever Davis Cup title last year, when they beat host France 3-1 in the
final, but both men decided against playing in the opening round this year.
Belgium and Switzerland meet for an eighth time, with the hosts looking to
advance to the World Group quarterfinals for the first time since 2007.
The Swiss lead the all-time series between the two sides, 4-3, including a
victory in the most recent encounter in 2008.
The winner in Liege will meet the Canada-Japan victor in July’s quarterfinals.
