ITF Press Release, February 26, 2020
The ITF has announced the official team nominations for the 70 nations competing in the Davis Cup by Rakuten Qualifiers and the Davis Cup World Group I and World Group II Play-offs.
More than 320 players are set to don their national colours for the biggest home-and-away weekend in Davis Cup history. Taking place on 6-7 March 2020, the weekend will see 70 nations competing over 35 ties spread across six continents.
Having not competed since last year’s US Open, Kei Nishikori makes a welcome return following elbow surgery for his first Davis Cup tie since 2016. Elsewhere, Marin Cilic returns to Davis Cup for the first time since leading Croatia to the 2018 title. Number 1 seeds Croatia face an experienced India team which includes 8-time men’s doubles Grand Slam winner Leader Paes, who is set to appear in his 58th Davis Cup tie.
They will be joined by the likes of Fabio Fognini, Cristian Garin, Nick Kyrgios, and Guido Pella in leading their nations’ pursuit of a place in the Davis Cup Finals in November.
World No. 38 Casper Ruud is set to lead Norway in their World Group I Play-off tie against Barbados, while Nikoloz Basilashvili (Georgia) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) will be hoping to inspire their teams to victory and a chance of promotion to World Group II.
The 24 nations competing in the Davis Cup by Rakuten Qualifiers are bidding for a place in the Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals 2020 in Madrid on 23-28 November. They will join the 2019 champions Spain, runners-up Canada and semi-finalists Great Britain and Russia, as well as the two wild card nations France and Serbia.
The 2020 Davis Cup World Group I and World Group II Play-offs are the first ties in the new extended global format of the competition. Groups I and II are now being played on a worldwide basis, reflecting the truly international nature of Davis Cup, with a clear promotion and relegation structure.
In September, the losing nations from the Davis Cup Qualifiers will face the winning nations from the World Group I Play-offs in World Group I; while the losing nations from the World Group I Play-offs will face the winning nations from the World Group II Play-offs in World Group II.
The losing nations from the World Group II Play-offs will go on to contest their respective regional Group III events later in 2020.
Romania has already been given a walkover over China, P.R. in their World Group I Play-off, as China P.R. was forced to withdraw from the tie following the increased travel restrictions due to the current Coronavirus outbreak.
Each tie will consist of four singles rubbers and one doubles rubber with all matches played over the best of three tiebreak sets. Two singles rubbers will be played on Friday 6 March, with the doubles followed by the two reverse singles rubbers on Saturday 7 March. The draws will take place on Thursday 5 March.
For full nominations, please click here.
