Tennis Channel will provide exclusive, live “bounce style” coverage from both Davis Cup semifinals in Belgrade, Serbia, and Prague, Czech Republic, this weekend, with live and same-day, “Instant Encore” replays Friday through Sunday, as telecast windows overlap. Serbia will host Canada while the Czech Republic will welcome Argentina. Top-ranked Canadian Milos Raonic and 2013 US Open finalist and World No. 1 Novak Djokovic have never faced each other in competitive play, nor have the two nations met in Davis Cup competition. Tennis Channel’s coverage gets underway at 9 a.m. ET, Friday, Sept. 13; 8:30 a.m. ET, Saturday, Sept. 14; and 8 a.m. ET, Sunday, Sept. 15.
Live, “bounce style” coverage from Belgrade Arena in Belgrade, Serbia, and O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic (all times ET):
Friday, Sept. 13:
9 a.m. – Live Singles #1 Czech Republic vs. Argentina (Serbia vs. Canada underway at 10 a.m.)
1 p.m. – Live Singles #2 Czech Republic vs. Argentina and Canada vs. Serbia
{8 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1 Czech Republic vs. Argentina and Canada vs. Serbia}
{12 a.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2 Czech Republic vs. Argentina and Canada vs. Serbia}
Saturday, Sept. 14:
8:30 a.m. – Live Doubles Czech Republic vs. Argentina (Serbia vs. Canada underway at 10 a.m.)
Sunday, Sept. 15:
8 a.m. – Live Singles #1 Czech Republic vs. Argentina and Canada vs. Serbia
11 a.m. – Live Singles #2 Czech Republic vs. Argentina and Canada vs. Serbia
Canada and Serbia have never faced each other in Davis Cup play. Serbia defeated France 3-2 in the 2010 Davis Cup finals at Belgrade Arena to win its sole title. The Serbian team enters this weekend’s matchup after a 3-1 victory over the United States in Boise, Idaho. Serbia is captained by Bogdan Obradovic and features Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic, Dusan Lajovic, and Nenad Zimonjic.
Canada enters this weekend after defeating Italy 3-1 to reach the semifinals for the first time since 1913 and only the second time in the nation’s history. The Canadian team achieved its best Davis Cup results to date by defeating both Spain and Italy and is bidding to win its first Davis Cup title. The squad is captained by Martin Laurendeau and features the same players who beat Italy in the quarterfinal: Raonic, Vasek Pospisil, Frank Dancevic, and Daniel Nestor.
The Czech Republic holds a 4-1 advantage over Argentina in Davis Cup competition, most recently winning last year’s semifinal 3-2 in Argentina. Argentina’s sole victory over the Czech Republic came in 2005 in Buenos Aires. The team enters this weekend’s match after defeating Kazakhstan 3-1 in the quarterfinals. The Czech Republic clinched its first Davis Cup trophy as an independent nation last year, when it defeated Spain 3-2 in Prague. In 1980,it captured its first Davis Cup title while competing under the flag of Czechoslovakia. Coached by Jaroslav Navratil, the team consists of Tomas Berdych, Radek Stepanek, Lukas Rosol, and Jiri Vesely.
Argentina has finished runner-up on four occasions: in 1981, 2006, 2008 and 2011. The Argentine team is captained by Martin Jaite and features Juan Monaco, Carlos Berlocq, Horacio Zeballos, and Leonardo Mayer.
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