Tennis Channel Airs Davis Cup Semifinals Throughout The Weekend

LOS ANGELES, September 13, 2012 -Tennis Channel will provide exclusive coverage of the United States semifinal competition against defending champion Spain in Gijon, Spain, this weekend, with live telecasts of each match and same-day, “Instant Encore” replays. Highlighting the competition, American John Isner will face US Open semifinalist and World No. 5 David Ferrer for the first time since the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris last fall, when Isner defeated the Spaniard during the quarterfinals. However, Ferrer has the career upper hand, holding a 3-1 record against the 6-foot-9-inch American. Rounding out the United States team is Sam Querrery and the 2012 US Open doubles champions, twins Bob and Mike Bryan.

If the United States claims victory over Spain this weekend, the Americans will face either Argentina or the Czech Republic in the final. In addition to televising the United States and Spain’s matches each morning, Tennis Channel will cover semifinal competition between 2011 Davis Cup runner-up Argentina and Czech Republic in Buenos Aires, Argentina, each evening.

Coverage from Parque Hermanos Castro in Spain and Parque Roca in Argentina (all times ET):

Friday, Sept. 14:
6 a.m. – Live Singles #1 Spain vs. USA
9 a.m. – Live Singles #2 Spain vs. USA

{12 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1 Spain vs. USA}
{3 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2 Spain vs. USA}

8 p.m. – Singles #1 Czech Republic vs. Argentina
11 p.m. – Singles #2 Czech vs. Argentina

Saturday, Sept. 15:
8 a.m. – Live Doubles Spain vs. USA

{5 p.m. – Instant Encore Doubles Spain vs. USA}

8 p.m. – Doubles Czech Republic vs. Argentina

{11 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2 Czech Republic vs. Argentina} 

Sunday, Sept. 16:
6 a.m. – Live Singles #1 Spain vs. USA
9 a.m. – Live Singles #2 Spain vs. USA

{12 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1 Spain vs. USA}
{3 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2 Spain vs. USA}

8 p.m. – Singles #1 Czech Republic vs. Argentina
11 p.m. – Singles #2 Czech Republic vs. Argentina

The United States and Spain have faced each other ten times in Davis Cup play, with the nations tied at five wins apiece. The Americans’ last victory against the Spaniards came in 2007 when they won 4-1 in the quarterfinal in Winston-Salem, N.C. However, Spain has won the last two meetings against the United States, winning last year’s quarterfinal competition in Austin, Texas, and the 2008 semifinal in Spain. The United States has not defeated Spain on away soil since 1972. The Americans enter this weekend’s match after their second clay-court victory of the year against France in the quarterfinal. The United States leads all nations in Davis Cup championships, winning its 32^nd title in 2007 with a 4-1 win against Russia.

Spain has dominated the past decade with five Davis Cup championships since 2000, the most recent in 2011 when it beat Argentina 3-1 in Seville, Spain. The Spanish team is captained by former star Alex Corretja and features the same players who beat Austria 4-1 in the quarterfinal: Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro, Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez.

The Czech Republic holds a 3-1 advantage over Argentina in Davis Cup competition, most recently winning a 2009 quarterfinal in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Argentina’s sole victory over the Czech Republic came in 2005 in Buenos Aires. The Czech Republic enters this weekend’s match after defeating Serbia 4-1 in the quarterfinals. The Czech nation clinched its only Davis Cup trophy in 1980, when it defeated Italy in Prague while competing under the flag of Czechoslovakia.

The Argentine team is bidding to reach the Davis Cup championship round for its second- consecutive year and has finished runner-up in 1981, 2006 and 2008. Argentina’s team is captained by Martin Jaite and features World No. 8 Juan Martin Del Potro, Juan Monaco, Carlos Berlocq and Eduardo Schwank.