Swiss draw Kazakhstan in Davis Cup playoffs
Switzerland’s male tennis players will travel to Kazakhstan in September to try to keep their spot in the top tier of the Davis Cup.
The Swiss lost 4-1 to Spain without Roger Federer in the first round in March and will have to win at least three of five matches on September 17-19 to remain in the so-called World Group.
Although the two Kazakh players most likely play shouldn’t pose much of a threat – Evgeny Korolev, Andrey Golubev and Mikhail Kukushkin are ranked 73, 75 and 134 in the world respectively – the long trip to the Kazakh capital Astana could play a role.
Golubev and Kukushkin were both born in Russia and took Kazakh nationality in 2008.
In addition, the encounter takes place a week after the US Open. It remains to be seen whether world number Roger Federer will once ride to his country’s defence.
The meet will be the first time that Kazakhstan, the world’s largest land-locked country, has a shot at a place in the 16-team World Group. It earned the challenge by defeating South Korea and China in the Asia/Oceania Zone Group I.
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