Note about the Davis Cup
The International Tennis Federation announced the matchups for the promotion playoff to the Davis Cup World Group, in which Colombia was paired with Japan in a series that will take place between September 18 and 20 of the present year.
The draw determined that Colombia will host Japan for a spot in the top 16 teams in the World Group of the Davis Cup.
This will be the second Davis Cup match between Colombians and Japanese, after the series held at the Ariake Colliseum in Tokyo in 2013, valid for the promotion playoff, and where the Japanese prevailed with a final score of 3-2.
Japan recently lost to Canada in the first round of the World Group. It was the first time that the Americans managed to win head-to-head. Nishikori won his individual matches, including a five-set match against Milos Raonic, but Japan couldn't secure the third point. Vasek Pospisil was responsible for giving his country the victory in his match against Go Soeda.
The Colombian Davis Cup Team defeated Uruguay 3-2 in Montevideo and once again has a chance for promotion, an opportunity that has eluded them three times.
In 2010, they played at home against the United States, who arrived in Bogota with Mardy Fish, John Isner and Sam Querrey. Giraldo managed to salvage a point in the final 1-3 score, although Alejandro Falla put up a fight before losing in the fifth set against Fish, and in doubles, Robert Farah-Carlos Salamanca lost in four close sets to Fish-Isner.
In 2013, the visit to Japan in Tokyo started well, with a 2-1 lead after victories by Giraldo against Go Soeda and Cabal-Farah against Tatsuma Ito-Yuichi Sugita, but Kei Nishikori and Soeda turned the tables in favor of the hosts with their victories on the third day of competition.
Last year was Colombia's last failed promotion attempt, in a tough visit to Canada, facing Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil in Halifax. Cabal-Farah extended the series to Sunday for a final score of 2-3 (Alejandro González scored a point when everything was already decided 3-1 for the locals).
The matchups for the World Group play-off are as follows:
1. Czech Republic vs India (c)
2. Switzerland (c) vs Netherlands
3. Italy vs Russia (c)
4. United States vs Uzbekistan (c)*
5. Japan vs Colombia (c)
6. Germany vs Dominican Republic (c)*
7. Croatia vs Brazil (c)
8. Slovakia vs Poland (c)
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Information from the International Olympic Committee