Querrey gives U.S. 1-0 lead over Brazil

Published January 13, 2015

The 2013 opening-round Davis Cup tie between the United States and visiting Brazil commenced Friday, and Sam Querrey beat Thomaz Bellucci in straight sets to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five affair.

Querrey rolled to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 decision on an indoor hardcourt at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. The 6-foot-6 Querrey swatted 16 aces and was not broken by Bellucci on Day 1.

This marked Querrey's first-ever home Davis Cup match. He's now 2-5 in his career Davis Cup singles.

Friday's second opening singles rubber will pit 6-foot-9 American star John Isner against Thiago Alves. Isner has been nursing a sore knee, which prevented him from playing at the Australian Open this month.

The world No. 16 Isner is 5-5 in his career Davis Cup singles -- all on clay and all on the road. Friday will mark his first-ever home Davis Cup rubber.

Saturday's doubles in Florida will pit the mighty Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, against a Brazilian duo of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares, while Sunday's reverse singles call for Isner to tangle with Bellucci and the 20th-ranked Querrey to lock horns with Alves The twin Bryans captured a men's-record 13th doubles Grand Slam title at the Australian Open last week.

Team USA is captained by former world No. 1 star Jim Courier, while the Brazilians are guided by Joao Zwetsch.

The Americans are 3-1 all-time versus Brazil, with their last meeting coming in 1997 when the visiting U.S. won a first-round matchup 4-1 in Ribeirao Preto. The two nations first met in 1932, and the Brazilians haven't beaten the Americans since 1966.

The 32-time champion U.S. lost to the mighty Spaniards in a semifinal in Gijon, Spain last year.

The USA-Brazil winner will meet the Serbia-Belgium victor in a quarterfinal in April.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/querrey-gives-u-s-1-0-lead-over-brazil