Images from Daviscup.com.
The world’s largest international tennis tournament is coming to Ottawa in February of next year.
It was announced Wednesday that Tennis Canada has awarded Ottawa the hosting rights to a first-round Davis Cup match between Canada and Great Britain in the 2017 edition of the tournament. The three-day series will be hosted at TD Place Feb. 3-5.
The Davis Cup is another unique event to be hosted by the Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group (OSEG), which has in recent years diversified the previously staid Ottawa sports market through its creation of a pro soccer team and reigniting of the city’s passion for football.
“We are thrilled to host this important Davis Cup tie at TD Place,” said OSEG CEO Bernie Ashe in a press release. “The matchup between Great Britain and Canada is the marquee first-round tie for the competition (and) it’s a privilege to be able to present it to our Ottawa/Gatineau fans during Ottawa 2017 celebrations.”
The matches will feature Great Britain, the 2015 Davis Cup champion, and a youthful Canadian squad looking to return to the latter stages of the tournament after crashing out early in 2016. The Brits are led by world no.-2 Andy Murray, and if all goes according to plan, there should be a primetime showdown at some point in February between him and Canadian world no.-4 Milos Raonic.
Unlike regular tennis events, where crowds are asked to maintain a polite quiet, the Davis Cup is known for its rowdy crowds and home court advantages. Canada team captain — read: coach — Martin Laurendreau, a native of Montreal, understands how critical the atmosphere in Ottawa will be if the Canadians are to upset the 2015 champions in Great Britain.
“We are always at our best when we play at home in front of loud, patriotic crowds and that is exactly what we will need here to defeat a strong team from Great Britain,” said Laurendreau, whose squad will likely include familiar Canadian tennis names like Milos Raonic, Vasek Pospisil and doubles king , in a press release. “This will be the first time many of our guys will play in this city and we are looking forward to introducing a new generation of tennis fans to the passion and excitement that is Davis Cup.”
