Giron, McDonald, Michelsen, Krajicek, Ram Named to US Davis Cup Workforce

Written by Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, January 6, 2025
Photograph credit score: Mark Howard

A gaggle of prime 50 singles gamers and two doubles veterans will lead america Davis Cup staff.

Captain Bob Bryan at present it’s referred to as Alex Michelsen, Marcos Giron, Mackenzie McDonald, Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram within the American staff in its qualifying match for the First Spherical of the 2025 Davis Cup vs. Chinese language Taipei.

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The tie is scheduled for January 31-February 1 on the indoor exhausting court docket on the Taipei Tennis Middle in Taipei Metropolis.

The truth that this Qualifier begins days after the tip of the Australian Open on January 26 could also be one purpose why American stars ranked within the High 40 together with Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton, Sebastian Korda and Brandon Nakashima will not be taking part in Davis. Cup starter.

The USA-Chinese language Taipei tie – considered one of 13 home-and-away ties performed all over the world as a part of the primary spherical of Qualifying – is a best-of-five sequence.

The tie begins with two singles matches on Friday, January 31. The doubles match and two singles matches back-to-back will comply with on Saturday, February 1, with the primary nation to win three matches advancing to the second spherical of the Qualifiers – a change in format is new this 12 months.

The winner of USA-Chinese language Taipei will play the winner of Korea and Czechia within the Qualifying Second Spherical, held September 12-14, additionally in a home-and-away format. The winners of the Second Qualifying Spherical then advance to the Closing 8 of the eight-nation Davis Cup that can tackle this 12 months’s Davis Cup title in November in Bologna, Italy.

Italy are the two-time defending Davis Cup champions.

This would be the first assembly between the USA and Chinese language Taipei within the Davis Cup. Chinese language Taipei was chosen because the host nation by way of a random drawing. Each nations compete within the Qualifying pool in 2024. The US staff superior to the Group Stage of Finals and the Closing on November 8, falling to Australia within the quarterfinals. Chinese language Taipei misplaced within the Qualifiers however gained their first World Group match towards Bosnia and Herzegovina in September to return to Qualification this 12 months.

Listed here are USTA Workforce USA participant bios:

Alex Michelsen20, is presently ranked No. 41 in singles and will likely be making his Davis Cup debut. The Laguna Hills, Calif., native has reached three ATP singles finals up to now two years and broke into the High 50 for the primary time this summer season, turning into the youngest American to take action since Sam Querrey in 2007.

Marcos Giron31, is presently ranked No. 45 in singles and will likely be making his Davis Cup debut. A two-time Olympian from Thousand Oaks, Calif., Giron gained his first ATP singles title this previous summer season in Newport and reached his prime singles rating of No. 37 in August.

Mackenzie McDonald29, ranked No. 130 in singles however was ranked as excessive as No. 37, fall 2023. McDonald, from Piedmont, Calif., made her Davis Cup debut in 2023 and went 3-1 in singles. throughout 4 totally different ties, most lately the 2024 Finals Group Stage.

Rajeev Ram40, is a former doubles world No. 1 presently ranked No. 28. Has gone 10-3 in Davis Cup doubles since debut in 2021. Ram, from Carmel, Ind., is a four-time Grand Slam males’s champion and two-time ATP Finals champion and earned his second Olympic medal on the Paris Olympics this previous summer season, profitable silver with Krajicek.

Austin Krajicek34, can also be a former world No. 1, presently ranked No. 42. He has gone 6-2 within the Davis Cup twice since his debut in 2023. A local of Tampa, Krajicek gained the boys’s title on the 2023 French Open and earned his personal. first Olympic medal on the Paris Olympics this previous summer season, profitable silver with Ram.