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U.S. Davis Cup team will have an opportunity for revenge against Great Britain – but will have to go on the road

U.S. Davis Cup team will have an opportunity for revenge against Great Britain – but will have to go on the road

The draw for the 2015 Davis Cup World Group was made Thursday in Dubai. And when all the pairings were finalized, some intriguing matchups emerged.

The American team, forced to contest a playoff tie last weekend against Slovakia because of its first-round loss to the Andy Murray-led Great Britain squad last February in San Diego, will have an opportunity for immediate revenge.

The two teams will meet again in the first round, March 6-8, 2015. Because the U.S. was the host nation the last time, it will be the road squad for this one.

The question today was: if the Scottish independence vote passes today, will Murray be a part of the British team in six months' time? Without him, the Americans would be overwhelming favorites. But Murray himself confirmed Thursday that regardless of the outcome, he would indeed play for Great Britain in 2015; there would not be an official team representing Scotland until at least 2016, at any rate.

Here are the other first-round ties in the World Group:

*France at Germany

*Japan at Canada

*Australia at Czech Republic

*Italy at Kazakstan

*Brazil at Argentina

*Croatia at Serbia

*Switzerland at  Belgium (Belgium hosts)

What a terrific draw. A couple of immediate revenge ties, as well as ties between intriguing rivals in Argentina vs. Brazil, and Serbia vs. Croatia.

In the Europe-Africa zone, traditional Davis Cup powerhouse Spain received a first-round bye and will play the winner of a tie between Russia and Denmark.

Spain, with top players Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer (among others) absent, lost a playoff tie in Brazil last weekend and now must work its way back up to the World Group. That tie will take place in July, and will happen without current captain Carlos Moya, who will not be back as captain in 2015.