http://www.sportsmediainc.com/tennisweek/index.cfm?func=showarticle&newsid= 11929&bannerregion= Davis Cup Venues Announced Sebastien Grosjean By Tennis Week 12/22/2004 Davis Cup tradition comes to court whenever Sweden and France meet. The two countries have combined to claim 16 Davis Cup championships, but one nation's hopes for the 2005 Davis Cup will be history after they face off in in the first round. The International Tennis Federation has posted the venues for the 2005 Davis Cup opening-round ties and the France-Sweden showdown is one of the most intriguing match-ups of the eight first-round clashes. France, the 2001 Davis Cup champion, which fell to eventual-champion Spain in September's semifinals, will host Sweden on red clay at the 6,000-seat Hall Rhenus Sport in Strasbourg, France, March 4-6th. Sweden has not lost an opening-round World Group tie since 1999 when it fell to the Slovak Republic, 3-2. A year ago, Sweden upset defending Davis Cup champion Australia, 4-1, in Lleyton Hewitt's hometown of Adelaide on the strength of two singles wins from Thomas Enqvist. Jonas Bjorkman, who partnered with Joachim Johansson to beat Wayne Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge in doubles, defeated Mark Philippoussis in straight sets to seal Sweden's victory. Swedish captain Mats Wilander may look to his younger players — Robin Soderling and Johansson — to play a bigger role against France. The last time the two nations met in Davis Cup competition, Arnaud Boetsch rallied from a two sets to one deficit to score a dramatic 7-6(2), 2-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 10-8 victory over Sweden's Nicklas Kulti to lift France to a 3-2 victory over host Sweden in the 1996 final. Other compelling opening-round ties include Chile against host Russia in Moscow; Croatia against the host United States in Carson, California and the Slovak Republic hosting defending Davis Cup-champion Spain in Bratislava. For a complete list of first-round match-ups and venues, please visit this 2005 Davis Cup opening-round ties link. -- 果酱变老了…-"- --

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