ASTANA – The 2015 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first round matchup between Kazakhstan and Italy will be held March 6-8 in Astana at the National Tennis Centre, according to the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation.
Kazakhstan has been participating in the Davis Cup for 19 years and has hosted each of its last seven home Davis Cup matchups at the National Tennis Centre in Astana, where it won six of those clashes. Kazakhstan has established itself as a competitive tennis nation, reaching quarterfinal stage of the Davis Cup in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
This year’s matchup against Italy could be a challenge, however, as the Italian team is coming off a successful 2014 season. It reached the semifinals where it fell to the champions Switzerland. Italy won the Davis Cup title in 1976.
The winner of the March matchup will go on to fight for a spot in the World Group in September.
The venue for the March action, the National Tennis Centre, is a modern sport complex. Its central court has 2,700 seats and the facility includes dressing rooms, snack bars and showers. There are three additional tennis courts for training equipped with up-to-date television and audio equipment. The National Tennis Centre is meant to provide players with the latest in cutting-edge training and comfort facilities.
The Beeline, KazMunayGas and Kazzink companies are general sponsors of the upcoming event.
Press conferences concerning the matchup will be held on March 3 and March 5. The time and place of the press conferences has not been announced.
The last time Kazakhstan hosted a match outside its capital was in April 2008.
