GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Geneva will host the Davis Cup tennis match 1-3 February 2013, rather than Basel, Roger Federer’s hometown, the Swiss Tennis Federation announced 15 October.
The match against the Czech Republic will be the first round of the world group and comes five days after the Australian Open ends.
Geneva was selected over Basel, despite hard lobbying by both cities, largely because Stanislas Wawrinka, currently number 17, has given his word he’ll take part, Swiss Tennis says, calling the decision “less risky”. Wawrinka is the head of the French-speaking Swiss group. Federer’s team has said it can’t make a commitment for him yet, and may not be able to until the end of the year.
The match will be played in hall 7 of Palexpo, which has room for 5,500 fans. The surface to be used for play hasn’t yet been decided.
Tickets will be on sale from mid-November at www.swisstennis.ch
