The venues for the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group quarterfinals to be held the weekend of 7-9 April are now known, subject to final confirmation by the ITF.

The Croatian Tennis Association has been given an extension until Wednesday 1 March to confirm the venue for its home tie against Argentina.

The venues are also confirmed for the eight Zonal Group I second round ties on the same weekend that will see the winners progress to the World Group Play-offs on 22-24 September. For further information, see the Ties section.

The USTA announced Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California as the site for the quarterfinal between the USA and Chile. The match will be played on grass and marks the return of Davis Cup play to the site of the USA’s victory over Great Britain in the 1978 Davis Cup Final.

US Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe said: “We’re really excited to be playing in Rancho Mirage and we hope to have a strong home court advantage. Obviously, playing on grass should help our cause, but at the same time we know the Chileans are capable of playing at a high level on any surface, particularly when they are representing their country.”

Davis Cup action is set to return to Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club in Melbourne after a 13-year absence, after Tennis Australia nominated the venue to host the quarterfinal between Australia and Belarus. Kooyong last hosted a Davis Cup Tie in 1993 in a first round encounter against the USA which Australia won 4-1, and also staged successful Davis Cup finals in 1983 and 1986.

Kooyong was also the permanent home to the Australian Open from 1972-87 before the tournament moved to the purpose-built venue at Melbourne Park.

Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald said: “It is great to be able to return to Kooyong for a Davis Cup Tie as the venue holds so many great memories for tennis fans. “This promises to be a hard fought quarterfinal battle which I’m sure will be a fitting addition to the rich history of Davis Cup matches at Kooyong.”

The FFT announced that the Palais des Sports in Pau will host the quarterfinal between France and Russia, who meet at this stage for the second successive year. The tie will be held on carpet. The venue was last used for the 2002 quarterfinal against the Czech Republic, where Fabrice Santoro won a dramatic five-set deciding rubber against Bohdan Ulihrach.

Source: DavisCup.com