Due to a peculiar circumstance, Glasgow becomes the favorite to host the Davis Cup tie between Australia and Great Britain between September 18-20. The Brits wanted to play in Manchester Arena but due to a Florence and the Machine concert, that will not be able to happen.
The breakdown of this situation
The Brits wanted to play the tie on grass knowing it is their preferred surface of choice. However with it being out of season for the outdoor grass courts, places like the All-England Club and Queen’s Club are out of the question. That also takes Birmingham and Nottingham out of the running.
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) looked at the Manchester Arena, which seats over 20,000, as the initial choice. That kind of crowd on hand for Davis Cup would make it even more raucous than in Queen’s which took place right after Wimbledon so a very small, if any, French contingency was overshadowed by the Brits.
Lawn Tennis Association chief executive Michael Downey had multiple conversations with the band’s agent. However, their show must go on in Manchester Arena leaving the LTA in a bit of a pickle. Due to this, the LTA has been given an extra five days to find a venue before next Wednesday’s deadline to confirm the location of the tie.
Last time in Glasgow
If one recalls correctly, the last time a Davis Cup tie was played at the Emirates Arena was during the opening round of Davis Cup play when Great Britain took on the United States. The Emirates was fully packed. They witnessed the upset of the tie as James Ward took out John Isner 15-13 in the fifth set of the second rubber.
The Brits clinched the tie on an Andy Murray victory over the American number one John Isner. Glasgow is expected to be confirmed as the venue for the semifinal next week with plans to expand the seating so more than 9000 fans can fit in the arena.