New York, Dec 11: The Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., will host the United States' first-round Davis Cup match against Austria in February, reporters learned Tuesday.
The site was announced formally on Wednesday morning at a news conference with Davis Cup captain Patrick McEnroe in the casino's 10,000-seat arena, a U.S. Tennis Association source told the AP on condition of anonymity.
It's the same arena where the WNBA's Connecticut Sun began playing this year. There is no sports book at the Mohegan Sun, and the NBA has played exhibition games at the arena. There are several entrances to the sprawling Mohegan Sun complex, and fans with children can enter through the main doors of the 34-story hotel.
Sporting events at casinos aren't new. Boxing has been a big attraction for decades, and a minor league hockey team plays at a Las Vegas casino.
The Feb. 6-8 series will be the first Davis Cup matches in Connecticut since 1987, when the United States faced West Germany at Hartford.



McEnroe said last month that he expected the best-of-five series against Austria to be played on the West Coast. That would make travel easier for players such as No. 1-ranked Andy Roddick, because the Davis Cup matches come between the Australian Open and an indoor hard-court ATP Tour tournament in San Jose, Calif.



The source wouldn't discuss reasons for the site choice. But the USTA might have been drawn to the spot because it lies roughly midway between New York City and Boston, which could help draw spectators for the competition.



The United States and Austria played once before in the Davis Cup, with the Americans winning a semifinal at Vienna en route to the 1990 title. The United States has won a record 31 Davis Cups, most recently in 1995. Austria never reached a final.



The winner will advance to the April 9-11 quarterfinals against 2003 champion Australia or Sweden.


Bureau Report