U.S. to head to Uzbekistan to start 2023 Davis Cup campaign in qualifying

Captain Mardy Fish and the U.S. Davis Cup team will begin their quest for a record-extending 33rd Davis Cup title in Uzbekistan in 2023.

In the draw for the next year's competition, held Sunday at the 2022 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals in Malaga, Spain, the U.S. was awarded an away tie vs. Uzbekistan in the 2023 Qualifiers. The qualifying tie will be held on either Feb. 3-4 or Feb. 4-5, 2023 as determined by the host team. 

The winner of the Qualifier will be one of 16 nations who will advance to the group stage of the 2023 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals to be held the week of Sept. 11, 2023. The 12 victorious nations from February's qualifying ties will be joined in the group stage by 2022 Davis Cup champions Canada, runners-up Australia, and wild cards Spain and Italy.

The U.S. has played an independent Uzbekistan twice in Davis Cup history, winning both times. This head-to-head history includes a 4-0 U.S. win in the 2020 Qualifiers held on U.S. soil in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

In the competition's old home-and-away format, the U.S. was also a 3-1 winner in Tashkent in 2015 in the World Group Play-offs.

The U.S. was bounced from the 2022 Davis Cup by Rakuten Finals by Italy in the quarterfinals. Previously this year, the U.S. defeated Colombia in a home tie in Reno, Nev. in March to reach the group stage, and beat the Netherlands and host Great Britain in Glasgow, Scotland in September to seal a berth in the last eight. 

The U.S. hasn't won a Davis Cup title since 2007, but owns four more all-time titles in the competition than second-place Australia, which owns 28. The Americans will be the third seeds in the 2023 Qualifiers behind Croatia and France.