Davis Cup: Spain to host Britain; India gets bye in first round

Five-times Davis Cup champions Spain will host Britain in the first round of the 2018 competition.

Wednesday's draw handed this year's finalists France and Belgium, who face off in Lille in November, home ties against Netherlands and Hungary respectively, courtesy of a new rule that allows the previous year's finalists choice of venue.

Britain won the trophy in 2015 when Andy Murray led them to their first title for 79 years.

Spain's titles all came between 2000 and 2011.

Top seeded India got a bye in the first round of next year's Davis Cup in the Asia/Oceania group I as draw was made for the competition, dubbed as World Cup of tennis.

India had lost to hosts Canada 2-3 in the World Group play-offs in Edmonton to get back to Asian zone.

Featuring in the top half of the draw, China will hosts New Zealand in their first round and India will take on the winner of the February 2-4 tie in the second round.

It will be an away tie for India since they have already hosted China (March, 2005 in New Delhi) and New Zealand (February, 2017 in Pune). The second round will be held from April 6-8.

India have made four attempts in a row to make to the elite-16-nation World Group but could not cross the hurdle. India lost to Serbia (2014), Czech Republic (2015) and Spain
(2016) before losing to Canada this year.

With the ties, which take place from Feb. 2-4, so soon after the Australian Open, it is unclear whether world number one Rafael Nadal or the man he replaced at the top of the rankings, Murray, will be available.

Record title winners the United States are away to Serbia.

The Fed Cup draw has this year's finalists United States and Belarus drawn against Netherlands and Germany. The U.S. have until Oct. 4 to decide if they want home advantage.

Davis Cup World Group draw:

France v Netherlands

Japan v Italy

Spain v Britain

Australia v Germany

Kazakhstan v Switzerland

Croatia v Canada

Serbia v USA

Belgium v Hungary

(Ties played Feb 2-4)

Fed Cup draw:

Belarus v Germany

Czech Republic v Switzerland

France v Belgium

Netherlands v USA

(Ties played Feb 10-11)