Sam cannot wait for Davis Cup debut alongside brother Peter

ULSTER’S Sam Bothwell will make his Davis Cup debut for Ireland against Denmark in February when he joins his older brother Peter, who will lead the team into action in the Euro-Africa Group 2 tie in Copenhagen.

Sam (20) will be joined by three other new faces in the fivestrong line-up as Simon Carr (18), Osgar O’Hoisin (22) and Julian Bradley (25) all prepare to make their first appearance at this level.

Carr, son of former Dublin Gaelic football manager Tommy, has already climbed into the world’s top 1,000 and reached the quarter-finals of the last US Junior Open, while O’Hoisin and Bradley have spent much of their time playing college tennis in America.

Ireland will be without three front-line players for the two-day event on February 3-4 as James McGee, David O’Hare and Sam Barry are all unavailable for a variety of reasons.

Sam, from Hillsborough, says he’s thrilled at the achievement and to be joining his 22-year-old brother, who has played in the Davis Cup for Ireland twice before, on the big stage.

He got the nod for his Davis Brothers in arms: Sam Bothwell (left) will join brother Peter in the Ireland team for the Davis Cup trip to Denmark in February

Cup place on the back of reaching two doubles finals on the pro tour and, most importantly, making the Irish Open decider in the same event.

Sam said: “Basically it’s been a dream of mine since watching the Davis Cup as a kid with my grandparents, and now I am lucky enough to turn that dream into a reality.

“It makes it even more special being in the same team as my brother as I’ve a huge amount of respect for him.”

Peter, meanwhile, is delighted for his brother and is looking forward to the added responsibility of leading Ireland for the first time.

He said: “It’s a real honour,

and to be leading the team is a massive achievement for me.

“I’m very proud to be sharing the moment with my brother, it’s going to be a great week.

“We’ve got a very inexperienced team with the other four players receiving caps for the first time, but we’ve got great belief in ourselves, a great team spirit and we are ready to leave it all out there.

“I know the Danish team quite well and how they are going to play and we know it’s going to be a very quick court.

“It’s one of the best weeks of the year, we believe we have a great chance to cause an upset away in Denmark and I’m already excited for it.”