Davis Cup Preview: Week 2

It is the second universal week of Davis Cup competition with ties being contested on 5 continents on 4 tiers from Austin, Texas to Kobe, Japan.  Here are the schedule of ties with a few comments from yours truly.

World Group QF
Serbia at Sweden
Kazakhstan at Argentina (already 2-0 ARG)
Spain at United States
France at Germany

SRB/SWE  Soderling is curiously not showing up so this tie shouldn't be anywhere near close.  I'll give the Swedes the doubles with Aspelin/Lindstedt.  SRB 3 SWE 1
KAZ/ARG  Golubev and Kukushkin have been awful this year...except in Davis Cup competition.  But the Argentines with Delpo, Monaco, and Chela are level up (esp. on clay) from CZE playing without Stepanek.  Somehow I think they'll manage one rubber.  ARG 3 KAZ 1
ESP/USA  This would have been tightly contested tie if only Nadal had showed up.  Now I expect an American whitewash with Roddick playing in his hometown and Fish fresh from a QF at Wimby.  Lopez is the best Spanish player on fast hard courts, and maybe he keeps them in it?  No.  USA 3 ESP 0
FRA/GER  With the withdrawals of Nadal and Soderling, this could be the marquee tie of the weekend.  Monfils/Gasquet/Tsonga/Llodra against Mayer/Kohlschreiber/Petzschner/Kas on clay in Stuttgart.  France is the favorite on paper but they are away and this is an underrated German squad.  I'm going to pick an upset here in a back-and-forth tie going the distance.  GER 3 FRA 2

Europe/Africa Zonal Group I (winners to World Group Playoffs, joining Israel)
Slovenia at Italy
Netherlands at South Africa
Portugal at Switzerland

The Swiss and Italians should cruise to easy victories as SUI plays with Federer and Wawrinka and ITA has more depth, is at home, and has Fognini and Starace playing very well right now.  The NED/RSA tie could be interesting.  Anderson will be motivated at home (he won in Jo-burg this year) and the Dutch are without de Bakker.  This is difficult to call but I think the South Africans pull it out.

Americas Zonal Group I (winners to World Group Playoffs)
Canada at Ecuador
Brazil at Uruguay

CAN/ECU are both without their top players (Raonic and Lapentti) so it could be struggle for Canada (also no Dancevic) away on clay but I think they'll pull it out.  Brazil has Bellucci who should be able to carry them to victory, along with doubles specialist Soares, over Cuevas' Uruguayas.

Asia/Oceania Zonal Group I (winners to World Group Playoffs)
Australia at China
Uzbekistan at Japan

I can't see China competing against Hewitt and Tomic.  We might get a nice Nishikori/Istomin matchup in JPN/UZB but Japan playing at home has more depth and should advance.

Playoff round (loser to relegation tie):  Philippines at New Zealand

Europe Zonal Group II
Semifinals (winners to promotion ties):
Luxembourg at Great Britain
Belarus at Hungary
Estonia at Bosnia & Herzegovina
Latvia at Denmark

Murray and Muller are the only top 100 players here as Gulbis pulled out, likely giving that tie to DEN.  The Brits should be able to get through especially if James Ward keeps up his good play.

Relegation round (losers to Group III next year)
Tunisia at Ireland
Cyprus at Bulgaria
Morocco at Lithuania
Monaco at Greece

Baghdatis is only player of note here, trying to keep the Cypriots in Group II.  Notably absent are Dimitrov (playing Newport) and Berankis (injured)

Americas Zonal Group II
Semifinals (winners to promotion ties):
Dominican Republic at Peru
Venezuela at Paraguay

Relegation round (losers to Group III next year):
Netherlands Antilles at El Salvador
Haiti at Puerto Rico

Asia/Pacific Zonal Group II

Semifinals (winners to promotion ties):

Pakistan at South Korea

Indonesia at Thailand

Relegation round (losers to Group III next year):

Syria at Hong Kong

Iran at Pacific Oceania

Africa Zonal Group III (pool play from Cairo, Egypt)

Pool A:  Benin, Egypt (Group II last year), Madagascar (final last year), Nigeria

Pool B:  Algeria (final last year), Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe

I'll also mention here some results from a couple weeks ago in the lower groups of the Americas zone.  In Americas Zonal Group III, Barbados, Bolivia, Costa Rica and Guatemala made it to the promotion group where BAR and BOL advanced to Group II next year.  Aruba, Bahamas, Honduras and Jamaica made up the relegation poor and HON and JAM were sent down to Group IV next year.

In Zonal Group IV only three countries competed, where Panama and Trinidad & Tobago beat the US Virgin Islands and advanced Group III next year.

Enjoy the team tennis this weekend.  I'll be back after the ties to wrap them up and set the stage for the ... *drum roll* ...World Group Playoffs