All the tennis fans know that the upcoming three days will bring us the biggest team competition in men’s tennis- Davis Cup. Many exciting match ups are coming up during these three days and I’ll try to preview them and give you my most educated guess on the winner of each match and each tie.
Great Britain – Japan
The defending champions of Davis Cup will start their 2016 campaign against Japan on their home soil, at the indoor hard courts of Birmingham. Both teams brought their top 10 players (Murray, Nishikori) for this tie, making it really attractive for the viewing audience. Great Britain had to deal with a withdrawal from Kyle Edmund, but they hopefully found a good replacement in Daniel Evans. Taro Daniel is scheduled to be Japan’s No. 2. Overall, I predict Great Britain to take the win 3-1, with Andy Murray winning both of his matches in singles, and for Great Britain to take the doubles rubber.
Serbia – Kazakhstan
Novak Djokovic is leading the Serbian charge against Kazakhstan in Belgrade. Serbia is definitely the favorite in this tie, as both Djokovic and Troicki will be the higher ranked in their matches against Nedovyesov and Kukushkin respectively. There were question marks over Novak Djokovic, after he retired from Dubai with eye problems. The World No. 1 is also scheduled to appear in the doubles tie with the 40-years old doubles specialist Nenad Zimonjic. Djokovic and Zimonjic have already been confirmed as a team that will compete together at the Olympics, and it definitely will be interesting to see them in action together for the first time this year. Their opponents are to be Aleksandr Nedovyesov and Andrey Golubev. The team nominations are completed by youngsters on either side, Filip Krajinovic for Serbia, and Dmitry Popko for Kazakhstan. My prediction for this tie is for Serbia to clench the win 3-0, in ‘straight rubbers’. I won’t attempt to predict the ‘dead rubbers’ (rubbers played after one team already won), since players don’t always give their best effort in them and substitutions are bound to be made.
Italy – Switzerland
Both teams are strongly weakened, Italy without Fognini and the Swiss without Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka. Italy has a stronger team, with Seppi and Lorenzi being their singles players on the opening day. Switzerland is fielding their two other Top 200 players, Henri Laaksonen and Marco Chiudinelli, for all of their singles and doubles matches. Playing into Italy’s cards is also their choice of surface- clay. If the tie was put on indoor hard courts, the chances for the Swiss would be much higher. The Italians have several choices for their doubles, as Cecchinato and Seppi reached the 3rd round at the Australian Open, but Italy also has Simone Bolelli, who is a Top 20 doubles player. I don’t believe that either Chiudinelli nor Laaksonen have the skills to pull of the upset on clay, in singles or doubles, thus making Italy win 3-0. A more detailed preview can be found here.
Poland – Argentina
There was a lot of curiosity about the court that this tie will be played on at the Ergo Arena in Gdansk. It was called ‘ultra fast’ by the Argentines and ITF was called to check the speed of the court, but it was within the regulations. Although Poland is struck down by injury woes. With Jerzy Janowicz and Kamil Majchrzak having to withdraw, the Polish will not have a Top 300 player in this round. However, both Przysiezny and Hurkacz work very well with a fast indoor court, as the Argentine team of Mayer, Pella, Berlocq and Olivo all prefer clay. However, I still don’t predict an upset on the first day, so both rubbers would be won by Argentina, however the Przysiezny – Pella match will be tough and I expect it to go into 5 sets. Poland has the advantage of a core doubles team of Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski, who should defeat any pair of players that should come their way from the Argentine roster. Leonardo Mayer should then seal the deal and take the win home 3-1.
France – Canada
The French made the smart choice of putting the tie on clay, thus slimming the chances of Raonic and Pospisil. I thought that it would backfire on them, that the players who have already fulfilled their Olympic requirements would skip the tie, so they wouldn’t have to change from clay to hard court. However France brought their strongest team of Gasquet, Tsonga, Monfils and Simon, and Canada was the one whose team was weakened by injuries of Milos Raonic and Daniel Nestor. These players were replaced by Philipp Bester and Adil Shamasdin. Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon were picked by Yannick Noah for the opening day singles against Vasek Pospisil and Frank Dancevic. The projected doubles teams are Richard Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga against Vasek Pospisil and Philipp Bester. I would really be surprised if Canada managed to win a match in this tie, so my prediction is 3-0 for France. However if I had to pick a match in which they would win it, it would be the doubles.
Germany – Czech Republic
Germany really surprised me when they picked Indoor Hard over Indoor Clay. Both countries fielded their best teams for this tie. This tie could truly go either way and it will very much depend on the form of the players on that day. The play will start with Philipp Kohlschreiber against Lukas Rosol. The second match will be played between Alexander Zverev and Tomas Berdych. I wouldn’t be surprised by any results that come off from this day, but my prediction is that Kohlschreiber will win in 5 sets and Berdych will win in 4. In doubles, Dustin Brown and Philipp Petzschner will represent Germany, and Czech Republic will have Jiri Vesely and Radek Stepanek, however I do expect Berdych and Stepanek to play. I expect Czech Republic to win the doubles, and the Berdych to win the tie for the Czech Republic.
Australia – USA
The tie is already underway, however we at Ubitennis have the luxury of having an on-site writer for this tie, and you can find his preview here.
Belgium – Croatia
Last year’s surprise finalist will once again have the opportunity of playing on Indoor Clay at home, this time against Croatia. Both teams are slightly weakened, Belgium is missing Steve Darcis and Croatia will have to deal with the withdrawal of Marin Draganja. First day will offer the match between two young guns, David Goffin and Borna Coric. Marin Cilic will face Kimmer Coppejans in the other match. I predict Goffin and Cilic to take the wins on Day 1, Croatia to win the doubles, Goffin to equal at 2-2 and Borna Coric to finish the tie in the decisive rubber.
[Pictures To Be Added]
