The world group Davis Cup quarter-finals promises to be full of unpredictability and interest following the absence of some big names. Eight countries will battle it out in four ties located on two continents (three in Europe and one in North America).
Great Britain Vs Serbia
Host country: Serbia – Tasmajdan Stadium, Belgrade
Surface – Clay, outdoor
Current champions Great Britain faces a tough task of defending their title with the absence of two of their highest ranked players, Andy Murray and Dan Evans. The Brits will play Serbia on the clay in Belgrade. Serbia has also suffered their own setbacks with the absence of world No.1 Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki.
Carrying the British flag in the singles will be Kyle Edmund and Davis Cup veteran James Ward. On the first day of competition Edmund will play Janko Tipsarevic, who will be playing his first Davis Cup tie since 2013 after being sidelined from action due to injury. World No.241 Ward faces Dusan Lajovic in what will be a tough match for the Brit. Ward was the only British man apart from Andy Murray to win a singles match in the competition last year. On the other hand, he has only been able to win seven main draw matches this season.
In the doubles, Britain has the advantage of doubles world No.5 Jamie Murray, who will team up with Dom Inglot. Inglot is also a top-30 doubles player and recently won the Nottingham Open with Canada’s Daniel Nestor. On Saturday they are scheduled to play veteran doubles player Nenad Zimonjic and Tipsarevic.
#SRBGBR @TipsarevicJanko makes his first #DavisCup appearance since 2013 and faces @kyle8edmund in the opener! pic.twitter.com/1WP0gmqYkt
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) July 14, 2016
France Vs The Czech Republic
Host country: The Czech Republic – The Werk Arena, Trinec
Surface: Hard, indoor
The Werk Arena in Trinec will see a battle of the rising stars against the tour veterans. The Czech Republic feature 23-year-old Jiri Vesely and 37-year-old Radek Stepanek in the singles. Meanwhile, France will have Lucas Pouille and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, both of whom recently reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon.
Tsonga has a winning head-to-head record of 4-1 against Stepanek, but has never played Vesely before. On the other hand, Pouille has never defeated Vesely in either juniors or seniors. Their last encounter was at the 2015 Auckland Open, where he lost in straight-sets. Since the 2015 loss, Pouille has grown stronger on the tour and is extremely capable of getting revenge on his Czech nemesis.
The French team will be the overwhelming favourites in the doubles with Wimbledon champions Paul-Henri Herbert and Nicolas Mahut teaming up. The pair has already won four ATP titles this season (not counting Wimbledon) and are the top-two doubles players in the world.
France this year is bidding to win their first Davis Cup title since 2001 compared to their opponents, who is bidding to win their third since 2012.
https://twitter.com/tsonga7/status/753650185499181056
Argentina Vs Italy
Host Country: Italy – Circolo Tennis Baratoff, Pesaro
Surface
The South America – Europe battle will welcome the return of former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, who will be ending his three-and-a-half-year absence from the tournament. Del Potro is scheduled to play in the doubles alongside Guido Pella, a player who lost to Roger Federer in the first round at Wimbledon. Their opponents on the second day of the tie will be Marco Cecchinato and Paolo Lorenzi.
In the singles Argentina will be relying on Juan Monaco and Federico Delbonis, both of whom have won ATP titles on the clay this season. Playing away on Italian soil will be a big challenge for the Argentine team. Their singles opponents will be the formidable Fabio Fognini and Andreas Seppi.
The Italian players have a mixed record against their quarter-final opponents. Fognini has lost to both of the Argentine players on the clay, but at very different stages of his career. He lost to Monaco at the 2007 French Open and more recently succumbed in three sets to Delbonis at the 2016 Buenos Aires Open. Seppi will play both players for the first time since 2014, but has previously enjoyed wins against them.
#ITAARG @AndreasSeppi & @FedeDelbonis will open the #DavisCup quarterfinal. @delpotrojuan set to feature in doubles! pic.twitter.com/nUS0PKqFFK
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) 14 July 2016
USA Vs Croatia
Host Country: America – Tualatin Hills Tennis Centre, Oregon
Surface: Hard, outdoor
In the only last-eight tie held outside of Europe, America will host Croatia at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Centre in Oregon. Both countries will be bidding to reach their first Davis Cup semifinal since 2012.
The American team will consist of top-30 players Jack Sock and John Isner as well as the notorious Bryan brothers. Croatia promises to be stiff opposition with former US Open champion Marin Cilic and Borna Coric in the singles. Their doubles team will feature Marin Draganja and Ivan Dodig.
This weekend Isner will be hoping to get his first ever win over Cilic after losing to him on five previous occasions. The matchup will be a unpredictable one with Sock never playing Cilic before and Isner has never faced Coric.
On home territory the USA will be the favourites, especially with the help experienced Bryan brothers. On the other hand, they have never defeated Croatia in the tournament, losing all three of their previous ties.
#USACRO @JackSock and @cilic_marin open the quarterfinal before @JohnIsner takes on @borna_coric pic.twitter.com/GrOCNAnsSo
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) 14 July 2016
