Looking ahead to a potentially wild weekend of Davis Cup QF ties

The best thing about Davis Cup is when the ties actually begin. Only then do we stop hearing about how the competition needs to be fixed.

Thankfully, it’s that time again. Quarterfinal weekend is upon us, and the draws have been made. Here’s a look at what may lie ahead in each of the four face-offs.

Italy vs. Belgium
*Spiroudome de Charleroi, Charleroi, Belgium

Indoor hard court*

OK, I’ll take a moment to note one negative element of the Davis Cup schedule: Its spread-out nature makes it less likely that a top player can lead his team for an entire DC campaign. Witness Fabio Fognini. The hero of Italy’s upset of Argentina in February—he came from two sets down to win the fifth rubber—is injured and won’t be available this weekend.

That means the Belgians, who will be playing at home and on friendly hard courts, will be the favorites to reach the semifinals. David Goffin, a Top 15 player, and Steve Darcis, a Davis Cup stalwart, are coming off a strong showing against Germany, and should be just as strong facing Paolo Lorenzi and Andreas Seppi in the singles.

United States vs. Australia
*Pat Rafter Arena, Brisbane, Australia

Outdoor hard court*

This will be the U.S. team’s second trip Down Under in as many years. Normally teams alternate home and away ties, but this one is a long overdue make-good match. In 1999, a tie between the Americans and Aussies was switched to the U.S. for the Davis Cup’s 100th anniversary celebration. (Australia still won.) It’s a measure of the quiet commitment of the current U.S. team—Jack Sock, John Isner, Steve Johnson, Sam Querrey—that they made the 20-hour flight again, this time to Brisbane.

The U.S. won handily last year, but there will be significant differences this time around. Instead of grass, the tie will be played on a hard court. Instead of being led by Bernard Tomic, the Australian team will be led by Nick Kyrgios. That’s an upgrade, as Kyrgios is playing the best tennis of his career at the moment. He’ll need to keep it up. Sock and Isner will be favored to beat his teammate, Jordan Thompson, in both of those singles rubbers. If Kyrgios also holds serve, the tie will be decided by the doubles. Right now that would pit Johnson and Querrey against Sam Groth and John Peers. It’s safe to say this is anyone’s tie. (Programming note: For those of us in the States, the first rubber will begin on Thursday evening, 10:00 EDT, on Tennis Channel.)

Great Britain vs. France
*Kindarena, Rouen, France

Indoor clay*

In the first round, the Brits survived a road tie in Canada without their best player, Andy Murray. Can Kyle Edmund, Dan Evans, Jamie Murray and Dominic Inglot do the same in France? It’s going to be a tougher ask. This tie will be on red clay, and while the French are missing stars like Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet, they’re deep enough to still field a respectable squad. This one will be led by Lucas Pouille and Jeremy Chardy in singles. On paper, there’s not much to separate the two teams, and that includes the doubles. Each will have one of the world’s best in that format on hand—Nicolas Mahut for the French and Jamie Murray for the British. This tie could take a while, and a weekend’s worth of ups and downs, to decide.

Spain vs. Serbia
*Aleksandar Nikolic Arena, Belgrade, Serbia

Indoor hard court*

Novak Djokovic is here, and Rafael Nadal is not. Is there anything else we need to know about this tie? Possibly, yes, because the man to watch for the Serbs won’t be Djokovic, but rather his teammate, Viktor Troicki, who could have a very busy weekend.

Djokovic will be the heavy favorite to open the weekend with a win over Albert Ramos-Viñolas. Troicki, on the other hand, will likely be in for a tussle with Pablo Carreño Busta. They’ve never faced each other, and while Troicki is the more experienced Davis Cupper—he won the title-clinching rubber for the Serbs in 2010—Carreño Busta has had the better start to the season and is currently ranked 20 spots ahead of Troicki. If the first day’s matches are split, the tie could be decided either by the doubles or the fifth singles rubber. Right now, the doubles is scheduled to pit Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic against Marc Lopez and Jaume Munar—advantage Serbia. The fifth rubber is scheduled to pit Troicki against Ramos-Viñolas. That could get interesting.

**· This weekend on Tennis Channel Plus, watch LIVE matches from the Davis Cup and Volvo Car Open

· Watch LIVE Davis Cup quarterfinals featuring Spain v Servia, France v Great Britain, and Belgium v Italy

· Novak Djokovic fans – watch Djokovic lead team Serbia in their Davis Cup clash against Spain

· From the Volvo Car Open, watch Live Doubles action on Stadium Court

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