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By Chris Oddo | Friday April 6, 2017

 
Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios will look to solidify his go-to status as he leads the Aussies vs. Team U.S.A. in Brisbane this weekend.

Photo Source: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

Are you ready for some Davis Cup? It’s World Group quarterfinal time in Brisbane, Rouen, Charleroi and Belgrade. Here’s a preview of what to look for this weekend.

U.S.A. vs. Australia, Brisbane, Outdoor hardcourt

The 47th installment of the most played tie in Davis Cup history will take place on Aussie soil, and it promises to be a heated affair between two evenly matched sides. Nick Kyrgios will lead the Australian team, and he’ll be joined by Jordan Thompson, an unsung but talented 23-year-old that has shown a lot of good tennis in 2017.

The Americans will counter with a well-rounded squad, led by World No.15 Jack sock and featuring four players that are all ranked inside the Top 30 in singles.

On paper it looks like it might be up to Nick Kyrgios to win both of his singles rubbers, and that will be no easy task even for a player as talented as he is. He’ll open with John Isner, a veteran of 13 Davis Cup ties, and could face Sock in a massive fourth rubber on Sunday.

Doubles could be interesting. The Americans are without Mike and Bob Bryan so they’ll have options to consider as they prepare to face off with World No.2 doubles player John Peers, who will likely be paired with Sam Groth.


The Americans defeated the Aussies on grass at Kooyong last year in the first meeting between the two nations since 1999. John Isner went 2-0 in the tie, but Nick Kyrgios was not in action for the Aussies in that meeting.

Great Britain at France, Rouen, Indoor Clay

An absence of big stars such as Andy Murray, Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will force French Captain Yannick Noah and British Captain Leon Smith to look a bit deeper for significant contributions as the teams meet for the second time in three years.

World No.17 Lucas Pouille is the highest-ranking player in the tie, and the only one inside the Top 40, which means that players like Kyle Edmund (World No.47) and Dan Evans (World No.44) will get to play significant roles. World No. 68 Jeremy Chardy has also been slated in for the French.

One would assume that having the tie on clay works in France’s favor but the nation’s best clay-courters (Gael Monfils, Gilles Simon, Richard Gasquet) are not in action, which makes this tie a very difficult one to call.

Spain at Serbia, Belgrade, Indoor Hard

World No.1 Novak Djokovic will play his second Davis Cup tie this season, and he projects to be the key player for 2010 champion Serbia as they seek a spot in the semifinals for the first time since 2013.

Spain will send Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Pablo Carreno Busta on Friday, hoping that Carreno Busta can defeat Viktor Troicki to give them a Day 1 split. With Djokovic in the mix, Spain must find a way to handle Troicki, which is no easy task on a fast hardcourt. The Serb owns 16 career singles win in 19 career ties, and he has always embraced the Davis Cup stage.

Italy at Belgium, Charleroi, Indoor Hard

In their first meeting since 2000, Italy and Belgium will square off for the right to reach the World Group semifinals. February’s hero in Belgium was Steve Darcis. He defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber and Alexander Zverev in singles rubbers to lead Belgium past Germany at Frankfurt and he’ll open this tie by facing Paolo Lorenzi. The highest-ranked singles player in the tie will take the court next on Friday, as World No.14 David Goffin will square off with Andreas Seppi in rubber No.2.

Fabio Fognini will miss this tie due to injury, which means that Seppi, a veteran of 23 ties, will be called upon to make a difference. Lorenzi, 35, went 1-1 vs. Argentina in Italy’s 3-2 win in February. The unheralded Italian has blossomed in his mid-30s and could be a big factor in this tie.

 

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