By Chris Oddo Photo Credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
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With four of the world’s top five players sitting out this weekend, Davis Cup promises to provide opportunities to shine for a group of hungry players, some of whom are getting their first taste of World Group action.
Kei Nishikori is one of them. The twentieth-ranked 22-year-old has helped the Japanese team back into the World Group for the first time in 26 years, where they are poised to meet Croatia.
Milos Raonic, Canada’s tennis weapon of choice, is another. The Maple Leaf Missile will lead Team Canada into their first World Group battle against the always dangerous French team in Vancouver.
These are just a few of the emerging storylines that will keep Twitter feeds and Facebook timelines buzzing for the next three days. Here’s a quick look at the key players and key matches in each of this weekend’s World Group matches.
Kazakhstan at Spain
Key Player: Not Nadal or Ferrer: Without the big boys carrying the heavy load for Spain, which Spaniard will seize the moment and take the bull by the horns?
Key match: Juan Carlos Ferrero vs. Mikhail Kukushkin, 1st rubber: Kukushkin showed good form in becoming the first Kazakh to reach the Australian Open’s fourth round this year, and Kazakhstan’s hopes of competing in Oviedo are resting with him.
Prediction: Spain 5-0
Russia at Austria
Key Player: Igor Kunitsyn: Now that Russian coach Shamil Tarpishev has decided to play Kunitsyn against Jurgen Melzer instead of higher-ranked Mikhail Youzhny or Nikolay Davydenko, Igor can either make his Captain look bad or make him look good. The future of Russia, in other words, could be in Kunitsyn’s hands.
Key Match: Alex Bogomolov vs. Andreas Haider Maurer, 2nd rubber: Newly anointed Russian Bogomolov might be needed to draw the his compatriots even on day 1. Is he up to the challenge?
Prediction: Russia 3-2
France at Canada
Key Player: Milos Raonic needs to play out of his head if he is to beat Julien Benneteau and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. And he’ll likely need both wins if the Canadians are to have any chance against the French.
Key Match: Nestor/Pospisil vs. Benneteau/ Llodra, 3rd rubber: If Raonic holds his ground on Friday, the dubs will be pivotal.
Prediction: France 4-1
USA at Switzerland
Key Player: Roger Federer: Federer’s a combined 9-1 vs. Fish and Isner, and it doesn’t bode well for the Americans.
Key Match: Mardy Fish vs. Stan Wawrinka, 1st rubber: Simply put, the Americans have to have this one to have a chance.
Prediction: Switzerland 3-2
Italy at Czech Republic
Key Player: Indoor hard court: The Italians are outmatched on any surface, but even more so on a fast hard court.
Prediction: Czech Republic, 4-1
Sweden at Serbia
Key Player: Not Robin Soderling: A Swedish Davis Cup team without Robin Soderling is like a forehand without spin: It doesn’t fly.
Key Match: Tipsarevic/ Zimonjic vs. Brunstrom/ Linstedt, 3rd rubber: Doubles promises to be the only way that the Swedes will get on the board against Serbia.
Prediction: Serbia, 4-1
Croatia at Japan
Key Player: Kei Nishikori: Can the 22-year-old, now ranked a career-high No. 20, continue his transformation into a big match player?
Key Match: Kei Nishikori vs. Ivo Karlovic, 2nd rubber: This ought to be a very interesting study in contrast.
Prediction: Croatia, 3-2
Argentina at Germany
Key Player: David Nalbandian: He’s 22-5 in Davis Cup singles play, and two more wins would really be nice as far as Argentina is concerned.
Key Match: Haas/ Petzschner vs. Chela/ Swank, 3rd rubber: When Davis Cup ties are tight the doubles matches can be spectacularly entertaining. I have that feeling about this one.
Prediction: Argentina, 3-2