World Group First Round nominations

Team nominations for the first round of the 2007 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group, to be played on 9-11 February, can be found below.

CHILE v RUSSIA
Venue: La Serena, Chile (clay - outdoors)

Chile
Fernando Gonzalez
Nicolas Massu
Paul Capdeville
Adrian Garcia
Captain: Hans Gildemeister

Russia
Marat Safin
Dmitry Tursunov
Igor Andreev
Teimuraz Gabashvili
Captain: Shamil Tarpischev


FRANCE v ROMANIA
Venue: Clermont-Ferrand, France (hard - indoors)

France
Richard Gasquet
Arnaud Clement
Sebastien Grosjean
Michael Llodra
Captain: Guy Forget

Romania
Andrei Pavel
Victor Hanescu
Victor Crivoi
Horia Tecau
Captain: Florin Segarceanu


GERMANY v CROATIA
Venue: Krefeld, Germany (hard - indoors)

Germany
Tommy Haas
Benjamin Becker
Alexander Waske
Michael Kohlmann
Captain: Patrik Kuhnen

Croatia
Ivan Ljubicic
Mario Ancic
Ivo Karlovic
Marin Cilic
Captain: Goran Prpic


BELGIUM v AUSTRALIA
Venue: Liege, Belgium (clay - indoors)

Belgium
Olivier Rochus
Kristof Vliegen
Christophe Rochus
Dick Norman
Captain: Julien Hoferlin

Australia
Lleyton Hewitt
Chris Guccione
Paul Hanley
Peter Luczak
Captain: John Fitzgerald


CZECH REPUBLIC v USA
Venue: Ostrava, Czech Republic (clay - indoors)

Czech Republic
Tomas Berdych
Lukas Dlouhy
Ivo Minar
Pavel Vizner
Captain: Jaroslav Navratil

USA
Andy Roddick
James Blake
Mike Bryan
Bob Bryan
Captain: Patrick McEnroe


SWITZERLAND v SPAIN
Venue: Geneva, Switzerland (carpet - indoors)

Switzerland
Stanislas Wawrinka
Marco Chiudinelli
Yves Allegro
Stephane Bohli
Captain: Severin Luthi

Spain
Rafael Nadal
David Ferrer
Fernando Verdasco
Feliciano Lopez
Captain: Emilio Sanchez


BELARUS v SWEDEN
Venue: Minsk, Belarus (hard - indoors)

Belarus
Max Mirnyi
Vladimir Voltchkov
Pavel Katliarou
Serguei Tarasevitch
Captain: Dmitry Tatur

Sweden
Robin Soderling
Jonas Bjorkman
Thomas Johansson
Simon Aspelin
Captain: Mats Wilander


AUSTRIA v ARGENTINA
Venue: Linz, Austria (carpet - indoors)

Austria
Jurgen Melzer
Stefan Koubek
Oliver Marach
Julian Knowle
Captain: Gilbert Schaller

Argentina
Jose Acasuso
Juan del Potro
Guillermo Canas
Sebastian Prieto
Captain: Alberto Mancini

Source: http://www.daviscup.com/news/newsarticle.asp?id=13997

My predictions:
Chile
France
Croatia
Australia
USA
Spain
Sweden
Argentina

Why, oh why, isn't Fed playing for La Suisse? Not that I mind, as I want Spain to win but I don't get it.

Bit of a nightmare draw for Germany :(

Against quite a few of the other teams, I would've fancied our chances.

You never know MJT.....

Ljubcic has his on and off days (as we saw with the Australian Open) and Karlovic isn't actually that great. Plus Haas seems to be in form at the moment, and Becker has some chance, he seems to be playing pretty well at the moment!

I'd predict exactly the same. Russia may have had some chance if it wasn't on clay, but if i remember correctly, Tursunov is not the biggest fan of clay (it's for girls or something), and Safin is....well......Safin.

As for why Federer isn't playing, he's always been pretty regimented about which tournaments he plays - i think he's playing the minimum necessary this year. I guess it's how he tends to remain injury-free. I think he has very rarely played this February tie, but tends to pop up later in the year to save the team from dropping out of the world group.

I'll be supporting Belgium in this one.

I'm disappointed Xavier isn't playing, but the squad is pretty good. The four players are all very good doubles players and Kristof and Olli should be able to assure the singles matches.

Australia's side too has a very good doubles team, but I'm not too sure about the singles. Hewitt has been in bad form and Guccione isn't a danger on clay.

Prediction : 4-1 or at the worst 3-2 to Belgium.

WTF?

Well, let's hope so, but I'm still worried. Ljubo has just lost his title defence and has something to prove. Ancic should be pretty good on an indoor hardcourt. Maybe Germany will have the edge in the doubles though; we'll have to see.

Why no Youzhny or Davydenko in the Russia squad? Are they both nursing injuries? That could swing it Chile’s way, but this tie could be a classic…

With no Federer, no Nadal, no Nalbandian, no Davydenko, no Tursunov, this weekend's Davis Cup is looking a bit short of top-drawer names. I expect there will be 1 or 2 good ties nevertheless. Here are my thoughts...

Chile v Russia - I predict a not-so-shock exit for the Russians, who, with the exception of Safin, are without their final winning team. Gonzo and Massu always play great in Davis Cup. Verdict: Chile 3-2

France v Romania - France are already 1-0 after Gasquet beat Hanescu. Hanescu and Pavel are getting on a bit, whilst France have a v strong doubles team to enforce their advantage. Verdict: France 5-0

Germany v Croatia - on paper, close to call. Ancic took first set against Haas, but that match could still go the other way. Every rubber in this tie looks close - I'll give the Croatians the nod though on account of their Davis Cup experience - good record in 5 setters. Verdict: Croatia 3-2

Belgium v Australia - no Malisse again for the Belgians. Vliegen and Olivier are decent players, but Hewitt's Davis Cup experience, plus good back-up from Guccione, should see the Aussies through. Verdict: Australia 3-2

Switzerland v Spain - very much a 'reserves' team match. No Federer, no Nadal, and no Wawrinka. Without their top 2 players how can the Swiss possibly win? However, Chiudinelli is 2 sets up against Verdasco. Verdict: Spain 3-2

Belarus v Sweden - Another tough one. With Max 'The beast' Mirnyi in their team, the Belarus squad are always tough to play. However, Soderling and Johansson will play well on the indoor courts, and they have a decent doubles pairing too - Mirnyi and Bjorkman on other side of the net from each other should make that rubber interesting. Verdict: Sweden 3-2

Austria v Argentina - Can Argentina win without Nalbandian? Acasuso is a decent enough performer, and controversially, Canas and Koubek, who have both failed drugs tests, are in the respective teams. Would like to see the Argentinians put in Del Potro. I think they'll squeeze through this one by skin of their teeth. Verdict: Argentina 3-2.

Oh, and Czech Republic v USA...Berdych I'd expect to win at least 1 rubber, but the Americans have Bryan brothers to back up Roddick and Blake in the singles. Verdict: USA 4-1

By the way, I reckon this could be USA's year in Davis Cup...

I agree about USA winning this year, but i think Germany will give us some nice surprises also ;)

Wawrinka is now out too with a torn knee ligament-will be out for 12 weeks :(

Let's hope so ... go Benjamin!

The doubles rubber could well prove decisive in this tie ... if Germany doesn't pull it off, they will almost certainly fall, while a German win will put some pressure on Croatia ...

out of Ljubo v Haas and Ancic v Becker, I'd almost say I fancy us winning at least one :)