Written by
The Sports Network
Bamberg, Germany (Sports Network) - Last year's runner-up Argentina will
battle host Germany in an opening-round Davis Cup tie this weekend.
The best-of-five affair will commence with a pair of opening singles rubbers
on Friday, as German Philipp Petzschner will face last week's Vina del Mar
champion Juan Monaco and Argentine star David Nalbandian will encounter
Florian Mayer on the red clay at Stechert Arena Bamberg.
Saturday's doubles will pit an Argentine tandem of Juan Ignacio Chela and
Eduardo Schwank versus a German duo of Petzschner and former world No. 2 Tommy
Haas, while Sunday's reverse singles currently pit Monaco against Mayer and
Nalbandian versus Petzschner.
The Argentines, still seeking that elusive first-ever Davis Cup title, are
captained by Martin Jaite, while the three-time champion Germans are guided by
Patrik Kuhnen. Argentina lost to mighty Spain in last year's final and has
been the Davis Cup runner-up four times without winning.
Argentina, playing without its top star Juan Martin del Potro this week, is
5-2 all-time against Germany.
The winner here will meet the Croatia-Japan victor in the quarterfinals in
April.
The Sports Network