The 2013 Davis Cup World Group playoffs are still a few days away, so there is still plenty of time to think about who will rise and who will fall in the tennis world’s most illustrious team competition.
Plenty of players will gain and lose form before the playoffs get underway in September yet there are already good safe bets for tennis betting fans to side with.
Here are our three tips for the Davis Cup World Group playoffs:
Spain to sweep Ukraine:
Having suffered a shock defeat in the first round of the World Group, Spain find themselves in an unfamiliar position in these playoffs. They’ve won the Davis Cup three times in the past five years and that form alone should be enough to see them past a Ukraine side with little to boast of in this competition. Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky could be a danger. He put Federer to the sword at Wimbledon and is a fine doubles player.
Although neither Rafael Nadal nor David Ferrer are likely to play, punters can be confident that Spain, the perennial favourites in the tennis betting odds, will win without dropping a point.
Sergiy Stakhovsky in action in the doubles
Croatia too much for GB:
It would be nice if Team GB earned safe passage into the World Group but their narrow victory over Russia to make these playoffs proved just how difficult an away trip to Croatia will be. The Croats are regular World Group attendees and boast Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic in their squad – two players with vastly more talent than GB’s James Ward but Dan Evans could be the wildcard if he matches his US Open breakthrough form. Ivan Dodig and Karlovic are playing well this year, while Cilic has been mysteriously absent from the tour and it’s unclear if he will play.
Andy Murray is expected to play for GB and will probably win his two singles rubbers but Croatia should outplay their opponents to take the tie 3-2.
Ivan Dodig and Ivo Karlovic
Brazil to edge Germany:
This is set to be a close encounter with Germany determined to recover from their 5-0 humbling to Argentina that relegated them to these playoffs. As for Brazil, they arguably boast the better side with doubles pair, Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares, set to win their rubber and a 3-2 win is more than possible for Joao Zwetsch’s team.
Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares
