With Novak Djokovic on a skiing holiday and Rafael Nadal defending Spanish sports from French TV comedians, Roger Federer highlights the start of Davis Cup for the first time in eight years.
Since Federer decided to skip the first round from 2005, Switzerland hasn't won in the World Group. But he's changed his mind after watching the effort Stanislas Wawrinka put in last year to return the Swiss to the elite. The Davis Cup also remains the only major trophy in tennis he doesn't own.
Federer hasn't committed beyond the first round against the United States, but with him back the Swiss are title contenders. It won't be an easy road, though. A win in Fribourg this weekend would likely send them to France in April for the quarterfinals, then possibly a home semifinal against Nadal and defending champion Spain straight after the U.S. Open in September.
Six of the eight ties are in Europe this week, with the others hosted by Japan and Canada, who are making their first World Group appearances in 26 years and eight years, respectively.
The other ties are: Spain vs. Kazakhstan, Austria vs. Russia, Canada vs. France, Czech Republic vs. Italy, Serbia vs. Sweden, Japan vs. Croatia, and Germany vs. Argentina.
Spain is without top-5 players Nadal and David Ferrer from last year's champion team, but can still call on former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, a three-time Davis Cup winner, and 11th-ranked Nicolas Almagro, who won it in 2008.
Kazakhstan upset the Czechs in its World Group debut last year but the odds against it are even greater this time in Oviedo.
''I'm conscious that they are very good players, they might not have a great ATP ranking ... but you need to respect them a lot,'' new Spain captain Alex Corretja said.
Djokovic was so confident his Serbia teammates will beat Sweden that he's taking a break after winning the Australian Open, a Laureus award in London and, on Thursday, unveiling a wax figure of himself in Jagodina, only 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of Nis, where the tie will be held.
Sweden lost 4-1 to Serbia in Halmstad a year ago and will do well to win a match this week from Janko Tipsarevic, Viktor Troicki, and Nenad Zimonjic.
Russia captain Shamil Tarpischev surprised his players and Austria in Wiener Neustadt when he chose Igor Kunitsyn for Friday's opening singles ahead of Mikhail Youzhny, who won the ATP singles and doubles titles in Zagreb last weekend. Youzhny said he was fit but Tarpischev didn't believe his best player could last all three days.
Russia, featuring American-raised Alex Bogomolov Jr. making his debut, should still be too good for Austria, which hasn't passed the first round since 1995.
Last year's runner-up, Argentina, led by old hands Juan Monaco and David Nalbandian, should edge Germany, which has fallen back on former world No. 2 Tommy Haas, approaching 34 and whose last tie was a 2007 semifinal. He may get a run in doubles.
The old firm of Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek, playing Davis Cup since 2003, led the Czechs to the 2008 quarterfinals, 2009 final and 2010 semifinals. But without an injured Stepanek, they crashed out in the first round last year to Kazakhstan.
There should be no surprise from Italy in Ostrava, as predicted by Berdych, who reached the Australian Open quarterfinals and won the Montpellier title last weekend.
In facing first up Simone Bolelli, who replaced an ill Potito Starace, Berydch said, ''I think it will end well.''
All the pressure is on Kei Nishikori in Hyogo to deliver at least two points against Croatia after he became the first Japanese man to reach the Australian Open quarters in the Open era.
''The team needs two wins from me,'' said Nishikori, the highest-ranked player in the tie at 20th.
He'll have to earn them against Ivo Karlovic and Ivan Dodig for Japan to have a chance. Karlovic was also scheduled for Saturday's doubles - he hasn't had to play all three days since 2008, in a home win over Brazil.
With top-15 players Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils, France will be a threat for the title again. They meet Canada for the first time since 1966 when they won 5-0, and could win by the same score in Vancouver.
