Wawrinka to open for Swiss against US

Feb 9, 2012, 13:32 GMT

Fribourg, Switzerland - Stanislas Wawrinka will start the tie for Switzerland on Friday when he faces American Mardy Fish in the Davis Cup World Group first round.

The 32-times champion Americans, who have won just a single title in the last 16 years, must then hope that John Isner can somehow work a miracle against formidable Roger Federer on indoor clay at the Swiss venue in western Fribourg.

The US will be particularly lacking in the key doubles tie, with one-half of the world number one pair missing.

Bob Bryan remains at home in Miami with his new-born daughter, leaving twin Mike to pick up the slack with Ryan Harrison, making a debut under intense pressure in the international team competition.

Bryan and Harrison are due to play on Saturday against the Olympic gold medal side of Federer and Wawrinka. Sunday reverse singles will pit Federer against Fish, and Wawrinka against Isner.

Federer, 30, will dredge up memories of his participation in a 3-2 Swiss victory over the US in 2001 in his hometown of Basle, where he earned all three points for the winners as a teenager and then went on to beat Pete Sampras four months later in a Wimbledon fourth-round win which first thrust him onto the world stage.

Federer, said the Davis success 'definitely got me in winning ways. It was a start of great things for me and I'm happy playing America again.'

Holder Spain face Kazakhstan without Rafael Nadal, as veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero opens play against Mikhail Kukushkin and Nicolas Almagro faces Andrey Golubev.

The hosts go into the tie on indoors clay having won their last 21 ties on home soil, seven less than the all-time best of Italy from 1949-1964.

Losing 2011 finalist Argentina are without Juan Del Potro but look to have an edge over Germany in Bamberg, with Philipp Kohlschreiber unavailable for the hosts due to stomach illness.

The Germans will rely on Philipp Petzschner against Juan Monaco and Florian Mayer against David Nalbandian for opening day singles.

Both Canada and Japan are bidding to win their first World Group ties this weekend. The Canadians face a difficult task in Vancouver against France, while the Japanese will aim for an initial success at the top Davis Cup level whole facing visiting Croatia. Go Soeda and Kei Nishikori spearhead the Japanese singles at Hyogo.

2010 winner Serbia go into battle against Sweden without world number one Novak Djokovic. Janko Tipsarevic starts with Swede Filip Prpic and Viktor Troicki plays Michael Ryderstadt on Friday.

In the other ties, Austria host Russia and the Czech Republic with number seven Tomas Berdych on board after his ATP title last weekend in France, take on Italy in Ostrava.