This week’s Serbia vs. United States Davis Cup quarterfinal tie will begin with Novak Djokovic going up against John Isner. Sam Querrey and Viktor Troicki will contest the second rubber.
Novak Djokovic vs. John Isner
Djokovic and Isner will be squaring off for the fourth time in their careers when they collide in the first Davis Cup rubber between Serbia and the United States on Friday afternoon in Boise, Idaho. Djokovic leads the head-to-head series 2-1, including 1-0 in the team event. They faced each other during round one of the 2010 Davis Cup on clay in Serbia, where Djokovic survived 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4. Since then they have split a pair of hard-court showdowns; Djokovic prevailed 7-6(1), 6-2 three years ago in Beijing before Isner scored a 7-6(7), 3-6, 7-6(5) upset in the 2012 Indian Wells semifinals.
Isner was positively on fire when he stunned Djokovic last season, a win that came amidst a stretch that also included Davis Cup victories over Roger Federer, Gilles Simon, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Now, however, the 6’9” American is in dreadful form. Isner is struggling down at No. 23 in the world and he is a mere 7-7 for the season after compiling a combined 1-2 record in Indian Wells and Miami. Djokovic is looking to bounce back from a surprising straight-set loss to Tommy Haas in the Miami fourth round. The world No. 1 also fell to Juan Martin Del Potro in the Indian Wells semifinals, but he is still 19-2 for the year with titles at the Australian Open and in Dubai.
If Isner has anything going for him, it’s that he is playing this rubber at home on a hard court and he generally thrives on the big stages (including in Davis Cup). He is 8-6 lifetime for the USA and five of his losses have come on clay. That being said, his lone hard-court loss came to a slumping Thomaz Bellucci two months ago in Jacksonville–which suggests that he can’t emerge from this slump even with the fate of his team on the line.
Pick: Djokovic in 3
Viktor Troicki vs. Sam Querrey
Querrey and Troicki will be going head-to-head for the fourth time in their careers when they meet on the first day of Davis Cup quarterfinal action between the United States and Serbia. Querrey’s lone victory came in a dead Davis Cup rubber on the clay courts of Serbia back in 2010 via a 7-5, 6-2 decision. Both of their meaningful encounters went Troicki’s way; 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 at the 2009 Belgrade event and 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-5 two years ago in Miami.
The other Friday rubber pits an in-form Serb (world No. 1 Novak Djokovic) against a slumping American (John Isner), but roles are reversed in this one. Querrey is 13-7 for the season and he is coming off consecutive fourth-round appearances in Indian Wells and Miami. The world No. 20 also advanced to semifinals in Auckland and San Jose. Querrey is not exactly on fire, but he is playing far better tennis than his opponent right now. Troicki is 4-7 for his 2013 campaign and he has not won back-to-back matches at any tournament since Cincinnati last summer. Most recently, the world No. 44 lost in the Indian Wells first round, the Dallas Challenger second round, and the Miami second round.
Querrey, who won a pair of singles rubbers against Brazil two months ago, also has the advantage of playing at home. This won’t be a breeze, but the crowd favorite should get the job done even though he will likely have the pressure of playing for a team trailing 1-0.
Pick: Querrey in 4
I sure hope that you are right about Querry. we HAVE to have his match, as Isner is, as you noted, in “dreadful form”. Go USA!