AFTER previewing each of the 18 Davis Cup Finals nations, Rookie Me Central will now preview each of the six groups to determine how the early stages of the tournament might go. We continue by taking a look at Group E, where Italy will look to advance to the next stage in front of home fans against USA and Colombia.

>> SERBIA DAVIS CUP PREVIEW
>> GERMANY DAVIS CUP PREVIEW
>> AUSTRIA DAVIS CUP PREVIEW

GROUP F

When the Davis Cup Finals group allocation draw was announced, there was unbelievable excitement about Group F, with the potential for three Top 5 talents at the time to go head-to-head in the number one singles. Unfortunately for fans, that did not eventuate, with only world number one, Djokovic making it to Innsbruck. Played in Austria, the Serbians are strong favourites in the group, with great depth in the singles, and basically a guaranteed 1-0 head start with the top ranked player in the world at the helm. He will likely pull double duty and pair up with Lajovic in the doubles, though Kecmanovic, Krajinovic and Djere have all played double-figure tournaments in doubles. Despite not having a specialist doubles player – something that might cost them in the third match – the Serbians should do enough to take care of business in the singles at the least.

Germany would have really worried Serbia at full strength given Alexander Zverev was able to knock off Djokovic in Tokyo, but it was not to be, with the top-ranked German focusing on the ATP Finals, then resting up for the ATP Cup in January. Instead, the work load will fall to Struff and Koepfer. Both are damaging enough, but not consistent, and the Serbian singles partnership – Djokovic and take your pick – will likely be too strong. If Koepfer can cause an upset in the second singles, then it is game on, with the doubles pairing of Krawietz and Puetz ranked inside the Top 20, and likely to beat Djokovic and Lajovic.

Austria is also down a key man with Dominic Thiem still recovering from injury, and despite being at home, are ranked outsiders to advance past the group stage. The Austrians will look to Novak and Rodionov now, and it does not quite have the same punch as Thiem leading the way, with the duo the lowest ranked combination in Group F by far. Though there is hope if one of them does do the unthinkable, with Marach and Oswald both inside the Top 50 for doubles, ranked higher than the Serbians. Though in saying that, the Germans should have them covered there and a singles win against Germany is more likely than Serbia, hence the unlikeliness of Austria going any further in the Davis Cup Finals.

PREDICTION:

1st Serbia
2nd Germany
3rd Austria