HALF of the 24 nations doing battle in the 2024 Davis Cup Qualifiers this weekend will secure their spots in the Davis Cup Finals later this year. Four nations have already acquired safe passage into the 16-team finals series, with the remaining 12 to come from the winning nations of the qualifiers. We preview this weekend’s action and explain the system.

Which nations have already qualified for the 2024 Davis Cup Finals?

Reigning champions Italy and runners-up Australia automatically earn qualification into the following year’s finals series, with two wildcards handed out. These wildcards – determined by a four-person Davis Cup and ITF committee – went to Spain and Great Britain who are ranked fourth and seventh respectively.

What happens after this round of qualifiers?

The 12 teams that win their ties over the weekend join the four above teams in a round robin in September. The teams are divided into four groups of four, where the top two in each group – after playing the other three nations once – head to the knockout portion of the finals series. This takes place in late November with the last team standing taking home the trophy.

What happens to the losers from the qualifiers?

They will be randomly drawn to face the winners of the Group I matches later in the year, while the losers of the Group I matches will face the winners of the Group II matches. The nations that win the clashes between the losing qualifiers and winning Group I matches will then earn a place in the 2025 qualifiers.

When does it all start?

Competition takes place from the early hours of tomorrow morning AEDST, and run through until Monday for the later ties. But all ties take place at different times given the vastly different timezones they are played under.

What are the qualifier matchups?

[1] Canada vs. South Korea
[2] Serbia vs. Slovakia
[3] Croatia vs. Belgium
Hungary vs. [4] Germany
[5] Netherlands vs. Switzerland
[6] Czech Republic vs. Israel
Ukraine* vs. [7] USA
[8] Finland vs. Portugal
Chinese Taipei vs. [9] France
Argentina vs. [10] Kazakhstan
[11] Sweden vs. Brazil
[12] Chile vs. Peru

Note: the teams on the left earned the right to choose the venue for the tie.
*Ukraine is the only exception to the above with its qualifier taking place in Lithuania.

PREVIEWS

Canada vs. South Korea

Canada, on paper is red hot favourite for the clash, but minus its top two stars in Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov, the world numbers twos are taking a huge risk. Instead, world number 132 will lineup as the number one singles player, though expect veteran Milos Raonic to get a crack. South Korea’s highest ranked player is Seong Chan Hong at 224th, though former top 50 talent Soonwoo Kwon is working his way back on tour after injury and is the best player outside Raonic in the tie.

Tip: Canada to win 4-1

Serbia vs. Slovakia

There’s no Novak Djokovic in this clash, but the Serbians do not really need him to be fair. A trio of top 50 – or thereabouts players in Laslo Djere, Miomir Kecmanovic and Dusan Lajovic along with a rising talent in 20-year-old Hamad Medjedovic should be enough to take down Slovakia. World number 122 Alex Molcan can be dangerous, and second singles player Lukas Klein (142nd) is solid, but Serbia is on top across the board.

Tip: Serbia to win 5-0

Croatia vs. Belgium

A Belgium side missing top ranked player David Goffin means trouble for the visitors, though Croatia will also be without world number 40, Borna Coric who has focused on the ATP Tour. However they still have Borna Gojo and veteran Marin Cilic, as well as one of the world’s best doubles pairings in Ivan Dodig and Mate Pavic. Belgium’s doubles of Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen is strong as well, though Zizou Bergs will need to step up in the singles.

Tip: Croatia to win 4-1

Hungary vs. Germany

Germany has gone full strength in this contest against a Hungarian side that has also put out its best side, but does not have the depth of the larger nation. Fabian Marozsan and Marton Fucsovics are not players to take lightly, but on the indoor hard court, they will still have to contend with big servers like Alexander Zverev and Jan-Lennard Struff. The latter can tend to be flaky at times, but with Zverev in form, and the German top 20 doubles pairing of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in action – if Zverev does not take a doubles spot – should be too good for Hungary.

Tip: Germany to win 3-2

Netherlands vs. Switzerland

Netherlands is always a dark horse at these events, and this year’s Davis Cup will be no different. Tallon Griekspoor and Botic Van de Zandschulp will lead the singles assault, while a doubles pairing of Wesley Koolhof and Jean-Juliean Rojer – both top 20 players – is a formidable sight. Swiss number one Leandro Riedi is in great form on the ITF Challenger Tour and will gain great experience here, while Marc-Andrea Huesler and Alexander Ritschard provide solid singles depth.

Tip: Netherlands to win 4-1

Czech Republic vs. Israel

The 31st ranked Israel will gain a great experience playing against regular World Group representative Czech Republic. Though the outlook is bleak in terms of winning – it would definitely be one of the biggest Davis Cup upsets of all time – the likes of Yshai Oliel and Orel Kimhi both will play top talents. Oliel has a 5-6 ATP Tour record, while Kimhi is yet to play a main draw match in his career, with the 20-year old likely to draw Tomas Machac or young gun Jakub Mensik with the former coming off a win over Frances Tiafoe at the Australian Open. World number 31 Jiri Lehecka is also a formidable talent at his best, taking a set off Novak Djokovic at the United Cup this year.

Tip: Czech Republic to win 5-0

Ukraine vs. USA

Ukraine faces an even steeper challenge than Israel to cause an upset, with the United States never short of talent to put in team events. Top 10 player Taylor Fritz will take his place in the singles alongside Sebastian Korda with Christopher Eubanks in the wings. Good luck to the world number 165 Vitaliy Sachko who is the sole Ukrainian inside the top 200, while the American’s best two doubles players in Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram are also in the team. Taking place in Lithuania, this will be a one-sided contest.

Tip: USA to win 5-0

Finland vs. Portugal

Finland won the all-important rights to home court advantage and therefore got to play on indoor hard rather than clay which is where they would have headed had Portugal earned the chance. Last year’s surprise packets, Finland shocked the tennis world by reaching the semi-finals, knocking off world number ones Canada along the way. Emil Ruusuvuori and Otto Virtanen are tricky opponents and will be relishing the home conditions. Portugese top singles player Nuno Borges had a career-best tournament at the Australian Open, and he will team up with veteran Joao Sousa. The homecourt advantage should be the difference.

Tip: Finland to win 3-2

Chinese Taipei vs. France

France has historically been one of the most consistently strong Davis Cup sides, and the now world number 13s are still boasting talent enough to roll surprise packet Chinese Taipei. Veteran Adrian Mannarino is almost 16 years his second singles partner, Luca Van Assche‘s senior, but both will be too strong for the likes of fellow veteran Jason Jung and top ranked Chinese Taipei representative Yu Hsiou Hsu. Especially with experienced doubles duo Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Nicolas Mahut travelling to Chinese Taipei too.

Tip: France to win 5-0

Argentina vs. Kazakhstan

This could have been a close contest had Kazakhstan won the lottery to host the event, and teamed up its two best players in Alexander Bublik and new Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko. But as both are playing in Montpellier, the responsibility falls to world number 176 Denis Yevseyev to take on a couple of top 30 players having a 0-1 win-loss record on the ATP Tour in his career. World number 278 Timofey Skatov is a regular acking up Bublik but he will also have the tough job against Francisco Cerundolo, Sebastian Baez and Tomas Etcheverry who are all in the top 30, a well as world number 13 doubles duo, Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni.

Tip: Argentina to win 5-0

Sweden vs. Brazil

Likely to be one of the closer matches of the weekend, Sweden will only have half of the Ymer brothers with Elias Ymer handed the number one singles reins, following Mikael Ymer‘s retirement at age 25 after violating anti-doping rules in July last year and copping an 18-month suspension. Instead, Swedish fans might see the emergence of 20-year-old Leo Borg, son of 11-time Grand Slam champion, Bjorn. Leo has a fair way to go to reach those feats, currently boasting a career win-loss ATP Tour record of 1-7. For Brazil, Thiago Monteiro remains the top singles player and usually steps up at these events. He will team up with Felipe Meligeni Rodrigues Alves and the visitors arguable deserve favouritism. Can see them mustering up three singles wins between them and getting the win.

Tip: Brazil to win 3-2.

Chile vs. Peru

As two South American nations who are clay-dominant players, Chile pulled a surprise to add a point of difference and opted for asphalt hard courts. With three top 100 players in Nicolas Jarry, Alejandro Tabilo and Cristian Garin, Chile often has talented, but wildly inconsistent stars. They will take on a Peru team that is centered around world number 87 Juan Pablo Varillas who has the opportunity to jag a singles win. He will be accompanied by lower level representatives who might not have played much on the surface, with 19-year-old Gonzalo Bueno the next best.

Tip: Chile to win 4-1

GROUP 1 QUALIFIERS

[1] Colombia vs. Luxembourg
Lebanon vs. [2] Japan
Ireland vs. [3] Austria
Egypt vs. [4] Ecuador
[5] Norway vs. Latvia
Greece vs. [6] Romania
Bulgaria vs. [7] Bosnia and Herzgovina
[8] Uzbekistan vs. Poland
New Zealand vs. [9] Turkey
Mexico vs. [10] Denmark
Pakistan vs. [11] India
[12] Lithuania vs. Georgia

Looking at Group I, most of the ties should go the way of the higher ranked seeded teams, with third seeded Austria – who have both Grand Slam champion Dominic Thiem and top 50 player Sebastian Ofner will take on a team of largely local players from Ireland which will be huge for the small nation where the top ranked player is just inside the top 1000.

The first upset in terms of rankings should be a Stefanos Tsitsipas-led Greece up against Romania, as well as a Hubert Hurkacz-led Poland taking on Uzbekistan. They will both likely play all three matches they can, as will Casper Ruud for Norway against Latvia.

The toughest one to predict is Mexico up against Denmark, with the home court advantage likely favouring the lower ranked nation, with no Holger Rune for the visitors, leaving it up to 292nd ranked August Holmgren. The lowest ranked nation in Group I is Luxembourg (64th) taking on top seeds Colombia.