THE FIRST stage of the 2025 Davis Cup gets underway this week with 13 matches taking place to see the winning sides join Netherlands in the second round of the Qualifiers. Italy has already qualified for the Finals later in the year, with the reigning champions to await the seven teams who will win through to the event in the Mediterranean nation.

NORWAY vs [14] ARGENTINA

The tie sees the winner take on top seeds Netherlands with world number six Casper Ruud having to do some serious heavy lifting for the home nation. He will lean on either Viktor Durasovic or 18-year-old young gun Nicolai Budkov Kjaer for support, while Argentina head in as favourites with two Top 50 players in singles and two Top 20 doubles players. Tomas Etcheverry and Mariano Navone should win the second singles matches, while Horacio Zeballos and Andres Molteni will be tough to beat in the doubles.

TIP = Argentina to win 3-2

SWEDEN vs. [2] AUSTRALIA

Australia comes in with some huge injury clouds in what realistically should be a bloodbath. Boasting top 30 pair Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson against one of the weakest European nations in Sweden, Australia shouldn’t even need the doubles to decide it. That is wise given both Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios picked up injuries at the Australian Open, with the Grand Slam winners in serious doubt to play. Sweden have Elias Ymer and Leo Borg in singles neither of whom should realistically pose issues for the Aussies.

TIP = Australia to win 4-1

[13] BELGIUM vs. CHILE

Belgium is going through a rebuild of its Davis Cup team, as both Raphael Collignon (recently turned 23) and Alexander Blockx (19) joining 25-year-old Zizou Bergs as singles options. They could well go in as underdogs against the pair of Nicolas Jarry and Cristian Garin, though being on an indoor hard court swings it significantly towards the Belgian side. The home nation is also far superior in doubles with Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen which should tip the scales in their favour.

TIP = Belgium to win 3-2

[3] CANADA vs. HUNGARY

With Felix Auger-Aliassime opting to play in Montpellier, the tie looms as a real danger one for Canada, with the third seeds now relying on world number 86 Gabriel Diallo in the second singles. Top singles talent Denis Shapovalov can be hit and miss, while Fabian Marozsan and Marton Fucsovics are both incredibly dangerous at their best. They might end up playing doubles as well with Hungary not having any specialist doubles players, but the visitors might still cause a boilover.

TIP = Hungary to win 3-2

AUSTRIA vs. [12] FINLAND

While perhaps a little harsh, this matchup is easily the weakest of the first round contests, with both sides likely to lose to the majority of other nations had they not drawn each other. Just one singles player is in the Top 100 – Finland’s Otto Virtanen – and he is only just there at 93rd in the world. He should win both, with Jurij Rodionov able to at least pick up one singles win. Both sides have a good doubles pair, but Harri Heliovaara is the pick of the bunch at 14th in the world, so expect the veteran to lead Finland to victory.

TIP = Finland to win 3-2

ISRAEL vs. [4] GERMANY

Tipped to be an incredibly one-sided tie, the fourth seeded Germans set to race through Israel in record pace. The tie is being played in Lithuania but realistically it doesn’t matter where it is hosted, with Germany having two Top 100 singles players and two Top 10 doubles players. Jan-Lennard Struff and Yannick Hanfmann do not need Australian Open runner-up Alexander Zverev for this one, as they face opponents outside the Top 100, while the tried and tested duo of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz will enjoy player opponents outside the Top 1000.

TIP = Germany to win 5-0

JAPAN vs. [11] GREAT BRITAIN

A genuinely fascinating tie awaits with Great Britain missing top ranked singles player Jack Draper, but still boasting a couple of Top 100 talents in Cameron Norrie and Jacob Fearnley. However Japan is as strong as it has been in some time as well in singles with both Yoshihito Nishioka and veteran Kei Nishikori named to play. In front of home fans it should give Japan a boost, though Great Britain will likely be too strong as it stands.

TIP = Great Britain to win 4-1

CHINESE TAIPEI vs. [5] USA

A little better than the Germany-Israel clash but likely to end up with the same lob-sided result, the United States should have no fears storming past Chinese Taipei. The USA has brought its best doubles combination in Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, while essentially allowing 20-year-old Alex Michelsen to headline the singles component. He is joined by Marcos Giron and Mackenzie McDonald, while Chun-Hsin Tseng is the sole Chinese Taipei singles player inside the Top 200 at 119th in the world.

TIP = USA to win 5-0

[5] CZECH REPUBLIC vs. SOUTH KOREA

Czech Republic is taking no chances with its first Davis Cup tie, loading up with its trio of singles hopes against a weak South Korean outfit. Top 50 trio Tomas Machac, Jiri Lehecka and Jakub Mensik will spearhead the attack, while South Korea will look to former world number 52 Soonwoo Kwon – now ranked 347th in the world – for some resistance. Hard to see the visitors winning a match though.

TIP = Czech Republic to win 5-0

DENMARK vs. [6] SERBIA

Though initially named and keen to play, a hamstring injury through the Australian Open means former world number one Novak Djokovic will miss Serbia’s clash with Denmark. On paper they should still be strong enough, but now it will likely come down to doubles if Holger Rune wins his two singles. Expect Miomir Kecmanovic and Dusan Lajovic to secure the second singles wins, while Rune will likely head to doubles as well and perhaps get his nation across the line.

TIP = Denmark to win 3-2

SWITZERLAND vs. [9] SPAIN

Spain lost a couple of key players in the lead-up to the tie, but should still have Switzerland’s number in the clash that takes place in the latter’s home nation. The Spanish side is lead by world number 44 Pedro Martinez, with Roberto Carballes Baena and Jaume Munar there for some depth, and recently turned 19-year-old Martin Landaluce joining the squad. Switzerland have some experienced representatives in Marc-Andrea Huesler and Dominic Stricker that can cause some headaches however.

TIP = Spain to win 4-1

[7] CROATIA vs. SLOVAKIA

The big question mark here is whether Croatia can win two singles matches because they should romp it in through the doubles. Former Grand Slam winner Marin Cilic is now ranked 181st in the world but can cause issues, and he and Duje Ajdukovic will headline the singles spots. Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic are worldclass doubles players and should dominate a much weaker Slovakian outfit, though both Jozef Kovalik and Lukas Klein can spoil the party in singles.

TIP = Croatia to win 3-2

[8] FRANCE vs. BRAZIL

In arguably the most exciting clash of the first round of Davis Cup Qualifiers, there are a stack of young guns on show for both France and Brazil. Arthur Fils and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard are supporting Top 15 player Ugo Humbert up against fellow 21st century born South American hopes Thiago Seyboth Wild and wunderkind Joao Fonseca. While Humbert should have the upper hand, the singles could go either way, with Brazil likely to have the advantage in doubles thanks to Top 40 experienced pair, Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo.

TIP = France to win 3-2