2015 Davis Cup Betting Preview

The 104th edition of the Davis Cup will start on March 6, 2015, with several bitter rivals squaring off in the first round. Switzerland took last year’s title and figure to be strong again. But France (last year’s runner-up) and Serbia (home of world No. 1 Novak Djokovic) are the early favorites to take the title.

Below, we preview all eight first round matches and set out each country’s odds to win the 2015 Davis Cup.

Belgium vs. (2) Switzerland

Despite being the defending champs – and having both world No. 2 Roger Federer and world No. 9 Stanislas Wawrinka to lean on – the Swiss are only third in the Davis Cup odds (at 6/1). (For the full list of Davis Cup outrights, scroll to the bottom.)

Switzerland’s first test will be against Belgium in Liege. The Belgians haven’t advanced to the quarterfinals since 2007 and are 60/1 longshots to win the tournament. Their highest ranked singles player is David Goffin at No. 21.

Germany vs. (1) France

Last year’s runner-up, France, is the number one seed and will play Germany in Frankfurt to open the tournament. The French hold a commanding 8-2 lead, all-time, against Germany (which hasn’t won the tournament in 76 years). France also ousted Germany in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Davis Cup.

France has a host of excellent singles players to choose from, including world No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, No. 19 Gilles Simon, and No. 20 Gael Monfils. They are also strong in doubles with Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin both ranked in the top-ten. France’s depth has them sitting first in the odds at 3/1.

Germany, meanwhile, will be leaning heavily on their only top-25 player, Philipp Kohlschreiber (No. 23), and are well back in the odds at 35/1. (Kohlschreiber had been kicked off the team by captain Carsten Arriens, but Arriens has since resigned as coach, meaning Kohlschreiber is likely to be back in the mix.)

Great Britain vs. (7) United States

The United States team is not as strong as in recent years. The Americans haven’t had a big name to rely on since Andy Roddick retired in 2012. They have the most all-time Davis Cup titles (with 29), but are 20/1 to take home this year’s crown. Like Germany, the U.S. only has one top-25 singles player (John Isner, No. 18). They do have the best doubles team in the world, though – Bob and Mike Bryan – who should pick up wins with relative ease throughout the tournament. The Americans are seeded seventh and lead the all-time series with Great Britain 11-8.

The Americans will be facing a top-heavy British team in the first round. Scotsman Andy Murray is No. 4 in the world and will give Great Britain a chance every time he is on the court. After Murray, however, the Brits don’t have another singles player in the top hundred. With respect to doubles, Jamie Murray (Andy’s elder brother) and Dominic Inglot are both in the top-50, but will be heavy underdogs against the Bryan brothers. Due to their lack of depth, Great Britain is a 30/1 longshot to win the 2015 Davis Cup.

Australia vs. (3) Czech Republic 

The deceptively strong Czechs enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed and with the fourth-best odds (7-1). In singles, Tomas Berdych (No. 7) will be their go-to guy and can compete with the best in the world on any given day. Lukas Rosol (No. 43) and Radek Stepanek (No. 51) figure to see most of the doubles action.

The Czechs’ first round match will take place in Ostrava against Australia. The Aussies figure to be one of the youngest teams in the tournament. Their top singles players are 19-year-old Nick Kyrgios (No. 35) and 22-year-old Bernard Tomic (No. 48). The big-serving Sam Groth (No. 24) is a likely candidate to lead the Aussie doubles team. Even with their relative youth and inexperience, Australia is right in the middle of the pack at 20/1.

Croatia vs. (4) Serbia

The Serbians are seeded fourth but have the second-highest odds to win the 2015 tournament (13/4). World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will be favored in every singles match he plays, and world No. 46 Viktor Troicki gives the team a nice one-two punch. The Serbians also have one of the best doubles players in the world  – Nenad  Zimonjic – to call on.

Their archrival, Croatia, will likely call on last year’s U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic (No. 8) and the veteran Ivo Karlovic (No. 25). Ivan Dodig is also a top-ten doubles player (No. 8); he could pair with the big serving Karlovic or Cilic to give the Croats a formidable doubles team. If they can survive their first round test (which takes place in Serbia), the Croatians will be tough to beat, and their 9/1 odds reflect that.

(5) Argentina vs. Brazil 

Two longshots face off in Buenos Aires as Argentina host rival Brazil. Leonardo Mayer (No. 26) is Argentina’s best bet in singles. After that, they have a trio of players hovering around No. 60: Federico Delbonis (No. 60), Juan Monaco (No. 62), and Diego Schwartzman (No. 63). It will be up to coach Martín Jaite to pick the hot-hand when the time comes. Argentina’s litany of above-average players has them sitting at 20/1.

Brazil has the second-worst odds to win the tournament at 100/1. They have only one singles player in the top-100, Thomaz Belluci (No. 72). They do have two excellent doubles players in Marcelo Melo (No. 4) and Bruno Soares (No. 11). However, doubles only accounts for one of the five potential matches, and their lack of singles depth should seal their fate.

(6) Italy vs. Kazakhstan

Two more underdogs, Italy (25/1) and Kazakhstan (200/1), will square off in Astana. The Kazakhs are likely happy just to be in the World Group. But they boast a pair of decent singles players in Mikhail Kukushkin (No. 54) and Andrey Golubev (No. 84), who will be highly motivated to pick up a win in front of their home fans.

The Italians have depth, but not a lot of top-end power. Fabio Fognini (No. 22) and Andreas Seppi (No. 41) will likely see the bulk of the singles action. Fognini is also an excellent doubles player (No. 19) and he could partner with  Simone Bolelli (No. 27) to give Italy a decent pair for the two-man event.

(8) Canada vs. Japan

In another repeat of a 2014 match, the -seeded Canadians will face off with Japan in Vancouver. Canada has both top-end talent (world No. 6 Milos Raonic) and depth (including world No. 57) Vasek Pospisil. They can also field a formidable doubles team featuring Pospisil (No. 15) and the seemingly-ageless Daniel Nestor (No. 6).

The Japanese team, like the British squad, will be top-heavy with world No. 5 Kei Nishikori and not much else. Tatsuma Ito and Go Soeda are both in the top-100, but neither will inspire much confidence against the likes of Pospisal or Raonic (neither of whom suited up when Japan ousted Canada last year).

Canada is 8/1 to win the 2015 Davis Cup, while Japan is a 50/1 underdog.

2015 Davis Cup Odds:

1. France: 3/1

2. Serbia: 13/4

3. Switzerland: 6/1

4. Czech Republic: 7/1

5. Canada: 8/1

6. Croatia: 9/1

7. USA: 20/1

7. Australia: 20/1

7. Argentina: 20/1

10. Italy: 25/1

11. Great Britain: 30/1

12. Germany: 35/1

13. Japan: 50/1

14. Belgium: 60/1

15. Brazil: 100/1

16. Kazakhstan: 200/1

(Photo credit: Edwin Martinez1 (US Open 2007 205) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0) or CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.)