Davis Cup Qualifying Previews: Belgium at Croatia, Czech Republic at Paraguay

Tennis-X will take a look at two Davis Cup qualifying matches per day leading to the beginning of play on Friday, Sept. 24. Four countries will advance to the World Group, while the four losers will wallow for at least another year in the minor leagues of Davis Cup zonal play.

The eight qualifying matches this weekend are Morocco at Australia, Japan at Chile, Belgium at Croatia, Czech Republic at Paraguay, Germany at Slovak Republic, Great Britain at Austria, Canada at Romania, and Thailand at Russia.

Today's previews: Belgium at Croatia, Czech Republic at Paraguay

Belgium at Croatia
Site: Dvorana Mladosti, Rijeka, CRO
Surface: Carpet (Greenset, indoors)
Ball: Penn ATP

A full waffle squad might have made a match of it, but without the injured Xavier "X-Man" Malisse and Christophe "The Roach" Rochus, the Belgians are left with Olivier Rochus leading off, and some combination of Giles Elseneer, Kristof Vliegen, and Dick Norman in the second singles and doubles.

The Croats will be large and in charge in front of the home crowd behind bangers Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic. Welcome Croatia back to the World Group, a dangerous entity for 2005.

Czech Republic at Paraguay
Site: Court Central del Yacht y Golf Club Paraguayo, Lambare, PAR
Surface: Red Clay (outdoors)
Ball: Dunlop Grand Prix

Unless home-court Paraguay can totally unnerve the visiting Czechs with their typical coin-throwing, drum-beating, slogan chanting nightmare spectacle, this should be a walk into the World Group for the high-powered Czech squad.

Veteran Jiri Novak will lead off in singles, with comer Tomas "I Beat Roger Federer" Berdych likely in the No. 2 spot ahead of Radek Stepanek. Paraguay will front the low-powered foursome of Ramon Delgado, Francisco Rodriguez, Paulo Carvallo, Daniel Lopez, none of who are ranked in the Top 350.