Netherlands at Switzerland Davis Cup Preview

Netherlands at Switzerland
Site: Expo Centre, Fribourg, Switzerland
Surface: Hard indoors
Ball: Wilson US Open Extra Duty

Roger Federer has represented Switzerland in the Davis Cup for six years, first complimenting team stalwart Marc Rosset, then functioning as a one-man-hope in singles and doubles as Rosset slid toward retirement and took up the captain's position. Now in 2005, Federer says he is taking a break from the Cup, leaving Rosset with a handful of barely-challenger-level also-rans.

Rosset has competed only twice this year in singles, losing both in the first round on the challenger circuit, but will think long and hard about inserting himself in the singles and/or doubles to give the Swiss a fighting chance. Outside of Rosset, Switzerland's best bet is Stanislas Wawrinka, who has twice qualified at ATP events this year, in Rotterdam defeating Sebastien Grosjean before losing 6-1, 6-4 to his countryman Federer.

Completing the Swiss team are Ivo "I Dated Hingis" Heuberger, and Marco "Chud" Chiudinelli, who in his first event this year qualified at Doha and defeated Andrei Pavel. Doubles specialist Yves Allegro rounds out the squad.

The experienced Dutch squad will be comprised of Sjeng Schalken, "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter, Peter "Nuclear" Wessels, and Dennis Van Scheppingen.

"I hope for them they can win because it will be quite extraordinary to win a match without me because I've always been there," Federer said. "We've had some good success but usually it was always up to me if we were going to win the tie or not. It's going to be a very interesting week for Swiss tennis and for the future."

More like a painful week.

Tip the Dutch for this win, unless Rosset inserts himself in the line-up, which would -- probably not make much of a difference. This will be a sad lashing at the Expo Centre in Fribourg, so don't be surprised to see some anti-Federer sentiment and "Where's Roger?" signs. The Dutch will face the winner of the Spain vs. Slovak Republic tie, with choice of ground if Spain wins.