World no. 1 Novak Djokovic of Serbia will play against the 41st-ranked Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the opening match of the Davis Cup semi-final showdown on Friday in Belgrade.
Djokovic, who suffered his third loss in four consecutive trips to the US Open final against Spain’s Rafael Nadal on Sunday, will try to get his team off to a good start, as Serbia eyes Davis Cup glory after victory in 2010 against France.
The trophy was a prelude to a magnificent 2011 season for the 26-year-old Serbian, which saw him win the US and Australian opens and Wimbledon.
The first match will be followed with by a rubber between Milos Raonic, the world number 11, and the 23rd-ranked Janko Tipsarevic.
In the doubles on Saturday, Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac will face Pospisil and his team-mate Daniel Nestor.
Djokovic and Raonic play each other on Sunday, while Tipsarevic and Pospisil will play the last match.
Radek Stepanek of holders Czech Republic will take on Argentina’s Juan Monaco in the opening rubber of the other semifinal in Prague on Friday.
World No.61 Stepanek, will face Argentina’s number-one player, the 30th-ranked Monaco, at Prague’s O2 Arena.
Next, Tomas Berdych will face world number 93 Leonardo Mayer on the hardcourt, on which the Czechs won last year’s final against Spain.