Davis Cup Semi-final Betting

Spain will meet defending champions USA, while Russia will square off against Argentina in Davis Cup semi-final betting action starting on Friday to Sunday. Davis Cup Tennis Betting Lines are currently available at BetUS Sportsbook so let us look at the line-up of players that have been called up for the honour of Davis Cup duty.

Spain vs. USA

Tennis Betting Line: Spain -1600 USA +700

Match Time: 05:00 AM Eastern Time Friday September 19, 2008

World No.1 Rafael Nadal will look to lead the charge against the USA for Spain with a strong start against Sam Querrey in the first rubber. Sam Querrey replaces James Blake who opted not to participate in Davis Cup action this year, citing fatigue as his primary reason. Well, we all know Blake has been struggling lately in tournament action and he is far from comfy playing on clay (the surface the Spaniards chose to play on as they are hosting United States) so I am not buying.

United States is faced with the near impossible task of going up against Clay court King Nadal and Co. on the red dirt. Andy Roddick is no gazelle on the stuff and Mardy Fish even less sprite so things could not have gotten worse for the Americans; but they did. Bob Bryan part of the Bryan doubles duo withdrew from Davis Cup duty with a shoulder injury. Vulnerable in singles action already the loss of Bob Bryan is a huge blow to the United States who only recently won the Davis Cup after a 12-year long exile in 2007.

United States has a slim chance of defending the Davis Cup. With Nadal and David Ferrer opening singles action for Spain against Sam Querrey and Andy Roddick by the weekend the Spaniard should be up 2-0 and then it is just a simple matter of the coup de grâce in one of the final three rubbers.

Tennis Free Pick: Spain -1600

Argentina vs. Russia

Tennis Wagering Line: Argentina -200 Russia +150

Match Time: 05:00 AM Eastern Time Friday September 19, 2008

The tie between Argentina and Russia should be ales one-sided affair and as the tennis-betting line is a relatively close affair the odds makers agree. David Nalbandian will lead his team comprised of Jose Acasuso, Juan Martin Del Potro, Guillermo Canas and Agustin Calleri on home turf in Buenos Aires. Nalbandian has one all five runner in Davis Cup action this year and he will hope to continue his perfect record tomorrow.

Igor Andreev, Nikolay Davydenko, Dmitry Tursunov and Igor Kunitsyn make up the Russian squad. Andreev will be first up against Nalbandian. Two years ago, Russia denied Argentina its first Davis Cup title when Marat Safin defeated Jose Acasuso in the fifth and decisive rubber in Moscow. This time around, the Argentineans, albeit meeting in the semis, have the home turf edge. Without Safin in the line-up, the Russian team lacks that special something. So I have to go with the favourites here as well.

Tennis Free Pick: Argentina -200

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room