Intriguing Davis Cup matchups on tap

Andy Murray will have a hometown crowd on his side as team Great Britain faces Australia in the Davis Cup semifinal in Glasgow, Scotland.

Having just played the US Open, the men have barely had time to catch their breath before re-entering the fray for the Davis Cup semifinals and World Group playoffs this week. From top players in relegation ties to underdog nations in the big rounds, it's shaping up as a wild and intriguing three days of team competition. Here's a look at a few of the storylines to follow.

1. Great Britain vs. Australia, semifinals

Two storied Davis Cup nations looking for a return to its glory days, Great Britain and Australia will meet in front of Andy Murray's cheering home crowd in Glasgow, Scotland. It should be an electric, finely balanced matchup. Britain has the best player in Murray, but Australia has the more balanced team withBernard Tomic and Thanasi Kokkinakis as its two singles players.

The second British singles player has yet to be announced, but unless one of the three candidates can pull off a James Ward-type victory, Australia will be favorites to win both those two singles and Murray will be favorite in his two matches. That means the doubles could be decisive, with neither side having a rock-solid pairing and Britain potentially putting Murray in as part of a mix-and-match team.

Tomic is back on the team following his suspension from Australia's quarterfinal meeting, while Nick Kyrgios has been benched, possibly for his recent controversy. Lleyton Hewitt, who is supposed to play doubles, will be making his final appearance in a competition that has meant so much to him and he so much to it.

2. Belgium vs. Argentina, semifinals

How these two underwhelming teams emerged as semifinalists in a group that originally contained nations like Switzerland, Serbia and Canada requires explanation. First Belgium, which got through its first round when neither Roger Federer or Stan Wawrinka showed up for Switzerland, and then swept its quarterfinal against Canada when both Milos Raonic and Vasek Pospisil pulled up injured.

Argentina, meanwhile, has not had either of its top two players, Juan Martin del Potro and Juan Monaco, for its run. But it defeated Brazil 2-1, highlighted byLeonardo Mayer defeating Joao Souza in an epic 15-13 fifth set, and then defeated Serbia when Novak Djokovic decided not to play his country's quarterfinal, given his back-to-back Grand Slam finals.

With Mayer again leading the Argentines and Belgium fielding its No. 1, David Goffin, the two teams are quite evenly matched for this meeting in Brussels, Belgium. It may not be the most high-profile meeting, but there is no lack of motivation. Belgium has not reached a final since its first appearance in 1904, while Argentina is a four-time runner-up. A big opportunity for both.

3. Switzerland vs. Netherlands, World Group playoffs

Having skipped the first round, Federer and Wawrinka now return in an attempt to keep defending champion Switzerland in the World Group. They shouldn't have a tough time against the Netherlands, which is led by No. 144 Thiemo de Bakker, and has no other players in the top 400.

Federer will be playing for the first time since his defeat in the US Open final, while Wawrinka will be returning from his semifinal defeat to Federer at the event. And while they shouldn't need it, they will also have the benefit of the home crowd in Geneva, Switzerland.

4. Denmark vs. Spain, Group 1 playoffs

The Spanish team is once again at its top level, having previously been depleted by controversy surrounding the Spanish federation's coach of Davis Cup captain. The refusal of players to appear during the conflict is why it finds itself in this low-profile tie against modest opposition.

But the big names have shown up this time for new captain Conchita Martinez, not to mention to fulfill its Olympic eligibility requirements. The team includes Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Roberto Bautista Agut andFernando Verdasco.

That makes this matchup rather lopsided, because its combined ranking is less than the ranking of Denmark's top player, No. 144 Frederik Neilsen.

Nadal hasn't had a great season and Ferrer is just returning from injury, but it's hard to see them extending themselves.

With any luck, Odense, Denmark is a nice holiday spot, because that's what this meeting should be for Spain.

5. Uzbekistan vs. USA, World Group playoffs

Apart from having to travel to far-off Uzbekistan, the United States is quite nicely positioned for this matchup. Though it won't have its top-ranked player,John Isner, or the doubles dependability of the Bryan brothers, it has four solid singles players who are ranked higher than the other team's No. 1, Denis Istomin.

And while it will play on red clay, that isn't as much of a disadvantage as usual -- top singles player Jack Sock calls it his favorite surface, and No. 2 Sam Querreycan also be effective on it. The biggest thing the team might have to contend with is its frequent aversion to playing away from home.

ESPN