Grand Slam Professional Tennis Predictions and Picks by Nick Bollettieri. US Open, French Open, Wimbledon, Australian Open

This will be the third meeting in three years between these two nations. In 2006, Argentina won easily (5-0) in the same place they are playing this tie. In 2007, Sweden got revenge at home in the quarterfinals winning 4-1. Let’s take a look at the players and how the teams this year:

Argentina

• David Nalbandian - Has already won a title this year on clay (the surface this match is going to be played on). He has a 15-4 record this year and a 22-6 record in Davis Cup play. He has the experience, talent, and ability to win both of his singles matches. And frankly, I’d be surprised if he didn’t.
• Jose Acasuso - It will be Acasuso and not Canas or Monaco that will get the call for the second singles match. They may be because he is 7-2 in Davis Cup play, including a singles and a doubles win already this year. He reached the fourth round last week in Miami and has already been in a final this year in Buenos Aires.
• Guillermo Canas - Canas will team with Nalbandian to play doubles on Saturday. The last time he did this in Davis Cup play he lost to the Swedish team of Bjorkman and Johansson. I am sure he is hoping for a better result this time.
• Juan Monaco - Right now Monaco isn’t scheduled to play, but like I have said before you never know in the Davis Cup. If he does get a chance, you better watch out because he is tough. He’s been to a final already this year, and won a doubles title at Auckland earlier this year.

Sweden

• Robin Soderling - Comes in ranked #39 in the world, and with a 13-5 record on the year. He got to back-to-back finals earlier this year at Rotterdam and Memphis, but lost both of those matches. He is 5-2 in Davis Cup play and has never faced Acasuso (who he will be playing on Friday) in his career.
• Thomas Johnasson - He certainly isn’t the same player that was once ranked #7 in the world, but he still shows flashes of brilliance. He has lots of Davis Cup experience, having played 30 matches and winning 17 of them. He won both of his Davis Cup matches this year and has a 2-1 record against Nalbandian (whom he will face on Friday).
• Jonas Bjorkman/Robert Lindstedt - Will team up to face Canas/Nalbandian on Saturday. Bjorkman is a wily veteran with a great deal of Davis Cup experience (in both singles and doubles). He is 21-13 in doubles action and 18-11 in singles. Lindstedt is a relative newcomer to the Davis Cup, having played only two matches. He is ranked #36 in the world right now in doubles and did get to the semis at Indian Wells with Gasquet earlier this year.

After looking at these two teams, I would definitely give Argentina a big edge. This would be an upset if Sweden could pull this out, especially since it’s in Argentina.