Britain’s Andy Murray and Argentine Juan Martin del Potro will step straight back onto court for a weekend Davis Cup World Group semi-final tie as both shake off US Open disappointment.
Holders Britain are spearheaded by Murray while Del Potro will be the face of the visiting squad in Glasgow after both exited Flushing Meadows last week at the quarter-final stage.
The second semi in Zadar pits hosts Croatia, headed by former US Open winner Marin Cilic, against France, which is missing injured top man Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Richard Gasquet has been called in as a replacement alongside US Open semi-finalist Gael Monfils, who joins doubles aces Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hughes Herbert.
Croatia enter the weekend boosted by a comeback from 0-2 in the quarter-finals to overhaul the US but France own the only meeting between the countries, winning in 2004 in Metz.
The draws will be made today with singles starting tomorrow.
Argentine Del Potro is out to prove his fitness is back as he rises in the rankings after two years of wrist injury surgery and recovery.
Del Potro has been gradually re-inserting himself into the ATP mix and will get his biggest back-to-back test so far in Scotland in front of the fevered Murray tennis public.
“All the British guys are playing great. They made so good (a) tournament here and they are the favorites to win. But (in) Davis Cup everything can happen,” the South American, third in his national pecking order, said after his New York loss to Stan Wawrinka.
“We will be there. Right now (after the US Open) I’m not ready to play anymore — I’m so tired. But then you should ask (the) Davis Cup captain. I will try to recover myself to be 100 per cent in Glasgow.
“I didn’t expect to play so many matches in New York. I will see where I’m going to play. I don’t have ranking pressure now, I just want to stay healthy and keep working to get my physic back.”
Murray will be trying to bury his own five-set New York quarter-final loss to Kei Nishikori when the world number two went down 7-5 in the fifth set.
“I’ll look forward to the match. It should be a great, great atmosphere, great occasion,” Murray said. “I would like a little bit more time off, which obviously I will get when Davis Cup is done.”
British captain Leon Smith will be hard-pressed to make a decision on his second singles player after breakthrough grand slam performances from Kyle Edmund (fourth round against Novak Djokovic) and Dan Evans (third round against Wawrinka).
“It will be tough, they both deserve to play,” the skipper said. “They’ve both been doing great and bring different qualities to the matches.”
Argentina have reached an 11th semi-final in the last 15 years; the South Americans have won the last three ties with Britain, most recently in 2008.