Serbs' Troicki given key Davis Cup spot

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CHARLEROI, Belgium, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- World No. 1 Novak Djokovic and 2010 Davis Cup hero Viktor Troicki will take singles duty for Serbia in this weekend's Davis Cup series against Belgium.

Djokovic will be considered the No. 2 singles player for Serbia, which is looking for its second title, in the best-of-five series at an indoor red clay court in Charleroi, Begium. This is to give him a few more hours rest as he is coming off Sunday's win in the title match of the Australian Open.

Serbia would usually go with ninth-ranked Janko Tipsarevic opposite Djokovic in singles but Tipsarevic suffered a heel injury at the Australian Open so Serbian captain Bogdan Obradovic switched to Troicki.

Troicki is a very respectable No. 39 in the world rankings and it was his straight-set win in the fifth match of the 2010 Davis Cup finals that gave the Serbs the trophy.

With that resume he was put into the first match Friday against Belgium's David Goffin. Djokovic, who it should be noted won two singles matches in the 2010 final, is to face Olivier Rochus in the other singles match.

Troicki is set to team with Nenad Zimonjic for a doubles match Saturday against Belgians Steve Darcis and Ruben Bemelmans. Djokovic faces Goffin and Troicki draws Rochus in the Sunday reverse singles.

Whichever team advances will be paired against the winner of this weekend's series between the Brazil and the United States. The Davis Cup quarterfinals are April 5-7.