Troicki opens for Davis Cup champ Serbia

NOVI SAD, Serbia, March 3 (UPI) -- Viktor Troicki was inserted into the first singles match as Serbia begins defense of its Davis Cup title this weekend against India.

Serbia will be playing without world No. 3 Novak Djokovic, who won both his singles matches last December in Serbia's 3-2 win over France in the Davis Cup finals. It was the first Davis Cup championship for the Serbs.

Serbia tries to defend that title with a first-round, best-of-five series Friday-Sunday in Novi Sad, Serbia, on an indoor hard court.

Troicki, ranked 18th in the world, will take on Indian doubles specialist Rohan Bopanna in Friday's first match with Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic, No. 45 in the world, playing Somdev Devvarman, who is ranked 93rd among singles players, in the other match.

India has scheduled just two players for the weekend with Bopanna, No. 19 in the doubles rankings, teaming with Devvarman for Saturday's doubles match against Serbs Ilija Bozoljac and Nenad Zimonjic. Like Bopanna, Zimonjic is a doubles specialist and ranked fourth in that category.

Sunday reverses the singles with Troicki opening the day against Devvarman and Tipsarevic scheduled to play Bopanna.

The India-Serbia winner moves to the Davis Cup quarterfinals July 8-10 against either Russia or Sweden.