This past weekend was not the most exciting of Davis Cup weekends, even though the semifinals and World Group play-off usually contain the most drama of the year. This year was relatively straightforward, though, with mismatches in both semifinal ties and not too much intrigue in the play-off.
 
On paper, the semifinal of France against the Czech Republic could have been a classic, but once the rubbers started it was clear that it wouldn't be. Tomas Berdych and Lukas Rosol should at least be a tough matchup for the top Frenchmen, but Richard Gasquet easily defeated an out-of-form Berdych in straight sets, and it was over from there. By Saturday afternoon, Gasquet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had combined to win nine of 10 sets, having paired together for the doubles rubber, to take the tie.

In the other semifinal, the Italians were thoroughly outclassed by the Swiss team of Stanislas Wawrinka and Roger Federer. Fabio Fognini might have been able to make things interesting if he found the form that dominated Andy Murray in the quarterfinals, but it was not to be and he lost to Wawrinka in straight sets. Italy at least added a bit of doubt by winning the doubles rubber, but this was going to be a Swiss win from the outset. Federer has been given a lot of credit for stepping up and winning two rubbers, yet this was largely because he played the fourth rubber as the Swiss No. 1. If it had been Wawrinka out there with the Swiss up 2-1, he would have been the player touted as a hero right now.
 
The main positive to take away from these semifinals is that we are set up for an incredible final, but we'll look towards that more when November comes around.
 
There was some slight intrigue in the play-off level, but only because some usually competitive countries were missing top players. Spain immediately stands out as not having qualified for the World Group next year, but only because none of Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez, Tommy Robredo, Nicolas Almagro, or Fernando Verdasco competed. Roberto Bautista-Agut was not able to win both of his rubbers, which sealed this tie for Brazil.
 
There was also a theme of normally dominant countries coming very close to losing but managing to stay alive for next year's World Group. A Novak Djokovic-less Serbian team was forced to play a fifth rubber, but India's Yuki Bhambri couldn't beat Filip Krajinovic to complete the upset. Similarly, Israel carried a 2-1 lead into Sunday against Argentina, which sorely missed having Juan Martin del Potro. On the other hand, Israel was missing Amir Weintraub, their solid No. 2 for the past few years. Leonardo Mayer took the fourth rubber with some very classy play that Dudi Sela just could not match, and Carlos Berlocq completed the comeback by defeating world No. 773 Bar Tzuf Botzer, who never really had a chance in the match.
 
The United States and Australia were both at risk of falling out of the World Group, but each country took care of tricky opponents without dropping a single set. And recent US Open champion Marin Cilic was forced to come out in the fifth rubber to keep his country (Croatia) alive, which he did by defeating Thiemo de Bakker in four sets.