BySimon Griver, Simon Griver
Davis Cup: Dudi Sela says home support is the key as Israel looks to return to the top 16 World Group at the first attempt.
Sela will be joined by debutant Amir Weintraub (257) and doubles specialists Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich when they host Poland in a European/Africa Zone A tie at Ramat Hasharon, starting today.
Both teams received a bye in the first round and the winners will face a promotion playoff in September.
Sela has started 2011 badly, reaching the second round of ATP tournaments just twice this year.
He said: "The Davis Cup is a different story. I love playing in the competition and expect a lift from the crowd."
Following the retirement of Harel Levy and Noam Okun, Weintraub (257) will make his Davis Cup debut, playing in the singles alongside Sela (86).
The Poles have major injury doubts over their two senior players, Michal Przysiezny (113) and Lukasz Kubot (128) - and look set to field Jerzy Janowicz (150) and Marcin Gawron (362) as well as doubles specialists Marcin Matkowski and Mariusz Fyrstenberg, who lie tenth in the doubles rankings.
Ram and Erlich will be underdogs in the doubles rubber having also won only two tournament matches this year. Ram will receive painkilling injections for a knee problem.