Russia's defence of the Davis Cup will be severely tested in Argentina this weekend and star player Marat Safin has already come in for a tongue-lashing from captain Shamil Tarpishchev.

Everyone knows that the towering Muscovite is up there with the best in terms of sheer talent, Tarpishev said, but his motivation is not always what it should be.

"He has the power, the agility, the speed, everything you need to be a great athlete," Tarpishev said.

"He could be as dominant as Michael Jordan was or Michael Schumacher, Tiger Woods, you name it.

"Unfortunately, he has the talent but not the desire to be the world number one."

Safin will once again team up with veteran Yevgeny Kafelnikov and the hero of last year's stunning win over France in the Davis Cup final, Mikhail Youzhny.

Barring their way on the claycourts of the River Plate Club will be a strong Argentinian quartet of David Nalbandian, Gaston Gaudio, Mariano Zabaleta and Lucas Arnold.

Usually the South Americans are near unbeatable on their home clay, but in Safin and former French Open champion Kafelnikov the Russians have two players who were brought up on the slow surface.

Former Argentine great Guillermo Vilas, however, is in no doubt.

"Argentina will win easily," he told Clarin newspaper.

"Because we are at home, we are playing on clay and because when guys like these (Russians) who are playing well come to Arentina their form drops. Just look at Germany in the last round here."

The French, losing finalists last year, but winners in 2001 are still in the thick of things and they will start favourites against Switzerland on indoor hardcourts in Toulouse.

Captain Guy Forget has again plumped for the tried and tested Sebastien Grosjean and Nicolas Escude in the singles with Australian Open winners Fabrice Santoro and Michael Llodra teaming up again for the doubles.

Switzerland will rely heavily on Roger Federer especially as number two singles player Michel Kratochvil is out with a knee injury. His place is likely to go to the lowly-ranked Ivo Heuberger.

Grosjean insisted that the French would not be taking the tie lightly.

"Federer is fifth or sixth in the world and he is capable of winning both singles and then adding the winning point in the doubles. They really are a dangerous team and we will need to be at our best.

Over in Valencia, Spain, many people's favoirites to win this year's cup, look too strong and compete on clay against Croatia, who shocked the United States at home in the last round but who will have to do without their spearhead Goran Ivanisevic this time round.

Ivan Ljubicic and Mario Ancic are both accomplished claycourt players, but arrayed against them are four of the best in the world on the surface - Juan Carlos Ferrero, Carlos Moya, Albert Costa and Alex Corretja.

Moya joined up with the Spanish "Dream Team" on Tuesday after losing in the Miami Masters Series final on Sunday to Andre Agassi and said that he was feeling the effects of his efforts.