Next tie 13-15 September 2013
Argentina will travel to Czech Republic in a repeat of last year's World Group semifinals. The visitors will hope for a better outcome than last year, when they lost 3-2 on home soil in Buenos Aires. Argentina has faced the reigning champions on five previous occasions but have recorded just one victory over the Europeans in all - a 5-0 triumph in Buenos Aires back in 2005. The two nations have never before met on a hard court, with four of their previous meetings on clay and one on carpet.
Last tie 5-7 April 2013
Argentina booked a place in the last four after sealing a thrilling 3-2 win over nine-time champions France in the quarterfinals in Buenos Aires. Juan Monaco and doubles pair David Nalbandian and Horacio Zeballos cancelled out Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's two singles wins for France, before Carlos Berlocq won the all-important fifth rubber, ripping his shirt in delight after mastering Gilles Simon in four sets.
History
Argentina finished runners-up in 1981, 2006, 2008 and 2011, but are yet to lift the trophy. Only Argentina, Romania and India have contested more than one Final without being crowned champion, but Argentina are the only of these nations to have lost four times. The doubles rubber in the World Group semifinal between Russia and Argentina in 2002, featuring Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Marat Safin against Lucas Arnold-Ker and David Nalbandian, is the longest recorded men's doubles match of all time, at 6 hours 20 minutes.