There may be a couple of surprises — but Germany on Tuesday announced a solid, workmanlike squad for the World Group Davis Cup play-off against South Africa in Stuttgart from September 17 to 19.

The heartening news as far as South African Davis Cup captain, John-Laffnie de Jager, is concerned is the absence of lethal Philipp Petzscher, a doubles winner at Wimbledon this year and at 52nd in the world a potentially tough singles opponent as well.

Petzscher apparently was involved in a controversy over drug-testing in a previous Davis Cup round and was not available to play against South Africa when Germany will seek to hold onto a long-standing place in the World Group.

And in spite of the fact that Germany have 10 players among the top 100 in the world, team captain Patrik Kuehnen has included 104th-ranked Andreas Beck alongside top player Philipp Kohllschreiber in a four-man squad with top player Phillip Kohlschreiber (ranked 31st in the world), 46th-ranked Florian Mayer and doubles specialist Christopher Kas.

De Jager believes that South African number one Kevin Anderson, who reached the third round in the current United States Open before losing to Richard Gasquet, is currently playing as well as any of the Germans and could conceivably win both his singles matches in spite of being ranked well below Kohlschreiber and Mayer in 77th position.

And if Anderson maintains his form and Germany are without Petscher for the doubles, the South African team captain believes there is every chance of a surprise in spite of the relatively unfamiliar clay court playing surface in Stuttgart.