London: Top seeds Czech Republic were drawn on Wednesday to play their opening round of the 2014 Davis Cup World Group competition at home to the Netherlands.
The winners in 2012, the Czechs have reached the final again this year and will play Serbia in Belgrade on November 15-17.
Serbia, the second seeds and winners in 2010, were drawn at home to Switzerland in a clash that offers the prospect of world number one Novak Djokovic against multiple grand-slam winner Roger Federer.
World number two Rafael Nadal's Spain, five times champions, will play in Germany.
Britain, helped back by Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, return to the elite after a five-year absence with a trip to the
United States - who played the very first Davis Cup tie against Britain in 1900.
That clash will be the first time the two countries have been drawn against each other since 1999, when the United States won 3-2.
France host Australia, which means the four countries that host Grand Slam tournaments have been drawn against each other.
The first-round matches will be played between January 31 and February 2.
World Group draw (first-named country playing at home, prefix number denotes seeding):
Germany v 3-Spain
1-Czech Republic v Netherlands
Japan v 7-Canada
5-France v Australia
6-United States v Britain
4-Argentina v Italy
8-Kazakhstan v Belgium
2-Serbia v Switzerland
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