PARIS - The Davis Cup quarter-finals take place this weekend but are missing the superstar pulling power of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray and potentially overshadowed by Rafael Nadal's last-ditch attempt to get to the Rio Olympics.

World number one Djokovic and newly crowned Wimbledon winner Murray had been expected to play in the quarter-final between Serbia and defending champions Great Britain. But Djokovic pulled out of the tie after his shock Wimbledon third-round exit to America's Sam Querrey, the Serb's earliest loss at a Grand Slam event in nine years. Murray, the world number two, is still officially listed in the British team for the Friday-Sunday tie on outdoor clay in Belgrade. However, the 29-year-old is expected to watch from the sidelines as he rests after his Wimbledon triumph and ahead of a packed summer schedule which includes the Olympics next month as well as the US Open.

"Andy has to look after his body and his mind. He's got his eyes set on getting some rest and really making a big push for the Olympics, US Open and beyond," Britain team captain Leon Smith told the BBC. The British challenge will be led instead by world number 67 Kyle Edmund and the 240th-ranked James Ward.

In the absence of Djokovic and Serb number two Viktor Troicki, world number 81 Dusan Lajovic will lead 2010 champions Serbia. Fourteen-time major winner Nadal and his Spanish team do not feature in the World Group quarter-finals, but the 30-year-old still faces a key weekend as he hears whether or not the International Tennis Federation (ITF) will give him the go-ahead to take part in Rio.

Nadal hasn't travelled to Romania for the Euro/Africa zone play-off as he continues to recover from a wrist injury which forced a withdrawal from the French Open and caused him to miss Wimbledon. Nadal is keen to play in Rio after being unable to defend his gold medal at London in 2012 due to a knee injury but he hasn't fulfilled the qualifying criteria.

In other quarter-finals this weekend, Italy host Argentina in Pesaro. Juan Martin del Potro, the 2009 US Open winner, is back in the Argentina squad after a four-year absence. Federico Delbonis, the world number 40, is the South Americans' top player while Fabio Fognini, ranked 36, leads Italy's challenge. Only once since returning to the World Group in 2002 have Argentina failed to have at least made the quarter-finals and that was in 2014 when Italy beat them in the first round. In Trinec, the 2012 and 2013 champions Czech Republic face nine-time winners France, whose last title came in 2001.

The Czechs will miss their number one, eighth-ranked Wimbledon semi-finalist Tomas Berdych, while France will be led by 10th-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. France can also call upon Wimbledon doubles champions Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert. The weekend's remaining quarter-final sees 32-time champions United States host Croatia in Portland. Both sides boast two top-20 players -- John Isner for the home side and former US Open champion Marin Cilic for 2005 champions Croatia. Croatia have won all three of the nations' previous ties, with Cilic also starring in the most recent encounter, a quarter-final in 2009.

Rosol, Tsonga to open Czechs v France Davis Cup tie: French number one Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will take on the Czech Republic's number two Lukas Rosol in the opening rubber of the Davis Cup World Group quarter-final tie following Thursday's draw. The 10th-ranked Tsonga will face 78th-ranked Rosol on the hardcourt of the Werk Arena in the eastern Czech town of Trinec at 1000 GMT on Friday.

In his Davis Cup debut, French young gun Lucas Pouille, the world number 21, will then face the Czech Republic's Jiri Vesely, ranked 50th, in the day's second rubber. "Lukas can play without any stress as Tsonga will be the favourite," Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil told reporters. "The second rubber will be important for us, I would like a 1-1 draw after day one." "We need points against their number two to have a chance, it will be his debut, he's a young player so we'll see."

French captain Yannick Noah said he expected a close tie. "We are facing a very solid and dangerous team which will be propelled by the home crowd," he said. "We expect a very tough tie, but we have worked hard to get ready and we are ready to accept this challenge."

In Saturday's doubles rubber, veteran Radek Stepanek and Adam Pavlasek are due to face fresh Wimbledon champions Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert on the hardcourt of the Werk Arena. "Their doubles pair won Wimbledon and other tournaments, but the Davis Cup is a different thing, I think we have a chance," said Navratil.

In Sunday's reverse singles, Vesely will first face Tsonga and Rosol is due to play against Pouille. The French have lost world number 14 Richard Gasquet to an injury and 17th-ranked Gael Monfils, who is grappling with a mysterious virus.

The Czechs miss their number one, eighth-ranked Wimbledon semi-finalist Tomas Berdych, who is taking a break after Wimbledon and ahead of the Rio Olympics. Led by Berdych and Stepanek, the Czech Republic won the Davis Cup in 2012 and 2013.

The team beat Germany 3-2 in the first round this year while France, who last lifted the trophy in 2001, saw off Canada 5-0. France lead 8-7 in head to head encounters, the latest being their 4-1 win in the semi-finals in Paris in 2014, which put an end to the Czechs' ten-tie winning streak. The winner of the tie will face either the United States or Croatia in the semi-finals.