Nadal, Ferrer will miss Spain's Davis Cup opener

VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) –

Picture taken on June 24, 2012 shows Spain’s Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon. Five-time champions Spain will be without Nadal and David Ferrer in next week’s Davis Cup opening-round tie against Canada at Vancouver, according to rosters unveiled on Tuesday.

Five-time champions Spain will be without Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer in next week’s Davis Cup opening-round tie against Canada at Vancouver, according to rosters unveiled on Tuesday.

Lineups for the first-round matchup February 1-3 on indoor courts at Thunderbird Sports Centre find No. 11 Nicolas Almagro leading the Spaniards, who lost to the Czech Republic in last year’s Davis Cup final.

Nadal has been sidelined since June by a left knee injury and then a stomach complaint, leaving Spanish captain Alex Corretja to call upon Almagro, 51st-ranked Albert Ramos and the doubles team of Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez.

Almagro lost to Ferrer in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.

The Canadians, who have never won the Davis Cup, selected 15th-ranked Milos Raonic plus Frank Dancevic, Vasek Spopisil and Daniel Nestor.

Spain defeated Canada 4-1 in the first round in 1991 in their only prior Davis Cup meeting.

“Spain is going to be a real challenge,” Canadian captain Martin Laurendeau said. “They are the top team in the world with incredible depth. They have 13 players in the top 100 alone so no matter what team they are bringing, it will be stacked with talent.”