Nadal Will Play Davis Cup In Madrid

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 13th September 2013

Nadal Will Play Davis Cup In Madrid

epa03863228 Spanish Davis Cup Team player Rafael Nadal returns a ball during the team's training session at Caja Magica pavilion, Madrid, Spain, 11 September 2013. Spain will face Ukrania in the Davis Cup World Group Play-off round this weekend. EPA/JuanJo Martin |

US Open champion Rafael Nadal will ride to the rescue for Spain only four days after winning the US Open, with the world No. 2 determined to keep his powerful tennis nation from slipping out of the elite World Group of the international competition. Spain lost to Canada in the first round to itself in the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades.

The target for the weekend is the Ukraine, which features Nadal taking on Serigy Stakhovsky in opening-day singles in Madrid at the Caja Magica. Nadal got in a training session – after a nap – on the day of his arrival from New York and vows to help the team to a 27th winning tie on clay.

“I arrived a little bit tired after what happened in New York but I hope to be ready for the confrontation,” admitted the Spaniard, without a loss on clay in Davis Cup during his career. “It’s always a challenge to change surface in a very short period of time but it is something that has happened in the past to me.

“I have to adapt my game to be competitive. This is an important tie for us but hopefully I can help a little bit.” Opening in singles will be Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, surprisingly chosen over disappointed New York quarter-finalist Tommy Robredo, who beat Roger Federer last week in the fourth round.

Topics: Davis Cup, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis, US Open