U.S. Seeks New Reign in Spain

This was hardly a massive surprise, maybe a mild sorpresa, what with pictures of Juan Carlos Ferrero’s taped right hand having been splashed across the national sports pages in recent days.

Implication turned into reality Thursday at the Davis Cup draw.

Ferrero, the French Open champion in 2003, was replaced in Spain’s lineup by fast-rising 18-year-old Rafael Nadal. The left-hander Nadal will play Andy Roddick today in the Davis Cup final between Spain and the United States, after the opening singles match between Mardy Fish and Carlos Moya of Spain.

In Saturday’s doubles, twins Bob and Mike Bryan of Camarillo will play Nadal and Tommy Robredo.

Ferrero’s year has been riddled with injuries and health problems and now, blisters. So Nadal is quickly gaining Davis Cup experience under trying circumstances. He won the decider against the Czech Republic in the first round this year and accounted for two points in the 4-1 semifinal win over France.

“It’s going to be difficult for Nadal to play a tough singles match on Friday and then have to come back and play a great doubles match,” U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if we saw somebody else on Sunday, if it gets that far.”

The U.S. most recently won tennis’ most prestigious team-tennis title in 1995, defeating Russia, 3-2, on clay in Moscow, thanks to the heavy lifting of Pete Sampras, who had a hand in all three points.

Nearly a decade later, the obstacles are more formidable on another clay court. Spain has another former French Open champion, Moya, and a possible future French winner, Nadal. Another key factor: There is expected to be a record crowd for an officially sanctioned tennis match.

Capacity of the roof-covered facility -- it will be open on the sides -- built inside Estadio Olimpico will be about 27,200, officials said. In 1954, 25,578 attended the Davis Cup final between Australia and the United States in Sydney. Although 30,472 were at the famous Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs “Battle of the Sexes,” in Houston in 1973, that was a non-sanctioned event.

“To be honest, I don’t know if you can prepare for 26,000 people,” Roddick said. “I don’t know if you can simulate that in practice.”

Said Nadal, “I wish there would be 20,000 more spectators....”

The crowd factor means the vaunted chest bumps between the Bryans may be benched.

“You’ve got to know when to use ‘em,” Bob Bryan said. “Maybe here is not the place, until we get the last point.... We did it [at Madrid in October] and then it was just complete quiet. We played the best point of our life. In the States, they would have been on their feet.”

Hyperactivity is practically a calling card for the Bryans. It will be McEnroe’s task to help them harness it here and not antagonize the Spaniards.

“It’s a fine line,” McEnroe said. “You want them to be pumped up, that’s one of the reasons they’ve had a lot of success in Davis Cup with their energy and enthusiasm. I think they can do it without going crazy.”

This is the first time the U.S. has been in the Cup final since 1997, when host Sweden beat the U.S. in Goteborg, 5-0.

But it’s a measure of how the Cup team has progressed under McEnroe that there was a controversy over one singles spot. Often, his predecessors had problems getting players to commit. Vince Spadea waged a campaign to get on the team, sending e-mails to media outlets, making a case for his inclusion.

He got invited to Seville and had a strong week in practice, by all accounts. But McEnroe remained committed to Fish, saying Fish gave the team the “best chance” to win the match.

Spadea was taking the high road Thursday.

“I’m here as an American, supporting the United States of America, and this happens to be the tennis world,” said Spadea, when asked if he’d received a fair shake. “I got through passport control and I’m here to win a Davis Cup. That’s as far as I can address those comments.”

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Schedule

TODAY’S SINGLES MATCHES

TV: 9 a.m., ESPN (delayed)

* Carlos Moya (Spain) vs. Mardy Fish (U.S.)

* Rafael Nadal (Spain) vs. Andy Roddick (U.S.)

SATURDAY’S DOUBLES MATCH

TV: 4 p.m., ESPN2 (delayed)

* Nadal/Tommy Robredo (Spain) vs. Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (U.S.)

SUNDAY’S SINGLES MATCHES

TV: Noon, ESPN (delayed)

* Carlos Moya (Spain) vs. Andy Roddick (U.S.)

* Rafael Nadal (Spain) vs. Mardy Fish (U.S.)