MADRID: World number five David Ferrer will lead Spain’s bid to claim their fourth Davis Cup title in five years when the holders take on the Czech Republic in this month’s final in Prague. Fourth-ranked Rafa Nadal is still sidelined with a knee injury so Ferrer, winner of Sunday’s Paris Masters, will spearhead a team that includes Nicolas Almagro, Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez.
“Ferrer’s leadership has been important in Nadal’s absence despite him saying at the start of the year he was not planning to play,” captain Alex Corretja told a news conference yesterday.
“He has accepted the challenge and now we are in the final.”
Ferrer, 30, won his first Masters tournament on Sunday as he took his haul of titles this season to a personal best of seven. The Czechs, who overcame Italy, Serbia and Argentina, have a poor record against Spain and were demolished 5-0 by them in the 2009 final. REUTERS
