Spain promotes Ferrer, loses Verdasco 

Source: PhotosportDavid Ferrer

It speaks volumes about Spain's strength in depth on clay that captain Albert Costa could discard Fernando Verdasco and bring in David Ferrer for the first-day singles in the Davis Cup final against Czech Republic.

Verdasco has overcome a leg muscle strain but Costa, finalising the holders' team in Friday's draw, decided to give the world number nine an extra day off and named him for Sunday's doubles alongside Feliciano Lopez.

World number two Rafael Nadal will play the opening singles on Saturday against Tomas Berdych before 18th-ranked Ferrer takes on Radek Stepanek.

"Fernando is fit and he has an important role to play in the doubles and possibly on Sunday," Costa told a news conference after the draw at the Palau Sant Jordi indoor venue. "But David has prepared really well and he deserves to play."

Czech surprise

Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil also sprang a surprise although few were convinced he was being completely open.

Navratil named Lukas Dlouhy and Jan Hajek as his doubles partnership for Sunday despite the fact Berdych and Stepanek have played in singles and doubles throughout their run to the final.

"First of all we have to respect the team as named," Costa said. "But my feeling is they will change the doubles team and play Berdych and Stepanek."

Costa's prime concern will be over the form of his leading player Nadal after the left-hander's below-par display at the ATP finals last week in London.

Nadal said he was fully fit but warned home fans there were no guarantees.

"I'm at 100 percent but I was at that level last week as well. it's just I didn't play my best tennis and I lost (all three matches)," he said.

"It's sport and it's as simple as that, you lose some."

Spain are triple winners of the trophy and the final sees them return to the scene of their first Davis Cup victory against Australia in 2000.

The Czechs are in the final for the first time since they won the tournament as Czechoslovakia in the Ivan Lendl era in 1980.