MADRID (AP)—With Rafael Nadal sidelined, defending champion Spain picked Juan Carlos Ferrero, David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers on Tuesday to face Switzerland in their Davis Cup opener.
Captain Albert Costa said Nadal and Fernando Verdasco will miss the event because of injury, as expected. They helped Spain sweep the Czech Republic 5-0 in the Davis Cup final last year.
Nadal retired in the quarterfinal of the Australian Open because of a knee injury, which will sideline him for four months. Verdasco is out with a nerve injury in his leg.
Ferrero has won two titles in two weeks leading up to the March 5-7 event in the 11,000-capacity bullring in Logrono.
Switzerland will play without top-ranked Roger Federer. Last month, the Swiss tennis federation announced that the top-ranked player will not take part.
The countries have met five times, with Spain winning four.