Spain's reserves eye win in Nadal's absence

Rafael Nadal will be missing when Spain face France in this week's Davis Cup quarter-finals but such is the depth of quality the holders boast they should stay on course for a hat-trick of titles.
Having marched through the claycourt season undefeated and regained his Wimbledon crown, world number one Nadal is having treatment on his knees as he looks ahead to next month's US Open.

However, with France also lacking their number one Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Spain will still be favourites in Clermont Ferrand.

"It's always a setback (to be without Nadal) but the players going are very good," said Spain captain Albert Costa who will rely on world No. 10 Fernando Verdasco, No. 12 David Ferrer, Nicolas Almagro and Feliciano Lopez.

Counterpart Guy Forget will have been relieved to learn Nadal was skipping the tie, to be played on a specially built indoor hardcourt, but remained cautious about his side's chances.

"It would have been silly to face the Spaniards on clay on the Roland Garros centre court," said Forget. "We decided to take them on where we play really well and where they are less comfortable.

"Spain will not be as strong as they would have been but Verdasco, Ferrer, Lopez and Almagro are very good players and don't forget they won the Davis Cup without Nadal in 2008."

Forget, who is also without Richard Gasquet and Paul-Henri Mathieu, pins much of his hopes on world number 17 Gael Monfils.

A slew of injuries and absentees have hit all four quarter-finals which start on Friday with Croatia facing Serbia, Chile playing Czech Republic and Russia hosting Argentina.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic will answer his call of duty though.