Thaindian News

Madrid, Sep 14 (IANS) Spanish tennis star Rafa Nadal could miss Spain’s Davis Cup semi-final against France owing to tiredness.

Nadal looked to be tired as he lost a demanding US Open final to number one Novak Djokovic Monday. He then flew back to Spain to join up with fellow Davis Cup team-mates David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez ahead of the semi-final, which begins in Corboda Friday.

The World No.2 explained that his participation is in the hands of team captain Albert Costa.

“Here we are a team and, what is more, I would not play if the captain feels another team mate is better prepared than me,” said Nadal, adding that he did not believe himself to be exhausted after the US Open and the trans-Atlantic flight back to Spain.

However, he added that Spain would still be able to present a powerful side, should Costa decide to rest him.

“If I am not in shape, luckily Spain is still a force and there are top-level players,” Nadal was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Spain have chosen to play the tie on their favoured beaten red clay surface, which they always select for home ties. That slow surface presents a contrast to the faster- paced hard court of the US Open and tournaments in previous weeks.

“I have been competing at the highest level for three weeks, now there is a change of surface and that is something to assess,” admitted Nadal, who missed last year’s quarter-final defeat to the French.

Spain and France have met seven times in the Davis Cup, with Spain coming out on top five times.