Teenager Rafael Nadal will shoulder Spain's Davis Cup hopes against the world's fastest server Andy Roddick on Friday after the hosts plumped for the 18-year-old rookie above Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Former world number one Ferrero, plagued by injuries and illness all year, had been widely expected to line up for Spain against the United States.
Spanish coach Jordi Arrese had other ideas, however, and dropped the bombshell at Seville's Olympic Stadium on Thursday.
"It was certainly a surprise not to be picked," Ferrero said. "Physically I am at 100 percent and I have had three days of good training.
"Obviously I am not jumping up and down with happiness, but you have to take things as they come."
Nadal, who was sidelined from April to July with a stress fracture of his ankle, was equally nonplussed.
"I am surprised by this as well, considering the problems I have had," he said. "And I am a little bit nervous which is not surprising considering a match like this."
Roddick, too, was perplexed. "Personally, I was expecting to play Ferrero," he said. "But at the same time, I think our team knows that they have four very capable singles players, and one of their strengths is that they do have options. You know, they can mix and match."
Nadal's heroics in September's semi-final against France probably proved decisive. He carried Spain through to their third final in five years with an assured straight sets victory over Arnaud Clement.
Friday's other singles will pit Carlos Moya against Olympic silver medallist Mardy Fish. Moya, another former world number one and claycourt specialist, will go into the match as favourite, although Fish has won two of the pair's previous three meetings.
MISERABLE YEAR
Nadal is due to team up with Tommy Robredo to play the Bryan twins Mike and Bob in Saturday's doubles with the reverse singles scheduled for Sunday.
The U.S. have won a record 31 Davis Cup titles while Spain's sole triumph came in 2000.
Ferrero has endured a miserable year, surrendering his French Open crown in May and battling injury and illness throughout.
He has suffered a rib injury, a bout of chickenpox, a groin strain and back pain.
His ranking has plummeted to 31st in the world from number one 15 months ago and his confidence has been shattered. Arrese's decision to plump for Nadal will not help.
Nadal, playing his first year on Davis Cup, has won two of his three singles matches and is confident of continuing his form against Roddick.
"I will just go and play tomorrow. I can do a good job," he smiled.
Roddick knows he faces a tough task against the left-hander in front of 26,000 vocal Spaniards.
"He has a lot of game," the world number two said. "You know, he hits the ball a ton, and he's very competitive. "In an atmosphere like this, he's going to get the crowd going. I think Davis Cup might work well for him."
Roddick insisted the Americans would not be intimidated by the crowd, however.
"To be honest, I don't know if you can prepare for 26,000 people. I don't know if you can simulate that in practice. But at the same time we've known about it.
"Nothing this week has come as a complete surprise to us. We knew going in that it was probably going to be this court, this way, this many fans. So subconsciously we've been preparing for it mentally for a couple of months now. Hopefully that will help us through."
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