Spain Says Goodbye to Ferrero and Hello to Nadal in Davis Cup

Game on for Spanish teen Rafael Nadal who will now face Andy Roddick in the Davis Cup final on Friday.

Just a day ahead of its Davis Cup final showdown with the United States, Spain dropped a bomb on Thursday announcing that teenage prodigy Rafael Nadal has replaced Juan Carlos Ferrero in the line-up.

Ferrero, a former World No. 1 and French Open champion, has been mired in a sub-par 2004 campaign but was still selected to compete for Spain until coach Jordi Arrese broke the news this afternoon in a press conference.

"It was certainly a surprise not to be picked," a deflated Ferrero told reporters. "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."

Faced with the prospect of playing a free-swinging Andy Roddick in front of roughly 26,000 screaming fans in Seville, the 18-year-old Nadal wasn’t exactly in the “jump up and down” mood either.

"I am surprised by this as well, considering the problems I have had," said Nadal, who lost to Roddick at the US Open this year. "And I am a little bit nervous which is not surprising considering a match like this."

In the September semifinals, Nadal led Spain over France to put them into their third Davis Cup final in five years. In 2000, behind the heroics of Ferrero, Spain won its first ever Davis Cup title defeating Australia. Last year, Australia earned revenge in a finals rematch.

In the second singles tie, Carlos Moya will test Mardy Fish. In the Saturday doubles, Nadal will likely team with Tommy Robredo in the doubles against Bob and Mike Bryan on Saturday.

The U.S. is seeking its 32nd Davis Cup crown.