No Rafael Nadal. No problem for Spain who still captured the Davis Cup title over home favorite Argentina.

Spain was the slight favorite entering the encounter behind world No. 1 Rafael Nadal, but after Rafa pulled with a knee injury, the betting swung heavily toward the Argentine side. Spain’s David Ferrer has had a disastrous second half of the season and enters the tie with little confidence, while Feliciano “F-Lo” Lopez does not have a history as a big-match winner.

It probably won’t make your local news or show up on front page of your city newspaper here in the U.S., but there is a Davis Cup final going on this weekend.

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will not participate in the Davis Cup final when his Spain team visits Argentina in a few weeks. ADHEREL
Nadal, who withdrew from this week’s Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, has been plagued with a right knee tendinitis.
“After a very long and positive year, it is terrible for me not to […]

The 2009 Davis Cup draw is now out, and if the stars show up round one will offer plenty of attractive, intriguing matchups come early March.

Things went pretty much according to form this weekend in Davis Cup. Spain rolled up on a game U.S. team, 4-1, while Argentina v. Russia went right down to the decider, with the Gaucho Nation coming through on the back of hero Juan Martin Del Potro to win 3-2.

“Today I play an almost perfect match and it is very, very exciting,” Nadal said. “Today I played very well. I shocked myself with some of the winners I played, was near perfect tennis.” The U.S. had chances in the opening singles Friday when Sam Querrey led Nadal by a set and a break, and Roddick led David Ferrer two sets to one before falling in five.

The Davis Cup is back in focus this weekend with the World Group semifinals and an assortment of interesting, if not intriguing, qualifying playoff ties.

“I aggravated it pretty bad at the Open and only made things worse,” said the left-handed Bob, who received a cortisone shot prior to the US Open. “I knew if I wanted a chance to play the rest of this year, I had to shut it down now. I can’t even hit any balls.”

The ATP has reverse its rule instituted in 2004 that banned ads from alcohol companies on players’ clothes.