U.S. team loaded for Spain in Davis Cup

AUSTIN, Texas, July 7 (UPI) -- Top 10 players Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick and the world No. 1 doubles team will carry U.S. hopes into the Davis Cup quarterfinals against Spain.

Spain has won four Davis Cups -- including two of the last three -- since 2000. However, the Spaniards will be going without world No. 2 Rafael Nadal, who complained of the best-of-five series timing, coming within a week of the finish at Wimbledon. Nadal lost the Wimbledon final Sunday to Novak Djokovic, who is playing Davis Cup this weekend for Serbia.

No. 13-ranked Spaniard Nicolas Almagro is also out of this series.

But Spain still has strength with No. 6-ranked David Ferrer, 23rd-ranked Fernando Verdasco and No. 31 Feliciano Lopez on its roster.

The Americans will counter with Fish, who is a career-best No. 8 in the rankings, and Roddick, currently 10th. They also have the top doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan.

Perhaps more important to the United States, the Americans selected the playing surface. That will be an indoor hard court in Austin, Texas.

Fish goes against Lopez in Friday's opener and Roddick is to take on Ferrer in the second match. The Bryan brothers meet Lopez and Verdasco in Saturday's doubles match. Sunday features reverse singles with Fish taking on Ferrer and Roddick going against Verdasco.

The weekend's winner moves into the Davis Cup semifinals Sept. 16-18 against either Germany or France.