Nadal Says He Will Play Davis Cup vs. France

Spanish Davis Cup captain Albert Costa received the best  possible news as he concentrated on the bid to win the historic trophy for the  fifth time since the turn of the century. Regardless of the rigors of defending  his US Open title at Flushing Meadows, Rafael Nadal insists he wants to be part  of the team to face France in the World Group semi-final in Cordoba a week  later.

Nadal missed out on Spain’s successful quarter final trip to  Austin, Texas for the 3-1 win over the United States as he recovered from a  habitually successful clay court season but the disappointment of losing the  Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic and also being deposed as world no.1 by the  Serb.

The 25 year-old has only played one Davis Cup tie in nearly two  years, this March’s  first round win over Belgium in Charleroi when he won both  his singles rubbers. However Nadal has not been on a losing Spanish team since  March 2005 when the Slovak Republic registered a 4-1 win in  Bratislava.

Nadal sent a simple three-worded message to Costa yesterday as the captain tried to ascertain the state of David Ferrier’s fitness with the world no.6 struggling to be fit after suffering a hairline fracture in the left hand. “I’ll be there,” said the man from Majorca with regard to the French tie to be staged September 16 thru 18.

And after a month long break from competition; Nadal is in Montreal and more than prepared to contest next week’s Rogers Cup in the latest leg of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 series. “I am fit and ready,” said Nadal after being one of the first leading players to arrive at the Uniprix Stadium.