Spanish coach fears Nadal absence

Nov 16, 2008 - 3:35 PM By PA SportsTicker

Spain coach Emilio Sanchez Vicario admits Rafael Nadal's withdrawal may hamper Spain's chances of winning the Davis Cup next weekend.

The world's top-ranked player, Nadal has been ruled out of the final against Argentina due to knee tendinitis.

Sanchez Vicario acknowledges Nadal will be missed, but feels his absence has also taken the pressure off his team.

"On paper, our chances have maybe decreased, but this is sport and we know how it works," the captain told La Nacion newspaper. With Rafa, we could have won the five rubbers, but we could have also lost all of them. In this case, without him, it is the same with Argentina.

"Here and in Spain, Argentina are stronger favorites now than in the past. They have more pressure on them, but they can also think that in the last 30 years, 90 percent of the finals have been won by the home team. It will be an even match.

Sanchez Vicario believes his team will be able to cope with playing 11th-ranked David Nalbandian and world No. 8 Juan Martin del Potro.

"We respect and admire Argentina, but we count on two top-20 players to play two from the top 10," Sanchez Vicario said. "The gap is not so wide. In tennis, any player can beat any other. On the court a lot of things can happen," he said.