Tommy Robredo has ruled himself out as a possible replacement for the injured Rafael Nadal in the Spanish team to play Argentina in the Davis Cup final.
Robredo said it would be "impossible to be available" to replace the top-ranked Nadal, who cannot play in the November 21-23 final at Mar del Plata, Argentina, because of continuing trouble with knee tendinitis.
"It's been about 12 days now that I haven't done anything so it would be a surprise if they selected me, but I couldn't go," he said. "Not because I wouldn't want to go, more because it would be crazy because I wouldn't bring anything to the team."
Nadal ruled himself out on Monday after his right knee failed to respond to a week of treatment. Nadal had retired from the Paris Masters and then pulled out of this week's Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai in a bid to be ready for the final.
"I am used to playing with pain but this was a new and different pain I cannot control," the world No. 1 told a news conference in Barcelona.
Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario must submit his team list later in the day.
Robredo has been a regular for Spain since 2004, but hasn't been picked since winning both of his singles matches in a first-round victory over Peru earlier this year.
Since winning at Bastad in July, Robredo has reached the quarterfinals only once and crashed out of the Paris Masters in the second round.
"I haven't even gone out running for five minutes and I wouldn't be able to defend my country as I would like to," said the No. 21-ranked Robredo, who sees Argentina as the overwhelming favorite to win its first Davis Cup trophy.
David Ferrer, who will likely move up to be Spain's No. 1 singles player for the matchup on hard indoor court, said that Spain would be extra motivated following Nadal's withdrawal.
"Rafa's absence is a shame...but the madness of the calendar has left him fractured and there is nothing else to do but to assume his place."
Sanchez Vicario now will most likely replace Nadal with claycourt specialist Nicolas Almagro or Marcel Granollers. Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco are expected to be back on the team.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily November 12, 2008)