Dec 3, 2004 4 min read

SEVILLE, Spain (AP) – Three months ago, Andy Roddick swept Rafael Nadal 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the U.S. Open. Don’t expect it to be that easy when Roddick plays the 18-year-old Spaniard in the Davis Cup final Friday. This time, the match is on clay. And Nadal will be cheered by an expected record crowd of 26,600 at Olympic Stadium.

“He has a lot of game,” Roddick said. “He hits the ball a ton, he’s very competitive, and in an atmosphere like this he is going to get the crowd going.”

Roddick and Nadal play the second singles match of the best-of-five series between Spain and the United States. The host’s top player, 1998 French Open champion Carlos Moya, faces Olympic silver medalist Mardy Fish in the opener Friday.

“Hopefully I am going to win my match and give (Nadal) confidence, going on the court leading 1-0,” Moya said.

In Saturday’s doubles, twins Bob and Mike Bryan should have the edge over Nadal and Tommy Robredo. In Sunday’s reverse singles, Moya is slated to face Roddick, followed by Nadal vs. Fish.

The lineups for Saturday and Sunday can be changed up until one hour before the matches.

Roddick is the key for the Americans as they bid for a 32nd Davis Cup title – but first since 1995. Nadal, meanwhile, is lined up to play three matches as Spain tries to win only its second championship.

Nadal was a surprise pick Thursday ahead of former No. 1 and 2003 French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.

“Certainly Roddick’s favored,” Nadal said. “He’s No. 2 in the world – and that’s on any surface.”

Nadal, a free-swinging left-hander, is the Spanish roster’s lowest-ranked player at No. 51. But he’s been clutch in Davis Cup play.

Nadal, the youngest Davis Cup player in Spanish history, won the deciding fifth match against the Czech Republic in February. As a late replacement for Moya, he won the clinching match in the semifinals against France.

“Of course I’m surprised to be picked,” Nadal said. “I’m excited, and of course I feel nervous, as anybody would in this situation. Really, I wish there were going to be 10,000 more fans.”

Ferrero has battled chicken pox and broken ribs in the worst season of his career. He’s the only Spanish player back from the 2000 team that beat Australia for the title.

“If I close my eyes, I want to see myself on the court on Sunday,” Ferrero said.

Spain has won 11 straight Davis Cup matches at home. The last time the Americans played in Spain on clay was in 2000, when a team headed by Todd Martin lost 5-0. The Americans lost to France 3-2 on clay two years ago in the semifinals.

“The record (on clay) is not good, but it’s a different team now,” Roddick said. “Basically, it’s up to Mardy and me to pick it up and really prove ourselves on clay.”

Roddick is 12-0 against all members of the Spanish team, but only one win was on clay. He’s 14-3 in the Davis Cup and hasn’t lost a set this season.

Fish is 4-1 against the Spaniards, but of none of those matches was on clay. He’s 4-4 in the Davis Cup.

U.S. reserve Vince Spadea is ranked 19th to Fish’s No. 37 but was passed over by captain Patrick McEnroe.

“Patrick went with his gut feeling, and we’ll see how the chips fall,” Spadea said.

Spadea said he expected the matches to be “slow, slow, slow-motion.”

“They have to be prepared to play 21/2 hours,” he said.

If Roddick wins twice, the Americans should take the title. The Bryan brothers are coming off a Masters Cup title and are 4-0 in the Davis Cup, where they’ve yet to lose a set.