MADRID (AP) — Rafael Nadal will miss Spain's Davis Cup quarterfinal against Serbia and the chance to take on Novak Djokovic in Belgrade next month.
Nadal, the 14-time Grand Slam champion, was not in the team announced by Spain captain Conchita Martinez on Tuesday. No reason was given.
Serbia player-captain Nenad Zimonjic said in Belgrade that Djokovic, who has dropped from his No. 1 ranking after suffering a slump in form following his French Open title last year, will play in the April 7-9 series.
Djokovic will be back in action after pulling out of the Miami Open because of an elbow injury.
Viktor Troicki and Dusan Lajovic are the other players on Serbia's roster.
Spain will also be without its second-highest ranked player, Roberto Bautista Agut.
The team will be led by world No. 19 Pablo Carreno Busta, who will be joined by Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Marcel Granollers, and double specialist Marc Lopez.
Spain, a five-time champion, is trying to make the semifinals for the first time since 2012.
Nadal missed the Davis Cup tie against Croatia last month because of fatigue following his five-set loss to Roger Federer in the Australian Open final. Doctors recommended time off for Nadal because he had played a significant number of matches following a four-month layoff due to a wrist injury.
The seventh-ranked Nadal is in the Miami Open fourth round this week.
Bautista Agut, also through to the Miami fourth round, withdrew from Indian Wells a few weeks ago because of an abdominal muscle injury.