MADRID, Jan 25: World number two Rafael Nadal and Juan Carlos Ferrero have opted out of Spain’s opening Davis Cup tie against Peru to concentrate on the hard court season.

World number five David Ferrer will spearhead the Spanish challenge in Nadal’s absence for the first round World Group clash on clay at the Jockey Club in Lima between Feb 8 and 10.

Team captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario also said on Friday that world-ranked number 31 Nicolas Almagro had been called up to the Davis Cup team for the first time.

Tommy Robredo and Fernando Velasco complete the line-up.

Fed Cup captain Miguel Margets kept faith with Anabel Medina, Lourdes Dominguez, Nuria Llagostera and Virginia Ruano for the quarter-final tie with Italy in Naples on Feb 2 and 3.

Italy have won three out of five Fed Cup ties between the two countries, including their last meeting at the semi-finals stage in Zaragoza in 2006. —Reuters