Spain have selected 18-year-old Rafael Nadal in place of Juan Carlos Ferrero for Friday's opening singles in the Davis Cup final against the United States.
Former French Open champion Ferrero has been struggling with a series of injuries which had culminated in him missing the last six weeks of the season and he had said he only felt around 85% fit.
He added he would step aside if he did not feel he could give his best as Spain look to land only their second title.
"I'm a bit surprised. But I feel I am ready. It will be complicated against the world number two and I will have to be at my best," said Nadal, who burst onto the scene when he beat then reigning French Open champion Albert Costa at the Monte Carlos Masters Series in April last year.
Ironically, Ferrero himself came in for Alex Corretja four years ago and helped Spain break their Davis duck against Australia in an emotional final in Barcelona.
The 24-year-old Ferrero said he hoped to make Sunday's reverse singles. "Of course I want to see myself on the court on Sunday," he told reporters.
Carlos Moya will open the encounter on Friday against US number two Mardy Fish before Nadal gets to go toe to toe with US world number two Andy Roddick.
"Hopefully I can win that match to give Nadal confidence to go on court with us leading 1-0," said Moya.
Roddick beat Nadal in their only previous encounter at this year's US Open but admitted Spain had plenty of options.
"Personally, I was expecting to play Ferrero. But at the same time I think our team knows that they have four very capable singles players and thet's one of their strengths," said the US number one.
US captain Patrick McEnroe was unfazed by the Spanish switch. "It wasn't a surprise. Nadal is going to be a great player, but we have a great opportunity here to show what we can do."
With the match being held on slow Spanish clay at Seville's Olympic Stadium and in front of a fanatical 26,000 crowd, the hosts start as favourites to land the cup and deny their visitors a 32nd 'salad bowl.'
US hopes of a first title since 1995 are pinned firmly on the shoulders of Roddick, four singles titles this season but no Grand
Slam.
The 22-year-old from Nebraska bagged titles in Indianapolis, Queen's, Miami and San Jose, while he made the Wimbledon final and ended the season second in the rankings behind all-conquering Swiss Roger Federer.
But the 2003 US Open champion comes to southern Spain knowing that his 1,017 Tour aces may count for little on the clay where he rarely shines.
Roddick has beaten Spain's four Davis Cup stars 12 times in 12 meetings and is 6-0 in the competition this year. But his record on red clay, which shows the man with the monster serve has never been past the third round at the French Open, makes
abysmal reading.
Roddick has won four career titles on clay but three of those came on relatively zippy US green clay at Atlanta and Houston, while he also won at St Polten, Austria, last year.
He also lost his two rubbers in the 2002 Davis Cup semi-final at
Roland Garros against French opposition.
"It's slow, but it's nothing ridiculous. It's not as powdery or slippery as Roland Garros," said Roddick of the Seville surface.
Now Roddick must ensure that, assuming world number five Moya gets the better of Fish, he overcomes the tenacious but inexperienced Nadal, who only debuted in the event this season, to give the US a chance of going into the second day on level terms.
Fish can point only to a quarter-final showing at 2003 Houston as evidence that he possesses 'feet of clay,' but did beat Moya twice last season - albeit on Australian hardcourt.
Much could hinge on the doubles as US twins Bob and Mike Bryan will fancy their chances against Nadal and Tommmy Robredo on Saturday.
On Sunday, Roddick, 3-0 in his career against Moya, will look to beat the Spaniard on clay for the first time before Nadal and Fish, who have yet to meet, compete in the final rubber. Unless Ferrero makes a return to the fray.
