Israel go into the first day of their Davis Cup semi-final tie with Spain on Friday buoyed by the absence of World No 3 Rafael Nadal from the defending champions' line-up.

Nadal, a six-time Grand Slam winner, was named in captain Albert Costa's original squad but was ordered to rest by doctors after suffering from an abdominal problem at the US Open, where he was eliminated in the semi-finals.

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World No 3 Rafael Nadal