Zurich, Jan 1 - Roger Federer is ready to skip Switzerland's Davis Cup first round in Spain in March due to the difficulty of playing on clay during the midst of the spring hardcourt season, news reports said Friday.
The world number one's absence might well be followed by that of Spain's Rafael Nadal, who would face the same surface-related problems at the March 5-7 event. The location of the event has yet to be determined.
Federer told Swiss media heading into new year that he would not make himself available, marking the sixth time that he has missed a first round.
The March date is very inconvenient for the players, set between ATP hardcourt events in Dubai and Indian Wells, California.
In recent years, the world number one has played in September's inevitable relegation rounds to keep his nation in the elite World Group after usually avoiding the first-round ties. (dpa)
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