The Wimbledon and French Open champion was chosen Tuesday by Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario, who also picked David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez for the best-of-five series against the 32-time champion Americans from Sept. 19-21 on clay at Madrid's Las Ventas bullring.
United States captain Patrick McEnroe will use Andy Roddick, Sam Querrey and Mike and Bob Bryan.
"They're a very dangerous team,'' Sanchez Vicario said. "They're a very compact team. All of the matches will be very complicated.''
Nicolas Almagro was listed as a reserve for Spain, while 16th-ranked Tommy Robredo was left off the team.
"Almagro is the player - after Nadal - who had obtained the best (clay) results among our tennis players up to Roland Garros,'' Sanchez Vicario said. "Robredo has also done well, but perhaps should have done something better to be in this group.''
Sanchez Vicario said Almagro could still make the main squad.
"The fifth player isn't coming as a sparring partner, but with options,'' said Sanchez Vicario, who denied that Almagro was called up as cover for the fatigued Nadal.
"He lost a match but the tiredness and stress are within the usual limits,'' said Sanchez Vicario, who added that Nadal may not be at the start of training Saturday as he takes extra days to rest following his loss in the U.S. Open semifinals. "He is very enthusiastic about this tie and when he's like that there's no problem.''
The selection of Madrid as the host city caused internal strife between the players and Spanish tennis federation president Pedro Munoz since the 650-meter (2,100-foot) altitude negates the advantages of clay by speeding up play, which could suit the big-serving Roddick.
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