MADRID - Rafael Nadal, who will return to the number one spot in the ATP rankings at the start of April, has been included in the Spanish Davis Cup team to face Germany on the quarter-finals of the competition.

Nadal replaced Albert Ramos, who was decisive in the previous round against Great Britain, in a team completed by Roberto Bautista, Pablo Carreno, Feliciano Lopez and David Ferrer, when team captain, Sergi Bruguera named the team on Tuesday.

The last time Nadal represented his country in the Davis Cup was against India in New Delhi two years ago, with various fitness issues the main reason he has not played in the team competition since then.

His start to this season has also been affected by injury as he has struggled with a hip injury which forced him to retire in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The quarter-finals of the Davis Cup will be played in the Valencia bullring between April 6th-8th, with the winner of the tie facing whoever comes out on top between Italy and France in a tie to be played in Genoa.