* Champions Spain favourites for second straight final
* Israel hoping to capitalise on Nadal, Verdasco absence
* 2005 winners Croatia host Czech Republic in Porec
By Iain Rogers
MADRID, Sept 16 (Reuters) - The absence of injured Spanish duo Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco has given surprise package Israel hope of sneaking a shock win in their Davis Cup World Group semi-final starting on Friday.
Israel have already surpassed expectations by reaching the last four for the first time but champions Spain have won their last 16 home ties and even without their two leading players, are warm favourites to meet Croatia or the Czech Republic in the final
Had Nadal played he certainly would have won both his matches but nevertheless every one of their players is better than us on paper,” doubles specialist Andy Ram said ahead of the tie being played on clay.“We are coming as an underdog and without any pressure,” he added. “That could be to our advantage and maybe we just might be able to steal an historic victory.”
Croatia, who host the Czechs in Porec, have also opted to play their tie on clay as they seek a repeat of their 2005 triumph and will be boosted by the run of Marin Cilic to the quarter-finals of last week’s U.S. Open.
Spain captain Albert Costa said his side would not be taking the Israelis lightly after they stunned two former champions in previous rounds.
“Of course playing at home we are favourites,” Costa said at a news conference on Tuesday at the resort near Murcia in southern Spain where the three-day tie is being contested.
“But I can only reiterate that we have to be very careful and really work hard to beat Israel, who are in the semis having knocked out Russia and Sweden,” he added.
HIGH SPIRITS
Nadal reached the last four in New York before falling to eventual champion Juan Martin del Potro but stomach muscle problems forced his withdrawal from the Davis Cup and he has been replaced by fellow former number one Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Number nine Verdasco lost to Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals but has been hampered by a foot injury.
David Ferrer noted that he had won one and lost one of his two previous meetings with Israel’s Dudi Sela, both on hard court, while Tommy Robredo has lost all three of his matches against Sela, although they have not faced each other on clay.
“He’s a top player as his ranking and results show,” Robredo told Tuesday’s news conference.
Sela, number 29 in the world, said the clay in Murcia was different to what the Israeli players were used to at home but they felt comfortable with the conditions.
“The atmosphere is very pleasant, we are being hosted well and team spirit, as usual, is very high,” he said.
Croatian captain Goran Prpic said he expected his team to punch above their weight against the Czechs, who will be relying on Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych to give them the advantage in the singles.
“The Czech players have better (ATP) ranking than our players, but it is just figures,” Prpic told a news conference.
“We have chosen a clay court to give our players an advantage and we will try to make use of it,” he added.
The game in the northern Adriatic town of Porec will be played indoors, like the two ties Croatia won this year against Chile and the United States.
Cilic, the world number 15, who also fell to Del Potro at the U.S. Open, will play singles together with big-serving Wimbledon quarter-finalist Ivo Karlovic. Roko Karanusic and Lovro Zovko make up the team.
Czech captain Jaroslav Navratil said he was hopeful of success considering the form his singles specialists showed at the U.S. Open, where Stepanek lost to Novak Djokovic in the last 16 and Berdych fell to Fernando Gonzalez in the last 32.
