Madrid is controversial Davis Cup venue

MADRID, Spain -- The Spanish tennis federation has ignored the wishes of its players and named Madrid as the venue for the Davis Cup semifinal against the United States in September.

Top Spaniard Rafael Nadal and eight other players had signed a joint statement of protest, claiming that the high altitude of the chosen venue would adversely affect the home team's chances.

They expressed the view that the Spanish capital's 600-meter (2,100-foot) altitude would assist the US players' faster game.

They suggested that federation president Pedro Munoz favored Madrid because of sponsorship money.

Munoz told a news conference that Madrid's Las Ventas bullring would host the September 19-21 fixture, in preference to rival candidates from three coastal towns, Benidorm, Gijon and Tenerife.

"It was very difficult to make this final decision but we are proud to feel that the entire country is behind this group of tennis players," he said.

Nadal and others, including Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario, David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro said in their statement that they would boycott promotions for the federation and its sponsors in protest.

"Our only objective is and will always be to represent Spain under the best possible conditions," the statement said.

Speaking to public radio RNE after the decision was announced, Vicario said he was not surprised that the player's concerns were overlooked.

"I imagined this would happen," the Spain captain said.

Ferrer said the priority now was "to beat the Americans no matter where."

"We will play where they tell us, but to defeat the Americans we need the slowest possible surface. If the captain calls on me, I will give my best for my country," he said.

Spanish media reported that the federation came under pressure to select Madrid because the city's tourist office is a key sponsor of the event through 2010.

The federation said in a statement on its Web site earlier this week that the decision might not be based "on strictly sporting aspects if there are extraordinary reasons in the interest of Spanish tennis."