Davis Cup final
- Venue: Olympic Stadium, Seville, Spain
- Date: 2-4 December
- Times: Day one: 1300 GMT; Day 2: 1500 GMT; Day 3: 1200 GMT
Nadal won the Davis Cup with Spain in 2004 and 2009
Rafael Nadal says he is ready to lead Spain to a fifth Davis Cup title by beating Argentina, despite complaining of "a lack of passion" for tennis.
Spain's top-ranked player had provoked alarm with his comments after a disappointing ATP World Tour Finals.
Nadal later added his words had been "blown out of proportion" and related to "weariness from years of playing".
But he insisted he is ready to put aside a tough season and "work each day at 100%" to win the Davis Cup.
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More than a lack of passion, it is a weariness from many years of playing at this level, week after week
Rafael Nadal
World number two
The Davis Cup final begins on Friday, 2 December and finishes on Sunday, 4 December on Nadal's favoured clay-court surface at the Olympic Stadium in Seville.
The Spaniard, 25, was knocked out of the season-end ATP World Tour Finals last week defeat by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the group stages, his fourth loss in 10 matches.
Afterwards the world number two said: "I probably had a bit less passion for the game because I was more tired than usual."
Following a practice session for the Davis Cup final, Nadal said his words had been exaggerated.
He commented: "Things get blown out of proportion very often because conclusions are drawn far beyond the meaning of what's said.
"It's true that this season has been tough. More than a lack of passion, it is a weariness from many years of playing at this level, week after week.
"The important thing now is to work each day at 100% with the excitement needed to win the Davis Cup.
"They [Argentina] have great players, all of which stand out on the circuit, so the only thing we can do is concentrate on reaching the final as prepared as possible and then hope our rivals don't have an inspired weekend."
RAFAEL NADAL'S 2011
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- Won the French Open, Monte Carlo and Barcelona titles
- Runner-up at Wimbleden and US Open; reached Australian Open quarter finals
- Four fewer title wins than last year
- Overtaken as world number one by Novak Djokovic
- Has lost 15 of 82 singles matches this year, including his last two
The contest is a repeat of the 2008 final, when Spain won on a hard indoor surface in Argentina despite missing Nadal because of injury.
This time Nadal will lead a Spain team which includes the fifth-ranked David Ferrer and probable doubles partners Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.
Ferrer conceded the South Americans have a big advantage, with himself and Nadal having played this week.
"I'm very tired," said Ferrer. "I want to stop, but I can't because I have the Davis Cup.
"It is a disadvantage because we've played more matches. We'll be more tired. We have to change now to clay courts. The Argentinian guys, they were practising two weeks ago on clay."
Argentina are seeking a first title in four attempts. Juan Martin del Potro and David Nalbandian could face Nadal and Ferrer in the singles rubbers.
Juan Monaco, Juan Ignacio Chela and Eduardo Schwank complete Argentina's provisional squad, with captain Tito Vazquez needing to trim his team to four players before the 1 December draw (1100 GMT) for the indoor event.
Verdasco said he knows the Argentines were hurt by the defeat three years ago.
"They were at home and favourites and it's clear they want to pay us back," he commented. "But we are preparing as if we have never won it before."
Spain have lifted the Davis Cup on four occasions - 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2009.
Argentina finished runners-up in 1981, 2006 and 2008, but are yet to win the trophy.
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