The Davis Cup quarterfinals this weekend will be "missing the superstar pulling power of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray and potentially overshadowed by Rafael Nadal's last-ditch attempt to get to the Rio Olympics," according to Dave James of the AFP. World No. 1 Djokovic and Wimbledon winner Murray had been "expected to play" in the quarterfinal between Serbia and defending champions Great Britain. World No. 2 Murray is still officially listed in the British team, however, he is "expected to watch from the sidelines as he rests after his Wimbledon triumph and ahead of a packed summer schedule which includes the Olympics next month as well as the US Open." British team captain Leon Smith said, "Andy has to look after his body and his mind. He's got his eyes set on getting some rest and really making a big push for the Olympics, US Open and beyond." Fourteen-time major winner Nadal and his Spanish team do not feature in the World Group quarterfinals, but the 30-year-old "still faces a key weekend as he hears whether or not the International Tennis Federation will give him the go-ahead to take part in Rio." Nadal "continues to recover from a wrist injury." He is "keen to play in Rio after being unable to defend" his Gold Medal at London in 2012 due to a knee injury but he has not "fulfilled the qualifying criteria" (AFP, 7/13).
