KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) _ Rafael Nadal said he's skipping Spain's Davis Cup quarter-final match against the United States next month because he needs to rest his injured foot.

Nadal said his foot has been bothering him for the past month. Despite the injury, Nadal planned to play in the quarter-finals Wednesday night at Key Biscayne against Novak Djokovic of Serbia.

``Although I've been playing very well, I'm playing with some pain in my foot,'' Nadal said. ``I am trying to finish this tournament in Miami and go back to Spain and have some rest for my foot. I have to rest right now because I feel pain.''

The absence of the second-ranked Nadal will make the U.S. team a strong favourite for the match April 6-8 in Winston-Salem, N.C.

``I'm very disappointed about not being able to play Davis Cup,'' Nadal said. ``This time is the first time when I can't go to Davis Cup, so I will support my team from Mallorca.''