Newcombe plays down Rafter injury fears

Australia coach John Newcombe said he expected Pat Rafter to play Sunday's reverse singles in the Davis Cup final against Spain despite limping out of his match against Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Rafter won the first set against the Spanish number one but eventually retired when trailing by two sets to one and 3-1 in the fourth after receiving treatment on his hand and leg.

That allowed Spain to level the match at 1-1 following Lleyton Hewitt's dramatic five-set win over Albert Costa in the first rubber.

"Rafter will probably play on Sunday," Newcombe said.

Patrick Rafter getting treatment for his cramps

"He was suffering from cramps in his hand and that could have affected his shoulder so we made the decision to go off."

Rafter started his game brilliantly and appeared set to give Australia a 2-0 lead going into Saturday's doubles.

He faded badly in the second and third sets, though, and he said afterwards he did not know exactly what had happened.

"I was feeling really good going into the game so I don't know what went wrong," he said.

"I started getting cramps towards the end of the third set in my calf, thigh and wrist. I don't know why it happened. I mean, I was feeling good.

"At the last change of ends we decided that if it got worse, particularly in my forearms, I should give it up and save myself for Sunday, so that's what I did."

Davis Cup final images - Day 1