Rafael Nadal will be absent when a new-look Spain kick-off their Davis Cup defence against Kazakhstan in Oviedo.

New captain Alex Corretja will be unable to call on any of the players that helped Spain clinch the title against Argentina last December.

Nadal has opted to rest after his marathon Australian Open final defeat against Novak Djokovic last month while David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez will also not appear.

Instead veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero and world number 11 Nicolas Almagro, who did not play in any of Spain's ties last year, will be tasked with leading the champions against their unfancied visitors.

Despite the absentees Corretja is confident about his chances of a first-up win on clay.

"It's not something I'm thinking about at the moment because I have the duty to build a team with the four players that we think are best suited," Corretja told the Davis Cup website.

"I have the luck of having four big players that are very keen to play and that's what matters the most.

"There are others that could be here but are not, but I also thank them for their availability."

Roger Federer will play a first-round tie for the first time in eight years when Switzerland host the United States in Fribourg, just outside the Swiss capital Bern.

Federer will be partnered by his Olympic gold medal-winning doubles partner Stanislas Warwinka as he aims to claim the only major honour to elude him in his record-breaking career.

The Swiss face a tough task first up against the Americans who, while without injured Andy Roddick, will rely on Mardy Fish and John Isner in the singles.

"I am in a good state mentally and physically," Federer said.

"I have had a great run since last year's US Open. Here in Switzerland, it is nice we got home-court advantage, and we will try to make the best of it and see where it takes us."

The 2010 champions Serbia will be without resting world number one Djokovic but should still be too strong for Sweden on their preferred hard indoor surface in Hala Cair, Nis.

Last year's beaten finalists Argentina will also be without their star name, after Juan Martin del Potro declared himself unavailable because he did not want to switch to clay for their tricky trip to Germany.

In his absence Juan Monaco and David Nalbandian will lead Argentina, with new captain Martin Jaite saying: "We are presenting a very experienced team, with players that have played in many big battles in Davis Cup.

"This gives me a lot of confidence in my first experience as Davis Cup captain."

Elsewhere, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will headline France as they travel to Canada while Japan make their first appearance in the World Group since 1985 when they host Croatia in Hyogo.

The Czech Republic are at home to Italy on the indoor hard courts in Ostrava while Russia are away to Austria.