Mardy Fish to replace Bob Bryan

09-17-2008 | AP

The injured doubles star’s withdrawal follows that of James Blake last week

Panama Star MADRID. Doubles star Bob Bryan will miss this weekend's Davis Cup semifinal against Spain because of a shoulder injury and was replaced on the U. S. team Tuesday by Mardy Fish.

His withdrawal follows that of James Blake. He pulled out last week citing exhaustion, making way for 39th-ranked Sam Querrey.

Bryan is recovering in the U.S. after receiving a cortisone shot for an inflamed left shoulder that has bothered him since Wimbledon. “I aggravated it pretty bad at the Open and only made things worse,” Bryan said on the Davis Cup Web site. “I knew if I wanted a chance to play the rest of this year, I had to shut it down now. I can't even hit any balls.”

This will be the first time in 16 Davis Cup matches that Bryan and twin brother Mike won't play together. The Bryans, who are 14-2 since debuting in 2003, helped the U.S. win the Davis Cup last year.

“He's been taking anti-inflammatories and getting a lot of treatment on it. I think it's fairly serious,” Mike Bryan said. “He obviously wanted to come here... but it still wasn't good to go.”

The 23rd-ranked Fish practiced on the clay Tuesday with Mike Bryan and could line up with him in the doubles.