Benidorm, Spain  - The first day of play between title- holders Spain and Serbia was put off Friday after strong winds damaged the stadium, officials at the International Tennis Federation confirmed.

Powerful gusts had "blown off some of the rows of the stands" and impacted the stability of the stadium, said Soren Frienel of the ITF. Officials were hoping that play could begin Saturday in the eastern Spanish Mediterranean resort town of Benidorm.

Wind, rain and snow wreaked havoc in Spain on Thursday, causing injuries to several people, uprooting trees and knocking over lamp posts

In Benidorm, David Ferrer and number 3 Novak Djokovic are to stage a rerun of last Sunday's Dubai final won by the Serb.

World number 1 Rafael Nadal will return to action for the first time since losing last month's Rotterdam final to Andy Murray. The Spaniard takes on Serbian Janko Tipsarevic as the defending champion Iberians start their 2009 campaign. (dpa)