SANTIAGO, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Marat Safin arrived in Chile's capital Santiago on Sunday ahead of next weekend's Davis Cup World Group contest against the Chilean team.

    "Chile is a favorite because the team is at home," Safin told reporters upon his arrival.

    "And Fernando Gonzalez has just had a great showing in the Australia Open.

    "Fernando is playing well and he is a very tough rival to beat. But it is not impossible and will do all we can to do so," added Safin, a former world number one, who is now ranked 24th by the Association of Tennis Professionals.

    The Russian Davis Cup team is missing two of the nation's top players - world number three Nikolay Davydenko and world number 20Mikhail Youzhny, but Safin said this is not a problem.

    "We don't feel any special pressure. Just let us go ahead an play," he said.

    Safin will travel to the northern Chile city of La Serena on Sunday afternoon, where he will join the rest of the team Dimitry Tursunov, and captain Shamil Tarpishev, to start training.

    The Davis Cup begins on Friday in the city, 470 km north of Chile's capital, Santiago.