Rafael Nadal is gearing up to play singles for Spain at the upcoming Davis Cup Finals, with captain David Ferrer revealing the message that the 22-time Grand Slam champion sent him.
Nadal has not competed since the Paris Olympic Games, when he played both singles and doubles with compatriot Carlos Alcaraz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWrHFzoBsBo
However, the 37-year-old does have two events lined up, with the upcoming ‘Six Kings Slam’ exhibition in Saudi Arabia, followed by the aforementioned Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.
And former World No.3 David Ferrer, who has won the Davis Cup with Spain on three occasions and has captained his nation since 2022, spoke about the positive impact that Nadal can still have despite his lack of matchplay in recent years.
“I know Rafa is an honest person and that if he steps on the court, he will give his 100 percent,” said Ferrer. “I’m aware of his competitive capabilities, the issue he is facing is that physically he can’t sustain the level for long periods, but in a single match, he can be unbeatable.”
Ferrer added, “You can never count out a player like him. The fact that he is so thrilled to be with the team, as he was the one who called me before the qualifying phase, makes me see that it’s perfect to have him with us.”
Nadal is part of a Spanish team that also features Carlos Alcaraz, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and doubles World No.1 Marcel Granollers.
Spain will take on the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarter-finals with Nadal likely to play Botic van de Zandschulp, who beat Alcaraz at the US Open, if he decides to play singles.
When continuing, Ferrer confirmed that Nadal is intending to play the No.2 Dutchman next month, “When the draw was announced, I sent him a message and told him to prepare to play against Botic Van de Zandschulp. His response was clear: ‘I’ll be ready’.
“This month, he will compete in the Six Kings Slam, and I would like him to participate in another event before joining the team. I will discuss this with him in the coming weeks.”
Nadal will next compete in less than two weeks time at the ‘Six Kings Slam’ in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the Davis Cup Finals knockout stages taking place in November.
Inside the baseline…
It is great to hear David Ferrer hype up the chance of seeing Rafael Nadal represent Spain at the Davis Cup once again, especially in singles! When it was announced that Nadal would be part of the Spanish team in Malaga many speculated over whether this could be his final tournament, and what a way to go out it would be in front of the home crowd – especially as Spain will be contenders for the title.
