The ATP Finals in Turin may be the last big prize on the horizon for the top players in men’s tennis, but it is the end-of-season showdown a week later that may serve up one of the biggest highlights of the tennis year.
There have been plenty of critics of the Davis Cup in recent years, with format changes and the ending of the home and away ties in the early stages of the competition a source of disgruntlement to many traditionalists.
Yet tennis fans who flocked to Malaga for last year’s Davis Cup Finals in mid-November will confirm it was one of the highlights of the tennis year, with the drama on the court matched by the electrifying atmosphere in the stands.
Spain failed to qualify for the 2023 edition of the Davis Cup Finals, but the stands were packed for all matches and now this year’s tournament looks set to take the competition to the next level.
The Final Group Stage matches took place in four locations last week, with the winning teams now awaiting the draw that will take place on Thursday.
We have a good idea of who will be squaring off in quarter-final ties that will be a straight knock-out competition, with each nation playing two singles and one doubles to decide the outcome.
While several players have voiced their concern over the packed tennis schedule, the opportunity to play for their country and potentially add their name to the list of Davis Cup winners still burns brightly.
That was confirmed last week as Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper were among the big names taking part
Now the ITF have confirmed the outline of the draw for the Finals in Malaga, with world No 1 Jannik Sinner set to return for Italy as they take on either Australia or Argentina.
Sinner was in attendance as Italy cruised into the Davis Cup Finals once again in front of their home fans in Bologna last week and his return to their team could make their favourites to win again.
Spain are in the other half of the draw, with Alcaraz set to star and there must be a possibility that the great Rafael Nadal may take the opportunity to play one last time on home soil in Malaga by turning out for Spain in the Davis Cup Finals.
He could revive his doubles partnership with Alcaraz that captured headlines around the sporting world at the Paris Olympics this summer and he could be handed a quick chance to gain revenge for his most disappointing loss of 2024.
Alcaraz slipped to a shock US Open defeat against Dutchman Botic van De Zandschulp in New York last month and he could play the same player in the Davis Cup quarter-finals as the Netherlands are one of the two nations Spain could face first.
Their other potential quarter-final rival is a strong Germany team likely to be boosted by the return of their highest-ranked player Alexander Zverev.
The USA are back in the Davis Cup Finals after captain Bob Bryan masterminded a fine success in qualifying ties played in China last week and he will now be asking Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Shelton if they will play in Malaga in a few weeks time.
Australia are also back in the draw after reaching the Final in the last two Davis Cup tournaments, with Alex de Minaur set to lead their charge.
2022 Davis Cup champions Canada will also be a team to watch, with Felix Auger-Aliassime in stunning form as he won all three of his singles matches on his favourite indoor surfaced in Manchester last week.
After Sinner’s thrilling win against Novak Djokovic paved the way for Italy’s win in last year’s Davis Cup, we could conceivably have a scenario that seems Sinner and Alcaraz going head-to-head in the 2024 Davis Cup Final in front of a raucous Spanish crowd in mid-November.
Anyone suggesting the Davis Cup is not as important as it once was should need to attend that potential showdown to banish such pessimism.
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