Interest in the year-end Davis Cup Final has increased since Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz were officially confirmed for Team Spain.
Nadal has been struggling with fitness issues for two years. He began 2022 by winning the Australian and French Opens, but physical problems have consistently derailed him since those triumphs.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion’s last appearance was at the Olympics at Roland-Garros. In the singles, he was thrashed by his old rival, Novak Djokovic, showing how his level has dropped from a couple of years ago.
He also played doubles with Alcaraz at the games. The pair generated much attention with their high-profile partnership, but they crashed out in the quarterfinals to the experienced duo of Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.
Since that defeat, Nadal has withdrawn from the US Open and Laver Cup. Team Europe managed to thrive in his absence, though. Alcaraz beat Taylor Fritz to seal the team’s first Laver Cup title in three years.
The Spanish No. 1 also played in the Davis Cup Group Stage. His surprising loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in the US Open second round gave him additional time to prepare for representing his country.
Alcaraz helped Team Spain win its opening two group matches, meaning it qualified before its tie against Australia. That allowed Alcaraz to skip the final tie and rest before the Laver Cup.
After Spain qualified for the knockout stage, speculation arose about whether Nadal would be on the team for the final. Alcaraz had spoken about wanting to reunite with the 14-time French Open champion.
Team Spain’s Captain David Ferrer, who played against Nadal in the 2013 French Open final, previously said the 38-year-old was in contention for the knockout stage if he felt he was fit enough to play.
The Davis Cup social media pages confirmed Spain’s team for the knockout stage, and Nadal is among the five members. That is exciting news for the fans who bought tickets for the event in Malaga.
The other team members are Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Marcel Granollers. They are all experienced players who can be relied upon if they are chosen for any matches.
Fans will undoubtedly speculate about Nadal and Alcaraz possibly resuming their doubles partnership from the Olympics. But that decision may not be as obvious as some think.
Alcaraz and Granollers played well together in the group stage, and Granollers is a doubles specialist. Ferrer will have to think carefully and listen closely to his team before making that decision.
However, it is also possible that Nadal could enter the team as a doubles specialist if he feels he is not fit enough to play in the singles. That is impossible to know at this stage, though.
Team Spain will hope the country’s greatest-ever player does play in the knockout stage and is not forced to withdraw closer to the event. Even his off-court presence could make a difference and lift everyone in their quest to win the title on home soil.
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