Spain’s Davis Cup captain, David Ferrer, hinted at the possibility of Rafael Nadal joining the team in November, stirring excitement among fans. Spain, chasing their seventh Davis Cup title, secured a spot in the final 8 after a remarkable victory over Australia in Valencia. Celebrating this achievement, Nadal, who has been instrumental in Spain’s four previous Davis Cup wins, shared an emotional tribute to his teammates.
The doubles match was a key moment, with Pedro Martinez and Marcel Granollers delivering a strong performance against former Wimbledon champions Max Purcell and Matt Ebden. Despite dropping the first set, the Spanish duo rallied to win the match 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Earlier, Carreno Busta’s victory over Jordan Thompson had already put Spain in a favorable position. Although Alexei Popyrin managed a win over Pedro Martinez to give Australia some hope, Spain’s victory in the doubles match clinched their place in the finals.
Even without the presence of star player Carlos Alcaraz, who chose to rest and skip the clash against Australia, Spain demonstrated resilience and determination. Showing his support, Nadal took to Instagram, posting a photo of the team celebrating in Valencia and writing “Enhorabuena equipo” (“Congratulations team”), along with the Spanish flag emoji.
The former world No. 1 and 22-time Grand Slam winner shared another image from the official Davis Cup Instagram account, depicting the Spanish team proudly holding their flag as the audience cheered them on. Nadal captioned it with “Vamos” (“Let’s go”), again accompanied by the Spanish flag emoji.
Speculation about Nadal’s return to the Davis Cup has been growing. While the tennis star has not made an official statement, Ferrer hinted at the possibility, revealing he had spoken with Nadal. Ferrer stated, “I’ve talked to Rafa (Nadal) but I don’t know yet, why not?… From here, what he decides about being in Malaga or not, will be a subject that I will discuss with him later… if they arrive in good condition, I’m sure he is a player we can count on.”
Amid the discussions of a possible return, Nadal recently announced his withdrawal from the 2024 Laver Cup, leaving fans disappointed. Reflecting on his decision, Nadal expressed that being part of a team competition requires contributing effectively. “This is a team competition and to really support Team Europe, I need to do what’s best for them and at this moment there are other players who can help the team deliver the win,” Nadal explained, highlighting the importance of his absence for the team’s benefit.
In his absence, Team Europe will feature other top players, including Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Alexander Zverev, while Team World boasts talents like Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, and Ben Shelton. Although Team Europe remains strong, Nadal’s presence would have added an extra edge. However, the competition will proceed without him this year.
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