Spanish tennis legend Nadal, who has been out of motion for many of the 12 months attributable to damage, might retire after this 12 months’s Davis Cup.
Carlos Alcaraz has welcomed the addition of Rafael Nadal to Spain’s Davis Cup crew for the quarter-finals subsequent November and has expressed his hope that the occasion in Malaga won’t mark the tip of the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s profession.
Nadal was a shock selection for the spherical of 16 from Nov. 19-24. The 38-year-old final competed on the Paris Olympics in July and subsequently missed the U.S. Open and Laver Cup this month due to health points.
Nadal has stated he hopes to finish his injury-plagued profession this 12 months after a hip damage requiring surgical procedure restricted his appearances in 2023, and there was hypothesis the Davis Cup could possibly be his last occasion.
“It’s at all times nice to have Rafa round. I miss him. I’m not going to lie, I missed him on the Laver Cup. Clearly, spending as a lot time as I can with him is a privilege for me,” stated Alcaraz, who partnered Nadal in doubles on the Paris Video games.
“I don’t need to assume that it’s a attainable final dance for him in Malaga. I simply need to… take pleasure in watching him on the pitch as a lot as I can.
“It’s a nice help to have him on the crew. He can convey a variety of expertise to the Davis Cup.”
Will we see Nadalcaraz return to Malaga? 👀 🇪🇸#DavisCup picture.twitter.com/pvCnYcBcFO
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) September 23, 2024
Nadal had deliberate to make a comeback on the Laver Cup earlier than finally pulling out and the Spaniard has not stated the place he plans to play earlier than the Davis Cup.
Alcaraz, who was defeated by Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp within the second spherical of the US Open, stated guiding Group Europe to victory on the Laver Cup was the proper preparation for the China Open, which begins on Thursday.
“I performed some nice matches on the Laver Cup, which helped me quite a bit to achieve extra confidence going into this match,” Alcaraz advised reporters in Beijing.
“I beat Ben Shelton, who was enjoying very nicely, and Taylor Fritz, who was coming off the ultimate in New York.
“Having achieved these victories is nice for my confidence and my stage to return right here with additional vitality figuring out that I’m ready to get a great consequence, figuring out that I’ve a very tough draw.”
