Nadal: If I don’t feel ready, I won’t play singles
Rafael Nadal arrived in Malaga on Saturday and admitted that he may be forced to skip the singles at the Davis Cup Finals, which begin on Tuesday and will see the Spanish star bring his iconic career to an end.
The 38-year-old Mallorcan will call time on his illustrious career in his home country at the tournament in Malaga, Andalusia, which kicks off tomorrow when Spain take on the Netherlands.
The Manacor-born legend will be aiming for his fifth Davis Cup title and Spain’s sixth in an emotional tournament that will mark the farewell of the greatest player in Spanish tennis history and one of the best in the world (92 titles, including 22 Grand Slams, as well as Olympic gold in singles at Beijing 2008 and doubles at Rio 2016).
However, Nadal has not competed since the Paris Olympics in July and his place in the team led by former tennis star David Ferrer remains uncertain. The former world number one has endured a difficult year, plagued by injuries that have seen him drop to 155º in the world rankings.
“First of all, we’ll have to see how I feel in training and if I really don’t feel capable of winning in singles, I’ll be the first to step aside,” Nadal told the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET).
“If I don’t feel ready, I will be the first to speak to the captain. I’ve already told him several times not to make decisions based on the fact that this is my last week as a professional tennis player,” Nadal warned.
Spain, along with Italy, is one of the favourites to lift the Davis Cup trophy, starting their campaign in the quarter-finals at the José María Martín Carpena Sports Palace in the Mediterranean coastal city, 530 km south of the capital, Madrid.
French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz (3) is guaranteed a singles spot, while Pedro Martínez (42º) and Roberto Bautista Agut (46º) will compete with Nadal for the second nomination.
If Nadal cannot play singles, he could pair with Alcaraz in doubles. The duo previously played together at the Olympics, where they reached the quarter-finals. “I’ve been able to prepare fairly well, which is why I’m here, but I’ll have to take it day by day,” Nadal added.
“I haven’t competed for some time, and I just want to experience this week in the best way possible. I’m excited to bring to a close a long and beautiful chapter of my life, enjoying these final moments naturally and accepting that everything has a beginning and an end.” —Insidethegames.biz
