Rafael Nadal, a tennis player who has won 22 Grand Slam titles, has suggested that his time as a Davis Cup player for Spain may be over.
The former world number 1 has won the Davis Cup with Spain on five occasions and last won it in 2019.
The 2022 Australian Open champion was forced to not participate due to an injury he had to endure in the second half of the season.
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After the US Open, the French Open champion for the 2022 season returned to action at the Laver Cup for Roger Federer’s last appearance in the world of professional tennis, but the tennis player’s performance was far from the standard he is used to showing so he and Federer lost in the doubles match.
The team competition is close to the former world number 1’s heart, but he stated that his entry into the ATP singles tournaments meant he had to organize his schedule and because of that, the men’s team competition had to be sacrificed.
“I am not an option for the 2022 Davis Cup, because the captain of the team knew from the start of the season that I was not an option this season,” said Rafael Nadal after his win over Norwegian Casper Ruud in the final group stage match of the ATP Finals.
“If I represent my country, I have to do it as passionately, confidently and passionately as I did at Madrid in 2019. I think this season I can’t do it at the level of everything.”
“Then we’ll see if I can play in the Davis Cup again one day. I’m not sure about that, but definitely in my mind I want to say goodbye to that beautiful competition.”
“As everyone knows, I’m getting old (with a smile). Even if I wanted to be anywhere, I can’t, it’s that simple.”
The 36-year-old’s competitive season ended after his fight against Ruud and now the tennis player’s focus will turn to getting himself fit and fit in his bid to defend his Australian Open title next season.
Meanwhile, Spain will be in action in the Davis Cup Finals which will be held in Malaga next week.
There will be neither Nadal nor world number 1 Carlos Alcaraz who will strengthen for Spain, so Spain will certainly face a tough task. But the 2022 French Open champion is backing compatriots Pablo Carreno Busta and Roberto Bautista Agut in action.
