Ferrer optimistic about Nadal: “My idea after talking to him is that he is ready to play”
The Davis Cup Finals will take place from November 19 to 24, 2024 in Malaga, Spain
Rafael Nadal, Olympics 2024 (Gepa / Panoramic)
We have entered the month of November, the month when Rafael Nadal will play the last competition of his career, the Davis Cup, in front of his home crowd in Malaga. Spain will face off against the Netherlands on November 19 in the quarter-finals and the main question remains whether Nadal will line up in singles. For Spanish team captain David Ferrer, who gave an interview to the Spanish daily Marca, it is a possibility, even if his compatriot has not played singles in official competition since the Paris Olympic Games.
“I’m the captain and I’m the one who has to decide. I have a lot of confidence in Rafa because I’ve lived with him all my career and I know his honesty if he sees himself capable of competing or not. My idea after talking to him is that he’s ready to play.”
“I spoke with Rafa on Wednesday, I am also in constant contact with his coach Carlos Moya and his agent Carlos Costa. They update me very regularly. I’ll decide in Malaga, when I see how he trains. But the same will happen with the rest of the players. If Nadal trains at a good level and is in good physical shape, that’s an alternative, of course.”
Ferrer sees Nadal as future Davis Cup captain
David Ferrer has the advantage of knowing Rafael Nadal very well. The two men have faced each other 32 times on the ATP Tour (26-6 for the Mallorcan) and have shared victorious Davis Cup weekends for many years. The captain of the Spanish team wants Nadal to leave the professional circuit through the front door, lifting a fifth silver bowl.
“I would be very satisfied if he finished happy and playing well. Does it mean to win? Well yes, the ideal would be a victory, but not for me but for everything he has achieved. The problem is that it’s something you can’t control. What happens in Malaga will not change his life or career. But on a personal level, I would like him to leave tennis with good memories.”
Ferrer also wanted to stress that he would like to see Nadal become captain of the Spanish Davis Cup team in a few years. The Mallorcan has always been there for his country and has the soul of a leader.
“Rafa would be a great Davis Cup captain because he loves this competition. With the humility he has, he would be a very good captain. He would bring a lot to the young players and, on top of that, he has the personality, which is important to occupy the chair.”
