According to Spanish Davis Cup captain David Ferrer, Rafael Nadal will play for Spain in November at the 2024 Davis Cup Final 8 stage in Malaga.
The last time Nadal was on the tennis courts was in Paris for the Olympics, where he played doubles with Carlos Alcaraz. It was a solid run, even though they ultimately failed to make the medal rounds, leaving Paris without any medals.
However, it was possibly a teaser for what might happen later this year. Nadal has now been named as part of the Spanish team for the Final 8 stage of the Davis Cup, set to be held in November in Malaga.
Spain is the home team, and as such, they are expected to do well, especially with Alcaraz signing up to play as well. With Nadal, they also have experience on their side.
Some doubted the sincerity of those reports, because while Nadal being part of the team is possible, there are concerns about whether he will actually be able to play in the event.
He hasn't been seen on the tennis court since Paris, even though, according to reports, he’s been practicing the whole time. Practice, of course, ultimately means little, as matches are what truly counts, and Nadal hasn’t played in a very long time.
He is supposed to play at an exhibition in Riyadh later this month at the Six Kings Slam, so that will be the first time fans will get to see him again. While Nadal hasn’t officially confirmed his participation, promotional material featuring him has been released, and team captain David Ferrer confirmed his participation as well.
Ferrer spoke about naming Nadal as part of the team during a recent conversation with DGO and confirmed that Nadal has agreed to play in November.
"When the draw came out, I sent him a message and told him to prepare to play against Botic Van de Zandschulp. His answer was clear: ‘I will be ready.’ He’s going to play the Six Kings Slam this month and I would like him to compete in another event before playing with the team. I will talk to him about it in the coming weeks."
Nadal himself has been somewhat reluctant to talk much about his schedule. The only thing the 38-year-old did confirm was that he's not leaving tennis and still plans to play.
When, how, and what were unknown, but according to former ATP player Ferrer, at least two events have been confirmed. On top of that, Ferrer would want him to play one preparation event before the Final 8 in Malaga.
That will be exciting for many fans who are eager to see a potential reunion between Alcaraz and Nadal in November. It's unknown whether they will actually play doubles together, but both will be part of Team Spain at the event, and both will seemingly play, which will raise the stakes for all involved.
With Jannik Sinner also involved at the event, it's promising to be a spectacular finish to the tennis season.