Nadal "not sure" if he will ever again be able to compete in Davis Cup for Spain

Rafael Nadal has thrown doubt over whether he will ever be able to compete for Spain at the Davis Cup again, as he cites his age and injury concerns as major obstacles.

Speaking to press following his win over Casper Ruud at the ATP Finals to finish his season, Rafa said, "I was not an option (for 2022 Davis Cup) because the captain knows since the beginning of the season that I was not an option this year. If I am representing my country, I need to do it with the full passion and full confidence and full spirit as I did in 2019 in Madrid. I don’t think this year I am able to be at that level of everything".

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The 22-time Grand Slam champion added, "Then let's see if I am able to play again the Davis Cup one day. I am not sure about it, but of course in my mind I will love to say goodbye to that beautiful competition. As everybody knows, I am getting old (smiling). Even if I would like to be everywhere, I can’t, I simply cannot".

The Davis Cup has been a large part of Nadal's career, with the Spaniard having won it on five occasions. Representing his country has always been important to the 36 year-old, but with him now being very much in the autumn of his career, age, body fatigue and injuries become increasingly challenging obstacles for Nadal to overcome.

The 14-time Roland Garros champion stopped short of ruling it out altogether, but he stressed that it is simply out of his control as to whether he will ever represent his country again at the Davis Cup.

The Davis Cup finals for 2022 conclude at the end of the month. The competition has received a huge boost with the news that is has ATP backing from next season, and will no longer have to compete with the ATP Cup - a tournament of near identical format.

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