MALAGA: Rafa Nadal said he could skip singles matches at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga this week and limit himself to doubles action if it helped Spain’s title chances in his last tournament as a professional player.

Nadal will call time on his glittering career spanning over two decades at the team competition and the 22-times Grand Slam champion is aware that he has not played a competitive singles match since losing to Novak Djokovic at the Paris Olympics.

Severely hampered in the last two seasons by a serious hip injury and a string of minor problems, the 38-year-old said he would give his best in Malaga but was also ready to sit out.

“I’m going to try to prepare in the best way possible to be available and then see what the captain decides,” Nadal said in an interview published by the Spanish tennis federation.

“I want to help in any way, whether it’s playing or not, just being here and contributing what I can.

“First we have to see how I feel in training. If I really don’t see myself ready to have a chance of winning in singles, I’m the first one who will not want to play.

“Sometimes one sees oneself ready and things go very wrong.”

Former world number one Nadal said he had spoken to Spain captain David Ferrer and requested him not to make any decisions based on the fact that this is his final week on the tour.

“The team comes first and he should not be affected in the slightest by the noise that may be around. He has to do what is best for the team and that’s what I want,” Nadal added.

Nadal, who led Spain to their sixth and most recent Davis Cup triumph in 2019, said he was satisfied with his career.

“What I would like, obviously, is for the team to work well and have the chance to win another Davis Cup, whether by playing or cheering from the stands.”

Spain face the Netherlands in their opening match at the Nov 19 to Nov 24 tournament featuring eight nations.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024