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Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh keen to dazzle on Arab soil at Jeddah’s Next Gen Finals

Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh is looking to cap his strong 2023 campaign with a memorable performance at the upcoming Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah. (X: @MoselleOpen)
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Updated 24 November 2023
Reem Abulleil
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Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh keen to dazzle on Arab soil at Jeddah’s Next Gen Finals

  • Talented lefty hopes to finish season on a high with strong showing at 21-and-under event
Updated 24 November 2023
Reem Abulleil

With a career-high ranking next to his name and a maiden Challenger title under his belt, rising Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh is looking to cap his strong 2023 campaign with a memorable performance at the upcoming Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah.

The event, which features eight of the best players on the ATP Tour aged 21 and under, is into its sixth edition and will be staged in Saudi Arabia for the first time following a five-year stint in Milan.

Shelbayh, who turned 20 earlier this month, was awarded a wildcard into the tournament and is relishing the opportunity to showcase his talent on Arab soil.

After starting the year ranked 473 in the world, the Rafa Nadal Academy player has shot up the charts to crack the top 200 for the first time and land at 187 this week.

The Amman native scooped his first Challenger trophy in Charleston last month and posted the first two ATP match wins of his career — in Banja Luka and Metz.

Shelbayh also claimed three victories over top-100 opponents over the last nine months and will now take his tricky lefty game to the courts at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City, where the Next Gen Finals will take place from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2.

 

 

“I was trying to get in with my own points, but it was tough to make. Many other players had really good seasons, and I couldn’t make it by ranking, unfortunately. But then two weeks ago, I was told about the wildcard and I was very happy of course. It’s a great opportunity for me to play in an Arab country, so I’m very blessed with this opportunity,” Shelbayh told Arab News in an interview.

The Next Gen Finals, held in collaboration with the Saudi Tennis Federation, is the first ATP tournament to be held in Saudi Arabia and is likely the start of lots more tennis to come the Kingdom’s way — something Shelbayh believes will be beneficial for players across the region.

“I think it’s a great move from them, very smart,” said Shelbayh. “I think that’s one of the main things the Arab world needs in terms of development for tennis. Having such great events in the Arab world will help push the players and (allow) for federations to create more players and have the sport bigger and bigger in the Arab region.

“This move from the Saudi federation was, I think, the smartest business-wise but also in terms of helping future generations in the Arab world.”

Besides showcasing the tour’s top young talent, the Next Gen Finals have been used by the ATP to test new rules and innovations in a fast-paced format across five days of competition.

As per previous editions, the scoring format will be best of five tiebreak sets. Each set will be first to four games with a tiebreak played at 3-3. Games will be played using the No-Ad scoring format with the server choosing the service box.

This year, the focus will be on introducing ways to enhance fan experience and enrich data and analytics for players and coaches. One method to achieve that is through wearable devices that will allow players to track and visualize biometric data during matches, providing a comprehensive overview of their physical performance and stress responses.

To speed up play, there will be no on-court warm-up, meaning a match will start immediately after the coin toss and a new maximum of eight seconds will be introduced between first and second serves.

“I know the rules are different, they’re very unique, but that’s what makes this tournament very special,” said Shelbayh.

“It’s going to bring out the best of each one of us because it’s going to be tougher on all of us. The matches are going to be tighter, more intense, but it’s going to be more fun for the fans to watch, since you’re going to have many close matches.”

Many of today’s household names on tour have competed at previous editions of the Next Gen Finals including former world No.1s Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz, who won the tournament in 2021 and became a Grand Slam champion less than a year later at the US Open.

 

 

Could it provide a launchpad for Shelbayh entering 2024?

“There are many great players that have played the Next Gen Finals. Many players had breakthrough seasons the year after or two years later, but I’m not thinking that much about it,” said Shelbayh.

“Of course, it could be a great opportunity for me to push through and have a jump that can help me with my confidence for next season, start well and have another breakthrough. But I’m not going to (pay) much attention to that and put too much pressure on myself.

“I just want to enjoy the opportunity, give my best and hopefully get a good result. I’ll take everything step by step and not look too much into the future to avoid the bad pressure I can put on myself.”

Shelbayh has enjoyed a fast rise in tennis, but it hasn’t come without its challenges. He started 2023 in style, making the final of the Challenger event in Bahrain in February, which was just his third participation at that level.

 

 

In April, he successfully made it through qualifying at an ATP event for the first time and things seemed to be developing nicely for the then-teenager. But by July, he hit a rough patch and he lost in the opening round at seven of his next 10 events.  

He felt his rapid ascent had forced him to skip some essential steps and was playing catch-up on every front — physically, technically and emotionally.

“Skipping those steps was not helpful for me because then you kind of feel lost and I felt lost at some points and some tournaments,” he confessed. “Dealing with that was not easy because it was my first year on tour and everything (was) happening way too fast for me. I didn’t realize the importance of each department of tennis — the tennis part, the psychological part, the fitness part; skipping a few steps here and there held me off for some time.

“I paid the price, but at the same time it’s a good problem to have since you realize you had a good rise, a quick one, you just got to get back to those few steps, the important ones in order to go back up again and do well in your tournaments.”

Things turned around for Shelbayh in Charleston, where he stormed to the title and reaffirmed his status as a rising star to watch.

“I would say it was mixed emotions after winning my first Challenger title. A bit of relief, a lot of joy. I got emotional,” said Shelbayh.

“Even if I would have won the title in Bahrain, I think this title would have been more meaningful for me because of the struggles that I had in the previous months.

“The week turned out to be very good for me, I would say the most special and the most important of my career so far.”

Shelbayh’s very last week of the season prior to the Next Gen Finals was also special. He made it through qualifying to earn a slot in the main draw at the ATP tournament in Metz, France and defeated home favorite and world No. 83 Hugo Gaston to reach the last 16. That run helped him secure a spot in the top 200 for the first time and he is now guaranteed a place at next January’s Australian Open qualifying draw.

 

 

In Metz, Shelbayh walked on court wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh, also known as the hatta, in solidarity with the people in Gaza. As a Jordanian with Palestinian origins, Shelbayh felt the urge to show his support in a meaningful way and says the words of Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who broke down in tears in an on-court interview last month speaking of the lives lost in Gaza, had truly touched him.

“I thought it was a good idea to do that, given my background and everything,” said Shelbayh of wearing the hatta on court.

“It’s difficult moments right now with what’s happening in the world, many children dying, women, elderly, it’s very tough. I thought it was a good way for me to show them my support. Of course, all of us in the Arab world are going through the most difficult times, and (have been for) many years. So, I just wanted to show the best support possible and just hope for peace, to have peace in the world. I just want peace, like all of us want.”

Topics: tennis Abdullah Shelbayh

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Rafael Nadal loses at the Davis Cup in what could be his last match

Updated 30 min 54 sec ago
AP
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Rafael Nadal loses at the Davis Cup in what could be his last match

  • Nadal’s defeat in the opening contest was only the start of the best-of-three Spain vs. Netherlands matchup on an indoor hard court at the sold-out Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in southern Spain
Updated 30 min 54 sec ago
AP

MALAGA, Spain: Rafael Nadal bit his lower lip and his eyes scanned the stands as he stood alongside his Davis Cup teammates for Spain’s national anthem Tuesday before what he — and everyone — knew might be the last match of his career, a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands.
There were no tears streaming down Nadal’s cheeks, no outward sign of what this moment meant to the 22-time Grand Slam champion, even amid the roars of a sign- and flag-toting crowd, mostly here for one player and one player only. Nadal said beforehand that the emotions would need to wait, that this week was about attempting to claim one last title for his country, not about his impending retirement.
The 38-year-old Spaniard announced last month this event would be it for him as a professional tennis player after two years of injuries that limited him to competing only sparingly, but no one could be sure if that end would arrive in Tuesday’s quarterfinals or later in the Davis Cup Final 8, which wraps up Sunday.
Nadal’s defeat in the opening contest was only the start of the best-of-three Spain vs. Netherlands matchup on an indoor hard court at the sold-out Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena in southern Spain. It was to be followed by No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz against No. 40 Tallon Griekspoor later Tuesday, and doubles, too, if the teams were tied 1-all after singles.
So it was up to Nadal’s countrymen to extend his career. If Spain managed to advance to the semifinals, Nadal’s playing days could continue. If the Netherlands were to win, he would be finished.
“It’s amazing that it might be the last match that Nadal plays,” Dutch captain Paul Haarhuis said beforehand, “and we hope to give him a nice ‘Adios.’”
When it ended, with Nadal ranging to his left but not quite able to get into proper position and putting a forehand into the net, he walked to the net for a quick hug with his opponent.
In certain ways, this was, unmistakably, the Nadal everyone remembers. The white headband, marked with the red bull logo he made famous. The white tape wrapped around all four of his left, racket-holding fingers. The water bottles by his sideline bench, placed just so.
There was the occasional ace right on a line. The occasional serve-and-volley foray forward. The occasional over-the-shoulder putaway. And, yes, the occasional hop and uppercut and scream of “Vamos!” after claiming a key point or closing out a game.
There also were, neither to Nadal’s or most of the 9,200 spectators’ liking, several points where he did look like what he truly is right now: a once-dominant figure diminished by age and injuries. His forehand didn’t always have the same verve, and his total of 10 groundstroke winners was barely half of van de Zandschulp’s 19. His footwork and speed were hardly what they once were, no matter how many chants of “Ra-fa!” or “España!” broke out in a bid to spur him.
This result ended Nadal’s 29-match winning streak in Davis Cup singles; the only other blemish on his record, which stood at 29-1 entering Tuesday, came in his debut all the way back in 2004.
But this version of Nadal had hip issues, including surgery in June 2023, and abdominal problems that combined to limit him to only 23 matches over the past two years. He was 12-7 in singles in 2024 before Tuesday.
Indeed, the match against van de Zandschulp — who upset Alcaraz at the US Open — was Nadal’s first outing that counted since early August at the Paris Olympics. He lost there in the second round of singles to Novak Djokovic and bowed out in the doubles quarterfinals alongside Alcaraz.
Nadal and Alcaraz — at 21, a four-time major champion considered his heir apparent — practiced with each other hours before the start of play. The run-up to this Davis Cup has largely been about memories of, and tributes to, Nadal — including a lengthy post on social media by his rival and friend Roger Federer.
Nadal will forever be remembered for his rivalries with Federer and Djokovic as part of the Big Three of men’s tennis, a trio of generational talents who ruled the sport for much of the past two decades.
Federer, now 43, announced his departure in 2022; only Djokovic, 37, remains active.
All three were talented. All three were successful. All three were popular.
Nadal’s appeal with fans was in the way he played and the humble way he conducted himself away from a court, which might explain why there were fans wearing the orange representing Netherlands who applauded for him when he was introduced. Or why there were spectators from countries other than Spain who toted their nations’ flags bearing messages supporting him.
The locals expressed their love over and over, from the raucous standing ovation that greeted his entrance to the court. During pre-match player introductions, as Nadal’s many accomplishments were read over the speaker system, there were yells that greeted the listing of each of the 14 years he won the French Open on its red clay and each of the five times he helped Spain claim the Davis Cup.
In an example of the sort of home-court advantage frequently seen at this team event — more soccer rowdiness than stereotypical tennis genteelness — they jeered and whistled whenever the contingent of Netherlands fans in a small section of the lower bowl tried to offer encouragement to their guy.
During play, Nadal’s backers shouted “Si, se puede!” (“Yes, you can!”) to try to encourage him. Nadal, simply, could not.

Topics: Davis Cup Rafael Nadal Botic van de Zandschulp

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Tickets on sale for 2024 Next Gen ATP finals as future tennis stars descend on Jeddah

Updated 19 November 2024
Arab News
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Tickets on sale for 2024 Next Gen ATP finals as future tennis stars descend on Jeddah

  • 8 best men’s under-20s will compete from Dec. 18-22
  • It will be the second edition of the finals presented by PIF as part of 5-year partnership between the ATP Tour and Saudi Tennis Federation
Updated 19 November 2024
Arab News

JEDDAH: Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals, as Jeddah prepares to welcome the world’s best male tennis players aged 20 and below.

The 2024 tournament is the second in a five-year partnership between the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Saudi Tennis Federation, putting the tennis stars of the future in the spotlight.

The 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals, presented by the Public Investment Fund, will take place on hard indoor courts at King Abdullah Sports City from Dec. 18-22 with an increased total prize fund of $2.05 million. Tickets and packages start from SR30.

First hosted in 2017, the finals moved to Jeddah in 2023. It marked a historic turning point as the first professional tennis tournament held in Saudi Arabia and played a pivotal role in the Saudi Tennis Federation’s ambition to inspire a million people to take up the sport by 2030.

Arij Mutabagani, president of the Saudi Tennis Federation, said: “Building on the success of last year’s tournament, we are thrilled to welcome the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF back to Jeddah for the second year. This event not only showcases the future stars of tennis but also highlights our commitment to fostering a vibrant sports culture in Saudi Arabia.

“As part of our vision to inspire 1 million people to play tennis by 2030, (the finals) play a crucial role in igniting passion and interest among Saudi fans and young players by bringing the best young talent in the world to our doorstep.”

ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said: “This tournament is a glimpse into the future of tennis, and we are proud to partner with the Saudi Tennis Federation to bring it to life. By showcasing the talent and ambition of these young athletes, we hope to inspire a new generation of tennis players, both in Saudi Arabia and around the world.”

The top seven players qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals based on their Race to Jeddah ranking points accumulated throughout the 2024 ATP Tour season. The eighth place is reserved for a wildcard entry.

The final field will be confirmed once the ATP Challenger Tour season finishes on Dec. 2. The eventual winner will join a star-studded list of Next Gen ATP Finals champions, including current world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz, and 11-time ATP Tour winner Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The finals are played in a round-robin format with the eight players split into two groups of four. The top seed is placed in Group A and the second seed in Group B, with the remaining seeds drawn in pairs and allocated to a group. The top two from each group advance to the knockout semifinals, with the Group A winner facing the Group B runner-up and vice versa.

The Next Gen ATP Finals are known for their groundbreaking innovation and unique format, designed to make tennis faster while bringing fans closer to the action and players.

They align with the Saudi Tennis Federation’s goal of attracting 1 million players to tennis while developing and nurturing young homegrown talent. Among several new initiatives is the “Tennis For All” program, in collaboration with the Saudi Sports For All Federation, aimed at introducing the sport to more than 60,000 boys and girls in schools across the Kingdom.

Topics: 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals Saudi Tennis Federation (STF) Arij Mutabagani

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‘He’s the best sportsman in Spanish history’ – Feliciano Lopez pays tribute to Rafael Nadal ahead of Davis Cup farewell

Updated 57 min 4 sec ago
Reem Abulleil
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‘He’s the best sportsman in Spanish history’ – Feliciano Lopez pays tribute to Rafael Nadal ahead of Davis Cup farewell

  • Tournament director and longtime friend and teammate is bracing himself for an emotional week in Malaga
Updated 57 min 4 sec ago
Reem Abulleil

MALAGA: “I think no one would have ever imagined a script like this,” Feliciano Lopez tells Arab News at the Martin Carpena Arena in Malaga, where Rafael Nadal is set to play the last tournament of his professional career alongside his Spanish teammates in the Davis Cup Finals.

Lopez, a longtime friend and teammate of Nadal, is the tournament director of the Davis Cup Finals and finds it poetic that the Spanish legend has chosen this team competition to be the last stop of his storied career.

“2004 Rafa wins the Davis Cup in Seville, I think that was probably the first big turning point of his career, in my opinion,” reflects Lopez.

“And then 20 years later, his career is coming to an end, playing the same competition, playing in Spain, in his country, alongside Carlos Alcaraz, who I think is a true blessing, because in a country like Spain, it’s very difficult to see that kind of athlete.

“Rafa is going to be playing his final professional tournament and we have Carlos Alcaraz having already four Grand Slams, it’s a true blessing.”

Spain’s greatest sports icon ending his professional tennis career by sharing a team with his heir apparent is indeed as good as it gets for the home fans that will fill up the 11,000-capacity arena when Nadal and Co. take on the Netherlands in the quarterfinals on Tuesday (5pm local time, 7pm KSA time).

“Also the fact that David (Ferrer, the former world No. 3) is the captain, it’s another nice coincidence. They are friends, they were teammates, they were rivals as well,” added Lopez, referring to Spain’s Davis Cup captain.

“Me here as a tournament director, I don’t know who would have been able to write this beautiful script. But I think it’s going to be very emotional, a lot of things coming to our minds, but of course Rafa is going to be the one playing the main role I think this week.”

 

 

Lopez, who officially retired from professional tennis last year and serves as tournament director at the Davis Cup Finals and the Madrid Open, first met a 15-year-old Nadal in Seville – just 200km north-west of Malaga – where they shared a practice session together.

“I was amazed by the intensity he was putting already at 15 years old,” he recalls.

Lopez’s funniest memory of his countryman was when Nadal made his Davis Cup debut in an away tie against the Czech Republic in 2004.  

Nadal was still 17 at the time and lost in straight sets in his first singles and doubles matches that weekend. But the tie was still in play thanks to Tommy Robredo, who won the other singles clash, allowing the Spaniards to enter the last day of action trailing the Czechs 1-2, with two singles showdowns to come.

Just as Lopez was about to take to the court for a do-or-die match against Tomas Berdych, a teenage Nadal stopped him in his tracks.

“I was literally almost putting my feet on the court and I saw Rafa coming towards me, running. I was a bit concerned, ‘What’s going on, what’s wrong Rafa?’” Lopez recounted.

“He said, ‘No, no Feli, I just want to wish you good luck, and please, you have to win this match and I will take care of the rest’.

“I will never forget, he was 17 years old, he made his debut, lost the two matches he played and he was convinced and he was so determined that he was going to win the deciding match; and that tells you everything about the way he thinks and the way he is. I will never forget that.”

 

 

Nadal, of course, clinched the tie for Spain by winning the fifth match in straight sets over Radek Stepanek, who was ranked 49 in the world at the time. A few months later, he shocked world No. 2 Andy Roddick of the United States to help Spain secure the Davis Cup title at home in Seville.

Spain is not short on sporting legends, but Lopez does not hesitate to dub Nadal the greatest of them all.

“He's the best sportsman of our history of course, with all respect to the others, because we have plenty of them, and very good ones,” said the 43-year-old.

“He’s by far our best athlete and his legacy is going to be also as a human being. Because his titles, of course, are not going to be forgotten, that’s for sure. But it’s very rare to see someone that good, tennis-wise, but also his legacy as a human being is going to be maybe bigger and better than his legacy as a tennis player.

“This is for me something unbelievable.”

In a career that spanned over two decades, Nadal won 92 titles, including 22 Grand Slams. Novak Djokovic is the only man in history to have amassed more major trophies.

Asked what he personally believes makes Nadal special, Lopez said: “I think his passion – he’s someone very passionate, he does everything with a lot of passion in his life.

“As a tennis player, I will say his intensity, from the first point until the last point, and this is something very rare to see. Tennis matches can be very long and you see up and downs all the time with almost every player, but with Rafa it’s a different story. He’s able to play with a lot of intensity and his self-belief also is something I think out of this world. That’s really something also remarkable.”

 

 

Lopez added: “But also tennis-wise, he’s a very complete player. He’s so powerful, the speed of his ball is completely different than any of the players. There was always a lot of talk regarding his fitness condition, his mentality and his intensity, all these things, but I think tennis-wise he’s top three in the history of the sport, otherwise I don’t think he would have been able to achieve everything that he achieved.”

Tickets for Tuesday evening’s quarterfinal between Spain and the Netherlands were sold out the minute Nadal announced he would be retiring after the Davis Cup and even participating players and captains have joked that they’re unable to score a seat in the arena for the Mallorcan’s farewell event.

“We can't get tickets. I think the tickets are going for $100,000. If you want to pay for me, I'll go,” laughed USA team captain and doubles legend Bob Bryan.

“Of course since Rafa decided that this is going to be his last professional tournament, the expectations increased all over the world and everyone wants to be present here today and there’s no room for everyone. So we’re getting ready for a big week,” said Lopez.

Topics: tennis Rafael Nadal Davis Cup

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Roger Federer tells friend and rival Rafael Nadal that he made him enjoy tennis more

Updated 19 November 2024
AP
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Roger Federer tells friend and rival Rafael Nadal that he made him enjoy tennis more

  • Federer began his message with the word “Vamos” and said: “As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional”
  • “Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me — a lot. More than I managed to beat you”
Updated 19 November 2024
AP

MALAGA, Spain: Roger Federer says Rafael Nadal made him enjoy tennis “even more” during a rivalry that spanned 40 matches over 15 years.
Writing on social media Tuesday, hours before the start of the Davis Cup Final 8, Nadal’s last event before heading into retirement, Federer began his message with the word “Vamos” and said: “As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional.”
“Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me — a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could,” Federer said. “On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game — even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge.”
Federer, now 43, was established at No. 1 in the rankings when Nadal, now 38, came along. Federer started his career with a 7-0 record in Grand Slam finals before his first loss at that stage arrived against Nadal in the 2006 French Open final, the first of their three consecutive title matches in Paris — each with the same result.


Nadal also defeated Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final, ending the Swiss star’s bid for a sixth championship in a row at the All England Club.
In all, Nadal led their head-to-head series 26-14, including 10-4 at Grand Slam tournaments and 6-3 in Slam finals.
Still, Federer told Nadal in his post, referring to him by the nickname Rafa: “You made me enjoy the game even more.”
They helped form the Big Three of men’s tennis along with Novak Djokovic, who is still active at age 37 and has won a men’s-record 24 major trophies. Nadal is next on the list with 22, followed by Federer with 20.
“What an incredible run you’ve had,” Federer posted. “Including 14 French Opens — historic! You made Spain proud ... you made the whole tennis world proud.”
When Federer left the sport by playing a doubles match at the Laver Cup in September 2022, his partner was Nadal. The two sat side-by-side afterward, crying.
“It meant everything to me that you were there by my side — not as my rival but as my doubles partner,” Federer wrote Tuesday. “Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career.”
Nadal’s Spanish team was scheduled to meet the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarterfinals Tuesday. Neither Nadal nor Spain’s captain, David Ferrer, would say Monday whether Nadal will play singles or doubles, both — or neither.
“Rafa, I know you’re focused on the last stretch of your epic career. We will talk when it’s done,” Federer wrote. “I want you to know that your old friend is always cheering for you, and will be cheering just as loud for everything you do next.”

Topics: Rafael Nadal Roger Federer Davis Cup

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Rafael Nadal, Spain’s Davis Cup captain won’t say whether he’ll play before retirement

Updated 18 November 2024
AP
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Rafael Nadal, Spain’s Davis Cup captain won’t say whether he’ll play before retirement

  • Spain is scheduled to face the Netherlands on Tuesday in the quarterfinals
  • Nadal announced last month that he would walk away from tennis after the Davis Cup
Updated 18 November 2024
AP

FUENGIROLA, Spain: Neither Rafael Nadal nor Spanish captain David Ferrer would say Monday whether the 22-time Grand Slam champion will play singles or doubles – or even at all – at the Davis Cup Final 8, his last event before retirement.
Spain is scheduled to face the Netherlands on Tuesday in the quarterfinals on an indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena. The winner will play in the semifinals on Friday. The championship will be decided on Sunday.
Asked at a news conference how he has been feeling in practice in recent days and whether he is ready to play, Nadal said: “That’s a question for the captain.” That response drew a smile and laugh from Ferrer, sitting to Nadal’s left.
Moments later at a hotel in Fuengirola, about 12 miles south of the arena in Malaga, the question of Nadal’s participation was put to Ferrer.
“I don’t know yet,” Ferrer said. “At the moment, I have not decided the players that are going to play tomorrow.”
The 38-year-old Nadal announced last month that he would walk away from tennis after the Davis Cup at home in Spain. He has been dealing with a series of injuries the past two seasons and has been limited to fewer than 25 official matches in that span.
“I’m not here to retire. I’m here to help the team win. It’s my last week in a team competition and the most important thing is to help the team. The emotions will come later,” said Nadal, wearing the squad’s red polo shirt with a tiny red-and-yellow Spanish flag on the left sleeve.
“I’m enjoying the week. I’m not putting too much attention to the retirement,” Nadal said. “It will be a big change in my life after this week.”
Nadal said it doesn’t “make sense to keep going knowing that I don’t have the real chance to be competitive the way that I like to be competitive because my body” won’t allow it.
He hasn’t played an official match since the Paris Olympics in early August. He lost in the second round of singles to Novak Djokovic and in the quarterfinals of doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz.
“I’ve tried to prepare as hard as possible for the last month and a half. I’m trying to give my best for this event,” Nadal said. “When you don’t compete so often, it’s difficult to maintain the level consistently. But the improvement is there every day. I believe that.”
Spain’s Davis Cup team also includes Alcaraz, Marcel Granollers, Roberto Bautista Agut and Pedro Martinez.

Topics: tennis Spain Rafael Nadal Davis Cup

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