Rafael Nadal included in Spain team for Davis Cup final eight clash

Rafael Nadal has been named in Spain’s team for the Davis Cup final eight match in Malaga in November.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion has not competed anywhere since the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he lost in the second round to rival Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles, and paired with Carlos Alcaraz to get to the quarterfinals of men’s doubles before exiting against Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.

Following the Paris Games, Nadal pulled out of the US Open 2024 and Laver Cup 2024 due to health issues..

He will be joining Alcaraz, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcel Granollers in the Spain team. David Ferrer will be the coach for the team.

The top eight nations qualified from the Group Finals and will play to a finish in the Spanish coastal city. Host Spain will face the Netherlands while Canada is up against Germany in its opening tie.

Ties will consist of two singles and a doubles decider.

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Reigning champion Italy was without world number one Jannik Sinner for the Group Finals in which it won all three of its ties but the world number one could return in Malaga. It will face Argentina, who qualified from a tough group including Britain and Canada.

Italy and Spain are on opposite sides of the draw meaning a potential final showdown between Sinner and third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz.

The U.S. was also under-strength in the Group Finals but the 32-times Davis Cup champion could call on some of its big guns in Malaga where it will need to get past Australia, the second most successful nation with 28 titles.

The Final 8 Knockout rounds take place between November 19-24 in the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena.

(With inputs from Reuters)