Will Rafael Nadal participate in Davis Cup 2024 Finals?

Nadal gears up for Davis Cup swan song slated to get underway in a week.

The fact that Rafael Nadal will be retiring at the end of the 2024 season is a certainty. Given the nature of his fitness issues since the 2023 season, his participation in major events has always been in doubt. This is reflected in his absence from all events of significance.

Nadal, 38, has made it to only eight tournaments this season, the round of 16 at the ATP Masters 1000 Madrid being his best result at a major event. The former World No. #1 also reached the final of the ATP 250 event at Bastad, where he fell to World No. #51 Nuno Borges of Portugal in straight sets.

The Spaniard called time on an illustrious career that gave him 22 Grand Slam titles, 36 ATP Masters 1000s and four Davis Cup titles. Two Olympic golds find space alongside numerous other accolades.

Also Read: Top five Rafael Nadal records that will never be broken

Nadal decided not to play at the Indian Wells Masters and the French Open and was a late withdrawal at both events. The Spaniard, a 14-time champion, skipped the French Open for the first time since 2005 when he chose not to play in Roland Garros this season.

Nadal’s haul of 14 French Open trophies is an ATP Tour record. In 2022, his last complete season on tour, he added two more Grand Slam trophies, posting wins in Melbourne and Paris. He also won an ATP 250 warm-up event to the Australian Open in Melbourne and an ATP 500 event in Acapulco, Mexico.

What are Nadal’s chances of making the Davis Cup Finals?

The Davis Cup 2024 Finals will begin on November 19 and will wind up on November 24. Nadal was spotted practising at the Rafael Nadal Academy in nearby Manacor in preparation for his final appearance at the international level.

During the practice session, he appeared primed to take on the rigours of Davis Cup action since taking to the sidelines late July onwards. Nadal has not seen any tennis action since his elimination in the singles draw of the Paris Olympics against familiar foe, Novak Djokovic, apart from playing the exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia.

The time is near… 🕰️Rafael Nadal ramps up practice for his Davis Cup Finals farewell in 9 days 🥺(🎥@RafaelNadal IG) pic.twitter.com/FMhJcNz618

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) November 9, 2024

While the reprieve is a positive development for Nadal, he will have to brush off the rust from the months of inaction. Nadal will also have to focus on avoiding unexpected injuries in the last weeks of his career that may jeopardize a final chance at representing Spain in the upcoming Davis Cup knockout stage.

Success for the Spanish Davis Cup squad and a fifth Davis Cup trophy will be the perfect send-off for the legend.

Nadal is part of an all-Spanish lineup that includes Carlos Alcaraz. Nadal and Alcaraz had joined hands making it to the doubles quarterfinals in the Paris Summer Games. Americans Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram conspired to end the journey of the Nadal-Alcaraz combination in the last eight.

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