Two months before the start of the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, Spain is the first nation to name its team for the group stage ties.
Twelve of the 16 national teams in the Finals have been divided into four groups and must qualify in the knockout phase of the competition. Spain, a wild card entrant and host nation, is in Group B along with Czechia, France, and Australia, the runners-up of the last two editions.
The six-time champions have listed just four ATP players who will play in round-robin ties against the aforementioned countries between September 10th and 15th, which is after this year’s US Open.
World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz will spearhead the lineup in his first appearance since 2022. He will be joined by three veterans. These are Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreno Busta, and former doubles No. 1 Marcel Granollers.
Alcaraz’s participation is among the most interesting, considering that he will compete at the US Open in the preceding fortnight. If he makes a deep run in New York, it could significantly affect his participation.
But it is still a doable feat after Novak Djokovic’s double duty shortly after winning last year’s US Open. Spain’s Davis Cup team captain, David Ferrer, has omitted 22-time Grand Slam champion and former winner of this competition Rafael Nadal from the firing line.
The 38-year-old has not announced his schedule after the Olympics and might still play in the Davis Cup Finals should he be available for a late call-up.
However, given his injury record this year and the complications of the tennis schedule, it is highly unlikely he will consider competing in Valencia. Nadal has won the Davis Cup four times in his career, including in 2019, when he made his last appearance.
He is scheduled to appear at the Laver Cup in Berlin, which will be played from September 20th to 22nd.
