“There is a possibility that he can be with us in November,” said Spain’s captain David Ferrer when asked about Rafael Nadal’s availability in the next round of the Davis Cup. Seeking their 7th Davis Cup title, Spain is on the cusp of glory again as they have made it to the final eight of the tournament after their stunning win over Australia in Valencia. Amid the celebrations, Nadal, who propelled Spain to Davis Cup success four times, paid a heartfelt tribute to the team.

Pedro Martinez and Marcel Granollers put up a convincing performance in the doubles match against the former Wimbledon doubles champions, Max Purcell and Matt Ebden, ultimately finishing the match in three sets by 5-7, 6-4, 6-4! However, before that, Carreno Busta’s victory over Jordan Thompson had already put Spain in a great position. Although Alexei Popyrin helped Australia bounce back as he cruised past Pedro Martinez with his powerful forehand strokes, ultimately it was the victory in the doubles match that decided the tie! 

Even in the absence of Carlos Alcaraz, who decided to take a break and stayed away from the clash against Australia, Spain’s unwavering drive to success continued. And now, in an inspiring display of camaraderie, Rafael Nadal has extended his support to his fellow countrymen by posting a picture on Instagram, where the Spanish players, dressed in red, can be seen celebrating the victory in Valencia. The 22-time Grand Slam winner wrote, “Enhorabuena equipo,” which when translated refers to “Congratulations team.” Nadal also added the Spanish flag emoji.

The former World No. 1, who last won the Davis Cup competition in 2019, also shared another snap (originally posted by the official Instagram account of Davis Cup) where the Spanish players were holding the flag in joy with the backdrop of the audience cheering for them in the event. Nadal wrote, “Vamos,” (meaning “Let’s go,” in English) with the Spanish flag emoji. 

Rafael Nadal’s message comes as speculation mounts about his potential return to the Davis Cup. Although the Spanish maestro has made no official statement, Ferrer revealed that he had a conversation with Nadal. “I’ve talked to Rafa (Nadal) but I don’t know yet, why not?…From here, what he decides about being in Malaga or not, will be a subject that I will discuss with him later….if they arrive in good condition, I’m sure he is a player we can count on.”

Amid the speculations of his return to the Davis Cup, Rafael Nadal recently shared the disheartening news of his withdrawal from the 2024 Laver Cup!

Here’s what Rafael Nadal said after withdrawing from the Laver Cup

Remember Rafael Nadal’s iconic partnership with Roger Federer in the 2022 Laver Cup where the latter played his career’s last tennis match? Although Federer retired following the match, we waited for Nadal to return to the Laver Cup once again and he even confirmed that he would be featuring in the competition this year. However, after raising the fans’ hopes, the Spaniard announced his withdrawal from the event.

“This is a team competition and to really support Team Europe, I need to do what’s best for them and at this moment there are other players who can help the team deliver the win,” Nadal said while sharing his disappointment about missing out on the opportunity to play in Berlin, where Team Europe will lock horns with Team World, with some top players featuring on both sides.

While the likes of Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz, and Ben Shelton will be representing Team World, Team Europe will have the services of Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Stepanos Tsitsipas, and Alexander Zverev. While it’s still a very strong line-up for Team Europe, Nadal’s presence would have been the cherry on top. But sadly, it wasn’t to be.