Tennis is entering a new era, and it’s hard to imagine the sport without its legendary figures. After years of thrilling fans and making history, Rafael Nadal, the Spanish sensation, has hinted that this season might be his final chapter. While fans are bracing for the inevitable, there’s one person who’s not ready to say goodbye to Nadal just yet—his young protégé, Carlos Alcaraz.

The Spanish tennis sensation engaged in an interview ahead of his China Open campaign and deliberated on several factors including Rafa’s retirement at the Davis Cup. He highlighted how much the absence of the legendary player impacts him and expressed his desire to keep playing with and around him for a longer time.

Speaking in the interview, Alcaraz said, “Well, obviously it’s always great having Rafa around. Yeah, I miss him. I’m not going to lie. I missed him in the Laver Cup. Obviously, as I said, as much time as I can spend with him, for me it’s a privilege.” Remember, Davis Cup has the name of the 14-time Grand Slam winner on its roaster highlighting that he would be hitting the courts soon. His return was also confirmed by the Spanish team’s captain at the Davis Cup, David Ferrer. 

However, with the tournament taking place in November, the end of the season would be close and hence, the likelihood of Nadal’s retirement would increase further after the tournament. But Alcaraz is not ready to accept this fact. “I don’t want to think that it is a potential last dance for him in Malaga. I just want to think that I will try to live or to enjoy his time around, to enjoy seeing him on court as much as I can. Obviously it is a great support having him in the team. He can bring a lot of experience to Davis Cup.” Continuing further, Alcaraz stated that it is not just a privilege for him to play alongside Rafa, but also for the entire nation.

Reiterating his stance once again, Alcaraz emphasized, “Hopefully, it’s not going to be the last time for him.” The return would be equally important for Nadal himself. The tennis legend desired to stay away from the courts in some major tournaments of the year including Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Laver Cup. His last stint came at the Paris Olympics this year. 

Remember, the duo of Nadal and Alcaraz, also known as the ‘Nadalcaraz’ by the fans, had been the talk of the tennis town during the Paris Olympics. While the duo could not help their side get a medal in men’s doubles, they ensured to create a buzz and sensation amongst the tennis fans. With Nadal and Alcaraz on the same team yet again at the Davis Cup, the fans can anticipate nothing less than a remarkable partnership between them once more. 

Will Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz partner again at the Davis Cup?

The fans are eagerly awaiting the Davis Cup not only because of the thrilling atmosphere that would be witnessed but also due to the possibilities of a partnership between Carlos Alcarz and Rafael Nadal. In a remarkable turn of events, the captain of Davis Cup’s Spanish team David Ferrer shared a cryptic hint about this much-awaited partnership.

Speaking in an interview with Punto de Break, Ferrer opened up about the likelihood of a partnership with Nadal and Alcaraz. “I don’t know,” he said, expressing his skepticism. “There are two months left. Everyone on the list has to compete. I couldn’t say right now. The good thing is that there are many possibilities to combine doubles depending on physical exhaustion, how the qualifying round goes… We have a very good team to do important things, but in this format, the competition is very equal.”

For now, it would be interesting to see how grand would Rafael Nadal’s entry be at the Davis Cup. Can Nadal and Alcaraz help their sides to victory at the Davis Cup? Well, only time will tell.