Retiring Nadal won't play Davis Cup singles if he's not feeling good enough

MADRID (AP) — Rafael Nadal is ready to skip singles matches at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga if he feels he is not good enough to help Spain succeed in his farewell tournament.

Nadal is retiring after the Davis Cup, the 22-time Grand Slam champion worn down by too many injuries at the end of his 20 years on tour.

“I'll try to prepare as best as possible so I can be available to play, but I want to help anyway I can, playing or not playing," the 38-year-old Nadal said on Saturday from Malaga in an interview published by the Spanish tennis federation.

“First we have to see how I'm feeling in training. If I really don't see myself ready to have a chance of winning in singles, I'll be the first who won't want to play.”

Nadal's singles record in 2024 is only 12-7. His last official competition was the Paris Olympics in August, a second round loss to longtime rival — and eventual gold medalist — Novak Djokovic. Nadal reached the doubles quarterfinals with Carlos Alcaraz. Last month, he played two exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia.

“I have already told (Spain captain David Ferrer) on many occasions not to make any decision based on the fact that this is my last week as a professional tennis player,” Nadal said. “The team comes first, and he should not be affected in the slightest by any hype that may come along because of me. He has to do what is best for the team and that is what I want.”

Spain will open on Tuesday against the Netherlands, and if it wins it will advance to the semifinals on Friday against Canada or Germany.

"My first great joy as a professional tennis player was in the Davis Cup in 2004,” Nadal said.

He helped Spain win the Davis Cup in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019.

“I'm more than grateful with everything that has happened to me in all these years. I obviously would like for the team to do well and for me to have the chance to win another Davis Cup, whether by playing or cheering from the stands. I'd like to enjoy this week and close a very beautiful and very long cycle of my life ... accepting that everything has a beginning and an end.”

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis