Alcaraz: I Want Rafa to Retire with Davis Cup
<![CDATA[Carlos Alcaraz aims to honor hero Rafa Nadal with the Davis Cup championship.]]>
By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, November 15, 2024
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/GettyCarlos Alcaraz is committed to one main mission to honor hero Rafael Nadal.Win the Davis Cup in Spain this month.More: TC Suspends Jon WertheimWimbledon winner Alcaraz shared his aim to send Nadal off with one final championship at the ATP Finals in Turin today."It is the last tournament of the year for me, probably one of the most special tournaments that I'm going to play," Alcaraz told the media in Turin after his 7-6(5), 6-4 loss to Alexander Zverev. "Last tournament of Rafa, I'll be able to be next to him in the last moments on a tennis court for him…"It is a tournament I really want to win one day. When I was a kid, I'd dream about winning the Davis Cup, for Spain. This year we have a really special chance to win it."I will try to help the team to win the Davis Cup for me. But I think it's most important for Rafa, for his last tournament. I really want him to retire with a title. It's going to be really, really emotional and a really special tournament for me."
Spanish captain David Ferrer named Alcaraz, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreño Busta, Marcel Granollers and Nadal to the squad for the Davis Cup Final 8 set for November 19-24 at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena Arena in Malaga, Spain.King of clay Nadal is already training in Malaga ahead of his farewell event.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz, who partnered Nadal in a captivating Nadalcaraz doubles dream team at the Paris Olympic Games last summer, said the king of clay is not only his idol, he inspired the young Carlitos to pursue a pro tennis career. ""He has been my idol since I start playing tennis. I look up to him," Nadal said of Alcaraz. "Proudly, thanks to him, I really wanted to become professional tennis player."Losing him, in a certain way, is going to be difficult for us, so I will try to enjoy as much as I can when he's going to play."]]>
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