Feliciano Lopezdirector of Davis Cup finals to be played starting on the 19th in Malagawhere Rafael Nadal will say goodbye to tennisconsidering that the Spanish captain, David Ferrer, and Nadal himself will know how to say goodbye “very special” and the interests of the team, because “the last thing I do” the former number one is “put your ego first.”
“I know David and Rafa very well and I am very convinced that what they both want most is the good of the team. They will go to prioritize it in any circumstances. With that it is impossible for something to go wrong. And besides, they are very friendly, they appreciate each other a lot and that helps,” Lopez said in a press conference.
“Rafa’s farewell is something very special, but when it comes to deciding whether to play or not to play (in Málaga) they will both be clear that the priority is the team. Knowing Rafa, we know that he is not someone who puts his ego, this is the last thing I will do, there will be no problem with that, they both know and respect each other and want the best.”said the director when commenting on difficult role of David Ferrer when it’s time to choose the players who will take the court to Martín Carpena.
The quote “It will be very special for Rafa,” he admitted. “Everybody wants to be there. It’s confidential, I can’t give more details, but we will try to highlight his legacy and his tremendous career.”“said López, who revealed that the tricky thing is choosing the moment of recognition.
“It is very difficult, because the most important thing, and Rafa is very clear, is not to do anything that could affect the team. The priority is Spain. When their participation is over we will do something, but we do not know when The celebration that is, there are many uncertainties, everything we are planning but we will decide in the moment as we go. Indian.
Lopez He did not believe that the magnitude of Nadal and his farewell could follow the final of the Davis Cupwhere the title is at stake and Tennis players as tall as Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz will participate.
“I don’t think so. Rafa was very clear on this point. Of course his legacy is so great, that when it was announced his participation with the team and his farewell in this competition all the attention went to his farewell. We knew that this will happen.he insisted.
“There is no doubt that Rafa is the best Spanish athlete ever. With respect to all the others. But he has made achievements to be the best. The Davis Cup is where it all started for him, in Seville, and for the good -luckily his career will also end playing Davis”, he pointed out.
The ideal, he joked, would be “there are two stages” to meet demand for tickets. “But Martín Carpena is huge and, although unfortunately more seats cannot be added, the atmosphere cannot be beat.”
Feliciano, who shared a team and titles with Nadalthree aspects of this are highlighted: “His passion, which he puts into everything he does, his will to improve and his determination.”
As soon as possible in the Davis format, which this year bid farewell to the group stagethe person in charge is in favor of looking for improvements.
“Davis has been and continues to be a very important competition. In the last five or six years there has been a lot of change and uncertainty. It was necessary to listen to the players to have a clearer idea of what is needed. In that process , we were there and we decided that next year we will play again in the home/away format which does not mean that the group stage is working very well and we want to continue to keep that. he explained.
He process to select the venue for the 2025 finals “is open and not closed by the ITF in any country or continent.”
“There are different cities interested, the process is confidential and we hope to soon announce the city that will host the 2025 finals”said.
Djokovic, “prepared for great things”
The director also specified with Serbian Novak Djokovic resigning to compete in the ATP finalsannounced this Tuesday, and is taking that into account It still has a couple of seasons of rope left.
“I see Novak very well, especially physically. My personal feeling is that after winning the Olympic Games, which is the only thing he lost, maybe it will be more difficult for him to find motivation. But if what he fought this year there. Moments at the highest level he didn’t play in (the 1,000th masters) in Paris and maybe it doesn’t make sense for him to go to Turin He will play and focus on important tournaments and competition, Davis wants to compete because he feels he is ready for great things. he explained.
“We don’t know how much Novak has left in his tank and in his legs, and we are very lucky that the tennis industry has Sinner and Alcaraz as the leaders of this new generation,” he celebrated. “It’s a blessing. They have different personalities, different games. The rivalry can last the next ten years.”
About aasome news that your sport may include in the short term, such as the possibility that Coaches advise their players on the courtFeliciano said: “I’m not against it, but the fact that it’s not allowed makes tennis something unique and special. You have to figure everything out for yourself on the court. That said, I’m not against it, I understand the players who say it doesn’t “It makes sense to have and pay a coach who can’t do his job when it really matters. But I don’t think it should be like in Davis Cup, where the captain sits on the bench. The circuit is different.”
“It’s hard to believe this is happening in my country”
The former tennis player showed off his sorrow for the misfortune caused by the passage of the Dana in eastern Spain, with more than 200 deaths and great material damage.
“It’s sad to see this happening in 2024. The news breaks my heart and it’s hard to believe this is happening in my country,” he said.
“Fortunately, this does not affect the preparations for Malaga. We will use our platforms to raise awareness and raise money for all those affected”said.
The The International Federation (ITF) and the Davis and Billie Jean King Cups announced today a donation to the Red Cross and they encouraged fans to do the same.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
