After a disappointing stint at the Paris Olympics, Rafael Nadal has kept a low profile on the pro circuit. That is about to change, as the legendary 22-time Grand Slam winner has confirmed he will join the Davis Cup later this year. When Spanish captain David Ferrer informed him of his opponent, Nadal responded with a brief but certain four-word message confirming his participation.
Nadal's Olympic campaign was challenging, marked by a straightforward loss to Novak Djokovic in singles and a disappointing doubles exit alongside Carlos Alcaraz. Physical struggles also led to his withdrawal from the Laver Cup recently. Despite these setbacks, captain David Ferrer is optimistic that the 38-year-old veteran will be in top form for the Davis Cup clashes in November.
Ferrer shared with the YouTube channel DGO that as soon as the draw was announced, he messaged Nadal about facing Botic Van de Zandschulp, to which Nadal simply replied, 'I will be ready.' To bridge the gap in match fitness, Ferrer intends for Nadal to play a few events beforehand. He is already slated for the Six Kings Slam this month, and Ferrer hopes to coordinate one more tournament appearance before the team competition begins.
Since his early exits from the Olympics, Nadal has been relatively private about his recovery. However, during a September appearance on the show El Hormiguero, the tennis legend expressed his desire to find genuine joy in the game once again.
Reflecting on his long absence throughout 2023 and early 2024, Nadal admitted he needed a strategic break to heal and rediscover his motivation. He explained that this time away was essential to create a mental and physical buffer, allowing him to return to the court after eighteen months with a fresh perspective. His current goal is simply to embrace each day and give his absolute best.
In other news from the Shanghai Masters, world number one Jannik Sinner fought back from a set down to defeat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2. The 23-year-old Italian faced a grueling third-round battle against the Argentine No. 37 at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena, a match that had been delayed by rain following Sinner's 250th career victory.
Sinner will now move on to face either Ben Shelton—who beat him at this same venue last year—or Roberto Carballes Baena. The match began tensely, with Etcheverry taking the first set after a brilliant drop volley that left Sinner without an answer.
The momentum shifted in the second set as Sinner began to find his rhythm, eventually breaking back to level the score. In the final set, the Italian's dominance grew, securing two more breaks to seal the victory in a contest that lasted 2 hours and 39 minutes.
Fifth-ranked Daniil Medvedev advanced to the fourth round after a hard-fought 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over Matteo Arnaldi. He now awaits a match against either Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alexandre Muller. After dropping the first set to the Italian, the 28-year-old Russian relied on his grit to force a decider, where his veteran composure allowed him to break in the ninth game and close out the match.