Bad news for the German Davis Cup team led by Alexander Zverev: Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal has given his captain Sergi Bruguera the go-ahead to start the quarter-final duel from 6. till 8. April in Valencia against Germany.
This is reported by the Spanish media. The game will be played on sand in the bullfight arena “Plaza de Toros” with a capacity of 10,600 spectators.
For 16-time Grand Slam winner Nadal, it would be their first appearance in the Davis Cup since September 2016, when Spain beat hosts India 5-0 in New Delhi to secure their place in the world group. In February, the Spaniards entered the quarter-finals without Nadal by beating Great Britain 3-1. Germany had also prevailed in Australia with 3:1 and thus for the first time in four years reached the round of the last eight.
31-year-old Rafael Nadal is currently recovering from an injury to the right hip flexor he suffered during his quarter-final finish at the Australian Open at the end of January. Most recently, the “Bull of Manacor” also had to cancel his participation in the Masters tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami. His start at the Davis Cup also serves as preparation for the Masters in Monte Carlo from 16. April.
Together with “Rafa” Nadal, Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Bautista Agut, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez will form the Spanish team. Hamburg’s Alexander Zverev had given captain Michael Kohlmann his permission to start the duel with the Iberians early on. The further composition of the team has not yet been determined.