Carlos Alcaraz faces Davis Cup challenge with key match just days after US Open
Carlos Alcaraz will have to quickly adapt to clay after his place in the Spanish Davis Cup team was confirmed for their qualifier against Denmark.
Team captain David Ferrer confirmed Alcaraz’s place in the five-man squad but the timing of the competition means the Spaniard could be forced to change to clay just six days after the US Open final.
Spain have chosen the Puente Romano Tennis Club in Marbella to host Denmark with Alcaraz being joined by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Pedro Martinez and Marcel Granollers.
Ferrer said players like Holger Rune can pose a challenge for the Spain squad.
“I am very happy with the commitment that the players have made and with the enthusiasm that the team has to be able to overcome Denmark, which we already know is going to be a tough opponent with Holger Rune, but we are going to face it in the best way,” he said.
“Their No. 2 Elmer Moller is winning a lot of matches, and he is another player who performs very well on clay, so it is going to be a difficult tie,” Ferrer added.
“They already beat Serbia who, in principle, were a difficult opponent to beat and we have the utmost respect.”
“Alejandro has been very consistent, he is in the Top 20 of the race and Carlos comes from winning Roland Garros and making the final at Wimbledon, so I am very excited that they can be with us.
“It’s fortunate that we can play at home, in Marbella, on clay, where the Spanish players perform so well. Obviously, Rune also performs very well on clay, but the support of the public is fundamental and that, in the end, benefits us.”
The match is Spain’s first Davis Cup tie on clay since facing Romania in 2022. That event was significant as it was Alcaraz’s debut in the tournament.
He defeated Marius Copil in straight sets with Spain winning 3-1 to progress to the tournament proper.
In the tournament, which Spain hosted, they won Group B despite Alcaraz losing his match against Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Spain were then knocked out by Croatia in the quarterfinals.
In 2023, Spain failed to make it out of the group stage while reached the quarterfinals last year only to be knocked out by the Netherlands.
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Before that, Alcaraz is preparing for the US Open by featuring in the Cincinnati Open. The American tournament is also the first time Alcaraz will take to the court following the Wimbledon final but he insists he has moved on from that defeat.
“It was a new experience, but you have to be ready for that,” Alcaraz said. “Obviously, I didn’t want to lose. It’s a Wimbledon final. But I left the court happy. I left the court proud. I left the court smiling.
“At some point, I had to lose a Grand Slam final. There are a lot of things that I have to improve from that match, but it took me hours, not days [to get past it]. I have to be grateful for everything that I’ve achieved, that I’m living.”
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