Davis Cup Final 8: Jannik Sinner is in but one top player is out
By Lee Vowell
Eight countries will be competing for the Davis Cup trophy in late November and teams will be loaded with talent, but one top player will definitely be missing so his team might be somewhat diminished. That player is Alexander Zverev of Germany. He hasn't played in the Davis Cup all that consistently and he has recently been critical of the format.
The event used to be played in different countries in a home-and-home series so there was more of a raucous crowd fact, but now the ties are played in more neutral settings. Zverev wants the format to go back to the way it was. Of course, money is heavily involved and if the event is making more money with the new format then that is likely to stay.
For Team Spain, Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz will participate. This could lead Spain to be the favorite in the tournament, but the problem is that Nadal has not been healthy enough to play that much once again in 2024. He hasn't been at his best in most tournaments when he has played.
Jannik Sinner in for the Davis Cup Final 8 but Alexander Zverev is out
One might rightly wonder if Nadal's last event ever will be this year's Davis Cup. When Roger Federer retired, he did so at the Laver Cup. Nadal might use the same way to bow out.
Jannik Sinner will play for Team Italy. The team won the event last year and is attempting to become the first back-to-back champion since Czechia in 2012-13.
Next. Next: ATP winners and losers from the 2024 Grand Slams. ATP winners and losers from the 2024 Grand Slams. dark
The quarterfinal matches will be held from Tuesday, November 19, through Thursday, November 21. The ties include Italy versus Argentina, the US versus Australia, Germany against Canada, and the Netherlands versus Spain. The semifinals will be held on Friday, November 22, and Saturday, November 23, with the final held on Sunday, November 24.
The Davis Cup Final 8 will be held at Palacio de Deportes José María Martín Carpena in Malaga, Spain. The venue is an indoor facility so weather will not be an issue. The surface will be a hard court.
More tennis news and analysis:
manual