"It is very special to be with him in his last moments": Carlos Alcaraz still not 100% but ready to help Rafael Nadal

After failing to advance from the group stage at the ATP Finals, Carlos Alcaraz is already in Malaga preparing for the first round of the Davis Cup that will pit Spain against the Netherlands on Tuesday.

The Spaniard has acknowledged that he has not yet recovered one hundred percent from the cold that prevented him from competing at one hundred percent in Turin last week, although he says he feels much better:

"I still have a bit of a cold. In the last few days, I've been able to train here practically normally and very well and in the next few days we'll see. I've almost forgotten about the cold and I'm almost one hundred percent, much better than I was in Turin. I trained yesterday on long rallies and I felt very good. Today in training I think I will feel good in breathing. And I hope to be fine in the competition."

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Obviously, he emphasizes that it is an honor for him to be able to be at Rafael Nadal's farewell to professional tennis this week at the Palacio Martin Carpena in Malaga:

"At the Olympic Games it was very special. To be with him in his last moments of tennis, for me it is super special. Not only for me, but for the whole team. It is precious for the team that we have the opportunity to accompany Nadal in this tournament."

We know that Alcaraz will be Spain's number 1 in the Davis Cup qualifiers, but we don't know yet if Nadal will be number 2 or if it will be Roberto Bautista. We imagine that the Maracorí could end up playing the doubles alongside Marcel Granollers. In any case, we will find out tomorrow Tuesday in the tie that will be played from 17:00 CET Spain and the Netherlands;

Much of Spain's success in this competition will obviously be in seeing the best Carlitos of the year, as the one who beat Jannik Sinner in Beijing, and not the one who then fell in Shanghai, Paris or Turin.