MADRID – Young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz will play in the Davis Cup play-offs against Romania on March 4th and 5th in Andalusia, but not Rafael Nadal, the Spanish Tennis Federation announced on Thursday.
With Alcaraz, 18, 31 in the world at the start of the Australian Open, Spain will have a selection that will also consist of Roberto Bautista, Pablo Carreño, Alejandro Davidovich and Marcel Granollers, decided the leader Sergi Bruguera.
This barrier was caused by the defeat of Spain by Russia during the final phase of the new Davis Cup in November in Madrid.
Alcaraz lost only in the 3rd round in Melbourne, and in five sets, to the Italian Matteo Beretini. He could not play last November in Madrid because he tested positive for COVID-19.
Spain won the first version of the new Davis Cup formula in 2019. Romania currently has no players classified in the top 100 global.
The meeting will take place at the clay courts of the Puente Romano club in Marbella, Andalusia (south).
A sensible victory against Romania would allow the Spaniards to return to the finals at the end of 2022, with a new squad and 16 national teams divided into four groups in the first round, with two in each group advancing to the knockout stage.
