Rafael Nadal has given a big hint that he may not be ready to play at next month’s Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.

Nadal, who won 22 Grand Slam titles in his remarkable career, revealed he will retire next month in an emotional video message posted on X.

The Spaniard had already confirmed that he expected 2024 to be his final season and it became increasingly clear through the summer that the end was nigh.

He then confirmed he will retire after playing for Spain in next month’s Davis Cup Finals in Malaga.

“I’m here to let you know that I am retiring from professional tennis,” said Nadal in his statement earlier this month.

“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially. I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations.

“It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make. But, in this life, everything has a beginning and an end.”

Tickets for Nadal’s farewell in front of his Spanish fans sold out in double quick time and they are changing hands for thousands of euros on ticket exchange sites.

Yet Nadal has admitted he will not put himself forward to play for Spain, probably in doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, unless he feels he is physically ready to contribute to the team.

Nadal lost against Alcaraz in the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia on Thursday and while he showed flashes of brilliance, he was clearly hampered on his serve and was no match for his young compatriot.

Now he has confirmed he will inform Spain Davis Cup captain David Ferrer that he will step aside from playing a competitive doubles match if he feels other members of the team are more likely to deliver the victory.

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“Will I be ready for the Davis Cup? Emotionally, yes, that’s for sure; physically and tennis-wise, I still have a month ahead of me,” he stated at a media conference in Saudi Arabia.

“I will prepare, I will try to be in shape to help the team win. If I feel ready and the captain feels the same way, it will be his decision. If I don’t feel ready, I will be the first to step away and see how I can help.

“First, I have to be the one who feels competitive to get into the game, then you can win or lose, that’s part of the sport. If I’m not 100% or if I’m far from winning my match, I won’t go on the court.”

Nadal also gave more details on his retirement announcement as he added: “I made my decision a few weeks ago, the truth is that it took me a while, but after the Olympics I had a few weeks to think, to realise some things and answer some questions that allowed me to see that it was the right decision.”

Davis Cup Finals organisers will have plans in place for a farewell to Nadal whether he plays or not in Malaga next month, with Novak Djokovic confirming he will travel to Spain to be part of the occasion.

Roger Federer is also certain to be invited to attend and will almost certainly be in Malaga after Nadal made big sacrifices to attend his farewell match at the 2022 Laver Cup even though his wide was days away from giving birth to their son.

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