Nadal says no to 2012 Davis Cup

Defending Olympics title is a priority for world number two.

SEVILLE: Spain’s fifth Davis Cup title party in 11 years fell flat when former world number one Rafael Nadal revealed he would be skipping next year’s title defence while David Ferrer called time on his tournament duties.

World number two Nadal, who battled back from a set down to defeat Juan Martin del Potro and give Spain victory over Argentina in an epic clash on Sunday, insisted that the defence of his Olympic title must be a priority.

Ferrer, on the other hand, said that at 29, his five-year tour of Davis Cup duty was virtually over.

The double blow, along with the worrying decline of doubles pairing Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco, left Spain looking seriously under-powered for 2012.

Not ruling out a return to Davis Cup after 2012, Nadal confirmed that he will not be taking part next year.

“I won’t play next year,” he said. “It’s an Olympic year. For many years I’ve been playing the highest number of matches in a year and I don’t want to play too many. I want a coherent calendar.

“So my participation in the Davis Cup next year is impossible.”

Meanwhile, his teammate Ferrer says it is time to hand Davis Cup responsibilities over to a new generation.

“It’s going to be difficult for the four of us to play together again,” said Ferrer.

“This is the end of the party. I’m older and am not in the best physical state.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2011.