Rafael Nadal’s impending retirement will loom over the Davis Cup Final 8 when play begins Tuesday in Malaga, Spain

All the members of the Spanish team have repeated that it will be Rafa who decides what role he will have in Malaga. The most likely option is that Nadal will only play doubles in this edition of the Davis Cup Finals, perhaps alongside his young compatriot Carlos Alcaraz as at the Olympic Games.

Rafa Nadal said he could skip singles matches at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga this week and limit himself to doubles action if it helped Spain’s title chances in his last tournament as a professional player.