During the coverage of the Davis Cup in Marbella, Bolavip was invited to an event in where representatives from Spain’s 2000 Davis Cup team was there to show the original, and after that we talked exclusively to Alex Corretja.

During the interview, Corretja discussed Carlos Alcaraz’s phenomonal season, just as he also commented on the importance of having a player like him in Spain.

Corretja calls Alcaraz “a blessing, nearly a miracle”

Corretja smiles as he mentions Alcaraz as a true blessing and gift to the country. He even compares the Spaniard to Rafael Nadal.

“It’s a blessing to have a player like Carlos Alcaraz. He is truly a gift to the sport. It is nearly a miracle to be honest. We have had so many great players in the past, but after Rafael Nadal, our legend of the sport, all of a sudden we have Carlos who is comparable,” Corretja tells Bolavip and continues:

“He is winning Grand Slams, he is the world No. 1. It is something very unexpected and very fortunate for us to have him.”

Corretja: “Everybody loves Alcaraz”

Many people would probably argue that Alcaraz, at this moment in time, is among the most popular players, and Corretja says that his impression is as well that everyone loves Alcaraz.

“It is good for our sport and our country. I think we really need to appreciate it, because what he is doing is very, very difficult and he is only 22 years old and has already won six Grand Slams,” he adds.

Corretja is certain that Alcaraz will go on to win many more Grand Slams: “He will win many more Grand Slams in the future. Everybody loves him, because he is so natural. He is so humble and simple, and he says whatever he feels. He is very straightforward and acts very well. He is very unique.”

Carlos Alcaraz is currently preparing for the Laver Cup as he pulled out of the Davis Cup for Spain.

Both players were knocked out in the third round of the recent US Open and have withdrawn from the two Davis Cup ties against the Czech Republic — one at home and one away — due to injury. They will also miss the Laver Cup, scheduled for September 19–21 in San Francisco.

Shelton, ranked No. 6 in the world, had been playing at a high level in New York before his hopes of a first Grand Slam title ended when he was forced to retire against Adrian Mannarino. The match was tied at two sets apiece when a shoulder injury prevented him from continuing.

Paul, the world No. 15, was eliminated in five sets by Alexander Bublik in the same round. He appeared to struggle with an abdominal injury during the match, an issue that ultimately ruled him out of Davis Cup action.

Who will replace Shelton and Paul?

With the two big absences confirmed, Reilly Opelka joins the US Davis Cup roster alongside doubles specialists Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek, completing a squad that also includes world No. 4 Taylor Fritz and world No. 29 Frances Tiafoe.

For the Laver Cup, Shelton and Paul were originally slated to represent Team World under captain Andre Agassi against Team Europe. In their place, Opelka and rising star Alex Michelsen, ranked No. 32, will suit up for Agassi’s team in San Francisco. It will be Michelsen’s first Laver Cup appearance, while Opelka makes his second after debuting in Boston in 2021.

Holger Rune’s season has been full of ups and downs. On one hand, he won the title in Barcelona and reached the final at the Masters 1000 tournament in Indian Wells.

On the other hand, the season has also included several setbacks, among them two early exits at the latest Grand Slam tournaments, Wimbledon and the US Open.

The lack of consistency has prompted the Dane to test the waters and try out a new racket. But when Bolavip asked him about it, he didn’t want to reveal too much although he did confirm that he is currently testing different rackets.

“That’s true… It’s a good question… I need to think about how I want to answer that. It’s fine, you’re allowed to ask, but yeah… I’ve tried a few different rackets to see what suits me best. That’s all I have to say about it,” Rune told Bolavip.

‘I know I can beat Alcaraz and Sinner’

Holger Rune has been very clear about what he desires. The former junior Grand Slam winner wants to be world No. 1 and win Grand Slam titles.

That hasn’t happened yet, and speaking to BolaVip, the Dane admits that he sometimes feels a bit lost on the court when it comes to finding his identity.

“I feel like I’m lacking some consistency in my identity as a tennis player. Often, I go into matches with a relatively offensive mindset, while other times I come in with a grinder’s mindset,” Rune told Bolavip, and continued:

“That’s the danger. When I’m able to hit so many different shots on a tennis court, it can also be a bit confusing. I try to keep it as simple as possible.”

Still, this doesn’t shake his belief that he can dethrone Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

“Of course it’s inspiring to see Carlos (Alcaraz, ed.) and Jannik (Sinner, ed.) play at that level, but I also know that I can beat them,” the Dane concluded to Bolavip.

Davis Cup without Alcaraz

For now, however, Holger Rune won’t be facing the world No. 1, as the Spaniard withdrew from the Davis Cup. This makes the Dane the highest-ranked player across both teams from Spain and Denmark.

The first match will be played on Saturday, with Holger Rune opening against Pablo Carreno Busta.

The Spanish Tennis Federation confirmed that Alcaraz will miss the second-round tie in Valencia, scheduled for Sept. 12–13, citing physical fatigue from his demanding American swing.

In addition to Alcaraz’s absence, Spain will also be without Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The World No.20 announced he would not participate due to exhaustion and a congested schedule.

That leaves captain David Ferrer with a roster of Jaume Munar, Pedro Martinez, Roberto Carballes Baena, and Pablo Carreño Busta. US Open doubles champion Marcel Granollers was originally named to the squad but pulled out after suffering a right ankle sprain in New York.

The matchup begins Saturday, Sept. 13, with two singles matches. Sunday’s slate will feature the doubles rubber followed by the final two singles contests. Spain advanced to this round after defeating Switzerland 3–1 in Biel earlier this year. Denmark, led by World No.11 Holger Rune, pulled off a dramatic comeback against Serbia, rallying from 0–2 down to win 3–2 at home.

Denmark’s squad

Denmark will field its strongest roster for the tie, led by World No. 11 Holger Rune. He will be joined by Elmer Moller, August Holmgren, Christian Sigsgaard, and doubles specialist Johannes Ingildsen, with former pro Frederik Nielsen serving as team captain.

This will be the sixth Davis Cup meeting between the two nations. Spain holds a narrow 3–2 advantage in the head-to-head, with their most recent clash coming 10 years ago in Odense. That tie ended in Spain’s favor behind a lineup that featured Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Fernando Verdasco.

Tennis is a unique sport where, although matches can last several hours, there is also a significant amount of dead time between points. For former Barcelona star Gerard Pique, who, through his company Kosmos, famously introduced (not-so-well-received) changes to the Davis Cup format, there are modifications that could speed up the game.

Speaking on Iker Casillas’ podcast Bajo los Palos, Pique said: “Why do you get two serves in tennis? That’s 30 more seconds of someone bouncing the ball. People don’t want to see that, they want to see the point. They also don’t want to watch a five-minute game with deuce-advantage-deuce-advantage. There should be a golden point at 40-40.”

The comment came in the middle of a conversation about how soccer and other sports need to “adapt” to the “new generations,” as they compete with other forms of entertainment and streaming platforms. However, Pique acknowledged how hard it is to introduce new ideas in established sports, such as he tried to do with tennis and the Davis Cup.

“We tried to change certain things, and there was no way. The International Tennis Federation doesn’t want to change anything,” he commented on his inclusion in the Davis Cup in 2019, in which he helped change the format, putting an end to the traditional home-and-away series that had been one of the most compelling elements of the competition.

The Davis Cup’s numerous changes

Historically, the Davis Cup featured a 16-team draw, starting from the round of 16. One team played at home, the other as the away side, and matches were contested over five rubbers—four singles and one doubles—played in best-of-five-set encounters.

However, this changed with the involvement of Piqué through his company Kosmos, which introduced key modifications: home ties were eliminated—except for qualifying rounds—and the final stage was played at a single venue. Matches were shortened to best-of-three sets, and the series consisted of three rubbers, with two singles and one doubles match.

By the 2023 edition, Kosmos had stepped away from organizing the Davis Cup. The format left behind was widely considered unappealing, with empty stadiums since the previous format’s biggest draw was the packed stands driven by home ties.

In 2024, the ITF announced a new format change. The group stage of the Davis Cup Finals were suppressed, and instead there will be seven home or away ties, with the winners, plus the hosts, contesting the Finals. The change was made to help players’ schedules, as well as to return to the more appealing format of playing at local venues.

Bolavip are present in Copenhagen, where the Davis Cup clash between Denmark and Serbia takes place Friday and Saturday. Ahead of that series, we had the opportunity to speak to former No. 12 in the world and current coach for the Serbian Davis Cup team, Viktor Troicki.

Here, he shared his thoughts on the drama that circulated around Djokovic during the Australian Open. Djokovic picked up an injury during his match against Carlos Alcaraz, and despite winning that match, he couldn’t finish the following match against Alexander Zverev, where he was forced to retire due to a muscle tear injury.

Troicki slams ‘disrespectful and disappointing’ behavior towards Djokovic

Immediately after the Serbian’s retirement against Zverev, the crowd were booing Djokovic, which Viktor Troicki noticed and found very disrespectful and disappointing.

“They were booing him after the injury, which I don’t think happens in any sport. Not even in soccer, where the crowd is normally more wild. When someone gets injured in soccer, even an opponent, they will applaud you and wish you to get better,” he initially says to Bolavip and continues by saying:

“That’s why it was surprising to see, especially in a place where he has played his best tennis and has won 10 titles, that he got booed after the injury. It was really disrespectful and disappointing.

“They are booing him in the crowd, which was not happening before in Australia. I think they were admiring his results more and greeting the champion with more respect in the past.”

Troicki claims Channel 9 reporter should be ‘fired’ and ‘banned’ from covering tennis

The famous Channel Nine reporter Tony Jones was a part of one of the most widely covered situations, after he claimed in the studio that Djokovic has been and is overrated, just as he ended his comments by saying “kick him out”. Something he said in front of a big Serbian crowd, which Djokovic found insultive and offensive.

“There was the situation around channel nine, which I noticed as well. If I had hired that journalist (Tony Jones, ed.), I would have fired him straight away. He would never work in sports again,” says Viktor Troicki.

“I think they are treating Novak worse and worse. It is surprising and disappointing to see the greatest player of all time experiencing so many bad things happening in Australia again. After Covid and what they did to him a few years ago, it has never been the same.”

Later on, Tony Jones has given Djokovic an official apology, however Serbian coach Viktor Troicki thinks the reporter should face bigger consequences.

“To mock an athlete during the tournament is unacceptable. I don´t think an apology is enough. I think he should be banned for life from covering tennis”, he ends the interview with Bolavip.

Davis Cup will be without Djokovic

Despite being the name who got the most attention at the media day in Copenhagen, Djokovic won’t actually play for Serbia in Denmark, due to the injury he picked up against Zverev.

The matches take place both Friday and Saturday in the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, where Denmark have seen their chances increase due to the absence of Novak Djokovic.

This round in Davis Cup is the 1st qualifier round and the winner qualifies for 2nd qualifiers, where it is going to be decided, which eight teams will play in the Davis Cup finals.

“Hi everyone, I’m here to tell you that I retired from professional court,” Nadal said in a 4-minute, 45-second video, where he explained the reasons behind his decision.

The 38-year-old Spaniard reflected on the challenges of the past two years, during which he struggled to play at his best: “The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two years specially. I don’t think I have been able to play.”

Looking ahead to his final match, Nadal revealed which tournament will mark the end of his illustrious career: “I am very excited that my last tournament will be the Davis Cup final, and representing my country. I think I’ve come full circle.”

When and where will be Nadal’s last tournament?

Rafael Nadal’s fans will be eagerly awaiting his final match as a professional tennis player. His last appearance will take place on home soil in Malaga, Spain, during the Davis Cup final. The match is scheduled for November 19th, where Spain will face the Netherlands.

About this last tournament, Nadal told: “One of my first great joys as a professional tennis player was the Davis Cup final in Sevilla in 2004. I feel super lucky for all the thing I’ve been able to experience”.

Nadal’s injury among key reasons for retirement

Over the past few years, Nadal has been unable to showcase the full extent of his talent on the tennis court, with injuries playing a significant role in his decision to retire. A long-standing issue, dating back to 2016, had doctors warning him that it could cause trouble in the future.

Nadal has dealt with a torn tendon in his left wrist, as well as a persistent problem with his left foot. These injuries ultimately forced him to reconsider his ability to compete at the highest level, especially as rising stars like Frances Tiafoe and Carlos Alcaraz continue to push the limits of the sport.

Nadal will make his appearance at the Davis Cup Final Eight in November. He has been included in Spain’s squad alongside world number three Carlos Alcaraz, Roberto Bautista Agut, Pablo Carreño Busta, and Marcel Granollers. Rafa will once again participate in the competition, with his last appearance being his victory in the 2019 edition.

When asked about Nadal’s call-up, Spain captain David Ferrer said: “I spoke with Rafa before we started competing in Valencia and before qualifying. He mentioned the idea and his desire that, if we qualified, there would be a chance for him to participate.

“The day after, or two days after securing qualification, we talked again, and his plan was to be ready and excited to play in Málaga. It was very easy, and it was he who initiated and wanted from the very beginning to be part of the finals,” explained Ferrer during the team-announcement press conference in Madrid.

We’ll see if Nadal’s rest during last months pays off. The former number one has not competed since the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he was beaten in the singles by Novak Djokovic and lost in the quarter-finals of the doubles after partnering Alcaraz.

Nadal cameo on Federer’s 2024 Laver Cup

Laver Cup co-owner and host Roger Federer was expecting to see Nadal taking part in the competition. Despite his sudden withdrawal, the Spaniard didn’t miss the chance to feature in an exchange with his friend.

In an interview during the Laver Cup, Nadal appeared in a video with a quick question for Federer: “Who’s been your favorite doubles partner?“. While jiggling, the tennis legend answered, “I mean, I thought it was my wife, until this guy showed up. So yeah, Rafa can have it.“

Nadal’s injury problems this year

Before the announcement of Nadal’s participation in Spain’s Davis Cup team, there were rumors about his future. The reasons were clear as the 22-time Grand Slam champion struggled throughout the year with physical problems.

Rafa missed the Australian Open in January through injury and decided not to play Wimbledon to focus on the Olympics. After Paris 2024, he was absent in the the US Open because he said he would not “be able to give my 100% at this time“. He then pulled out of the Laver Cup earlier in September, saying he believed there are “other players who can help the team deliver the win“.

While we wait news about Nadal’s final decision, the Davis Cup quarter-finals will take place 19-21 November, with the semi-finals following on consecutive days before the final on Sunday, 24 November.

Canada won their ticket to this year’s Finals after being semi finalist in the last edition, which took place in 2019. However, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov won’t be competing this time. So the team will have to fight hard to get a similar result this time.

On the other hand, Sweden won their ticket to this edition thanks to their victory over Chile in the Qualifiers. In 2019, they couldn’t make it past the Qualifiers, going down 0-4 to Colombia. How far will they come now?

Canada vs Sweden: Match Information

Date: Thursday, November 25, 2021.
Time: 10:00 AM (ET)
Location: Madrid Arena, Madrid, Spain.

Canada vs Sweden: Time by state in the US

ET: 10:00 AM
CT: 9:00 AM
MT: 8:00 AM
PT: 7:00 AM

Canada vs Sweden: Storylines

Without Aliassime and Shapovalov, Canada’s big player is Vasek Pospisil. The 31-year old, whose career high was world no. 25, said he’s always motivated to represent Canada. This year, Pospisil has a 8-15 win-loss record.

His teammates are: Brayden Schnur, Peter Polansky and Steven Diez, all in their 30s. On the other hand, Sweden team nominations are four youngsters: brothers Mikael Ymer (23) and Elias Ymer (25), Jonathan Mridha (26) and Andre Gorasson (27).

How to watch or live stream Canada vs Sweden in the US

The Davis Cup Finals 2021 round-robin fixture between Canada and Sweden to be played on Thursday, November 25, 2021 at Madrid Arena will be broadcasted in the United States by CBS Sports App.

Canada vs Sweden: Odds and predictions

Oddsmakers in the US have already made their predictions for this fixture. However, according to FanDuel, Canada have odds of +8500 to win the tournament, while Sweden have +12000.

*Odds by FanDuel