David Ferrer (Xàbia, 2 April 1982), This Wednesday he makes his debut as captain of the Spanish team. davis cup in ValenciaThe best possible scenario for him. The man from Alicante has continued his involvement with tennis since his retirement in May 2019. Now he is starting a new phase from home and it is guaranteed. Warrior character that led him to lift three Ensaladeras on the field (2008, 2009 and 2011) 28 wins and 5 losses across 20 draws, with one of the most impressive balances a Spanish tennis player can show in the Davis Cup. Feliciano López, the competition’s current director and winner of five titles, has full confidence in ‘Ferru’: ‘Spain could not have a better captain. He’s the best Davis Cup player I’ve ever seen. “His record for winning games is brutal.”
Today is the first release day. Home premiere for you. Do you have La Fonteta as an extra weapon when looking for the Malaga Finals?
Yes, I trust the Valencia fans… And much more! We already experienced this last year. I hope it happens again this week, and even worse with tough qualifiers against Novak Djokovic in the Czech Republic and Serbia ahead of us. I hope, I wish, and I wholeheartedly believe that the public will give us the support we need. With this passion, it is always better to play in your home field with the audience.
By a twist of fate, he returns to Valencia, where he enjoyed his last period as a Davis player: his victory over the German Kohlschreiber in five sets and five hours gave Spain a chance to reach the semi-finals at the Plaza of 2018. bulls.
I celebrate that day with great love; not because the final or the Davis title is something more charismatic, but because it is my last match in this very important competition representing your country. After all, I was already at the stage in the rankings where my tennis level had dropped. The fact of playing at home, the fact that it was a decisive match, how it happened… right up to the limit. I undoubtedly remember this in a special way. The moment I was proven right, the moment I felt again what I felt when I was at the top before, is a feeling I always keep inside me.
“I hold the match against Kohlschreiber at the Bullring with great fondness. It was a moment of vindication for me; to feel again the things I had felt before when I was on top.”
Four years after his retirement, David Ferrer is still directly involved in tennis. The academy at Xàbia, Godó’s manager, Davis’ former manager and now the Spanish captain… A very different life?
It changes a lot. It’s a completely different stage. You close one and start completely different ones. Neither better nor worse. As a tennis player, I enjoyed it very much, I experienced very intense emotions; It was very difficult to feel the adrenaline of competing and winning again. But you also experience other things, you have inner peace, you spend time with your family, being at home, situations that I really enjoy. Of course, I love being surrounded by tennis, being inside… But if you ask me if I will miss it or if I will come back… I won’t, there is a time for everything. That stage is over, I’m happy and having a great time with everything I do now.
Do your new duties include, for example, imagining the Salad Bowl with Davis as captain of Spain? He won three as a player.
That’s the intention, the Salad Bowl, the purpose… Are you dreaming? I can say that I do not accept this as an obsession. The first thing I have to do as captain is to train the players and help them become better on the field. Then, work to create a unity in the team that will be noticed in the competition and increase our chances of winning the championship. To achieve this goal, there needs to be good work behind it, of course I want and wish to be able to lift it again.
Don’t you think the absence of Rafa Nadal or Carlos Alcaraz sets the bar too high for the current players?
(Thinking) The truth is I think we have a very good team. Let’s see, it is obvious that it is a little early to talk about being a champion when we have not yet qualified for the Final Eight at the end of November. But I have great confidence in this team. There is a wide variety of players who can stand up against any team and are undoubtedly among the best in the Davis Cup.
“We have a very good team, we have players who will compete for the Finals and can compete against anyone”
How is Bautista ready to play? Have you already decided who will play in singles against the Czechs?
According to him, ‘Rober’ hopes to help the team soon. I can’t say who will play right now, but yes, I already understand that clearly.
Do you still believe it is possible for Rafa Nadal to join the team for the championship final on November 21? A five-month recovery period was mentioned in June.
We haven’t made it to the final yet and that’s what I want above all else. Then try to talk to Rafa and find out how he is doing.
Don’t you ignore this?
As of today, no, but if we don’t make it to the final this week, it won’t matter.
“I’m not dropping Nadal for the finals today, but it doesn’t matter if we don’t qualify. That’s my first job, if we do that then I’ll talk to him and see how he’s doing.”
Is Novak Djokovic’s Serbia the biggest favorite in the group?
On paper yes, but other things could happen later. Even numbers are very important in this format. Last year Australia reached the final with a very good doubles performance. A great player no longer gets as much conditioning as he used to. The format is a bit unfair.
Because? What would you change?
More than the calendar, I would change the format a bit to make it more appealing. For example, playing on weekends because people work during the week.