Archive of posts tagged David Ferrer

Alcaraz to Lead Spanish Davis Cup Squad

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By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 8, 2025
Photo credit: Angel Martinez/Getty for ITF

Reigning Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz aims to restore the roar to the Spanish Davis Cup team.

Captain David Ferrer has named Alcaraz, Washington, DC finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez to the Spanish squad that will host Denmark in the Davis Cup second round qualifier set for September 13-14th at the Puente Romano Tennis Club in Marbella, Spain.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina

“I am very happy with the commitment that the players have made and with the enthusiasm that the team has to be able to overcome Denmark, which we already know is going to be a tough with Holger Rune,” Ferrer said. “But we are going to face it in the best way.

“Alejandro has been very consistent, he is in the Top 20 of the race and Carlos comes from winning Roland Garros and making the finals of Wimbledon, so I am very excited that they can be with us.”

The tie will be contested on outdoor red clay in Marbella.

World No. 2 Alcaraz, who owns a 3-0 Davis Cup singles record, will make his first appearance since he defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-6, 6-3 in the 2024 quarterfinals last November.

The 22-year-old Spaniard is riding a streak of 13 straight clay-court victories, capturing successive clay championships at Roland Garros and Rome. Alcaraz’s last clay-court loss came to Danish star Holger Rune 7-6(6), 6-2 in the Barcelona final in April.

Zverev Training with Toni Nadal at Rafa Nadal Academy

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Alexander Zverev said he's considering new coaching options, could Toni Nadal fill the bill?Arthur Rinderknech

By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, July 14, 2025
Photo credit: Ibrahim Ezzat-Nur Photo-Getty

Alexander Zverev handed Rafa Nadal the last loss of his Roland Garros career.

Now, Zverev is training with Toni Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in an effort to rebuild his confidence and revitalize his game.

Tennis Express

The 2021 Olympic gold-medal champion has been working under the watchful eye of Toni Nadal at the Rafa Nadal Academy in preparation for the North American summer hard-court season.


Two weeks ago, Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech completed a five-set win over Zverev in the Wimbledon first round. Rinderknech won 44 of 55 trips to net and denied all nine break points he faced.

Afterward, Zverev said the prestigious Centre Court lawn felt like a deep hole he couldn't escape.

Six months after his surge to the Australian Open final, Zverev suffered his second career Wimbledon first-round exit and opened up on the malaise he's feeling.

"I would say more mental, probably. It's funny, I feel very alone out there at times," Zverev said. "I struggle mentally. I've been saying that since after the Australian Open. Yeah, just don't know. I'm trying to find ways, trying to find ways to kind of get out of this hole. I keep kind of finding myself back in it in a way.

"Yeah, I don't know. I feel, generally speaking, quite alone in life at the moment, which is a feeling that is not very nice."

In his parting presser at SW19, Zverev said it's possible he could hire a new coach and conceded he's out of answers on court.

"Possibly," Zverev said when asked about a new coach. "As I said, yeah, it's a different feeling right now for me. I can't speak for the moment. But I think I'll have answers by Canada." 

While Zverev has worked with high-profile coaches in the past—including David Ferrer, who helped guide him to the US Open final and former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who has been exceptionally successful coaching Carlos Alcaraz—he continues to return to the familiarity of his father, Alexander Zverev, Sr., as coach.

Toni Nadal, known as a savvy and tough taskmaster, spent some time working with Felix Auger-Aliassime after stepping down as Rafa Nadal's official coach.

Could Toni Nadal's training block with Zverev lead to a role as coach or co-coach of the German? Time will tell.