Carlos Moya named Spain's new Davis Cup captain

Madrid, Oct 11 (IANS/EFE) Carlos Moya, the former world No. 1 and winner of the 1998 French Open, has been named Spain’s Davis Cup captain for the 2014 edition of that international team competition.

The 37-year-old Moya said at his official presentation Thursday at the Superior Sports Council in Madrid that he was counting on the participation of the world’s current top-ranked player, 13-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.

Moya, like Nadal, is a native of the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca and served as an early mentor for the Spanish great. But the 27-year-old Nadal’s chase of Roger Federer‘s Grand Slam record (17 major titles) might make Davis Cup a tough sell.

“No doubt Rafa is a great friend of mine and we’ll have to talk some day. Now he’s focused on being No. 1 and it should be his priority being in a Masters 1000,” Moya said, referring to this week’s Shanghai Masters event.

“Nadal is a great professional who always has wanted to play Davis Cup except when he was injured. With his fighting spirit, he’s a perfect fit for Davis Cup. He’s always given us an edge and it won’t be any different this time around,” the new skipper said.

Moya was a key member, along with an 18-year-old Nadal, of the 2004 Spanish Davis Cup team that won that year’s title.

Spain also has won four other Davis Cup crowns thanks to the efforts of stars such as Juan Carlos Ferrero, Nadal, world No. 4 David Ferrer and Fernando Verdasco.