What's next for Carlos Alcaraz after ATP Finals elimination?
Carlos Alcaraz's campaign at the ATP Finals 2024 came to an end in the group stage itself with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 loss to Alexander Zverev. It was a must-win tie for him after losing his match against Casper Ruud and winning against Andrey Rublev. However, he was outplayed by the German who ended his hopes of a second consecutive semifinal here.
Despite the loss, Alcaraz isn't done for the season just yet. He will now head back to Spain for the Davis Cup Finals, which will be held in Malaga from November 19-24. The tournament will also be Rafael Nadal's farewell event, who will take to the court for the last time as a professional in front of his home crowd.
Spain will take on the Netherlands on November 19. Alcaraz will face Tallon Griekspoor in his singles tie, while Nadal will go up against Botic van de Zandschulp. The two won't play doubles in this tie but could team up if they advance to the next round. The two reached the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics in doubles earlier this year.
Should Spain win their quarterfinal contest, they will face either Canada or Germany in the semifinals on November 22. If they emerge victorious in this round, then they could meet one of the following teams in the final: Italy, USA, Australia, or Argentina. As his team's highest-ranked player, Alcaraz will be expected to do the heavy lifting.
Carlos Alcaraz has a solid record while representing Spain at the Davis Cup
Carlos Alcaraz hasn't played too many Davis Cup ties in his career but he already has a pretty decent record. He has a 4-1 record in singles and has won his last three matches as well. He made a winning debut in 2022 and won against Marius Copil in straight sets.
Alcaraz lost his next match during the group stage against Felix Auger-Aliassime later that year but bounced back with a win over Kwon Soon-woo. He didn't don the national colors last year due to scheduling conflicts.
The Spaniard returned for Davis Cup duty this year and led his team to victory during the group stage. He won his singles ties against Tomas Machac and Ugo Humbert to help Spain reach the Finals after they lost in the group stage last year. After a disappointing turn at the ATP Finals, he will be keen to wrap up the season with a triumph at the Davis Cup.