David Ferrer Announces Core Team for Spain's Davis Cup in Bologna

The deadline for the official squad is October 26, but Ferrer has made his primary selections early. A fifth player will be announced following the Paris Masters in early November.

Alcaraz will lead the team as the primary singles player. He missed last year’s Finals due to injury and has not competed for Spain since the 2024 quarterfinal against the Netherlands in Malaga, which was notably remembered for Rafael Nadal’s farewell.

Jódar is expected to take the second singles spot. The young player impressed in his Davis Cup debut by defeating Chile’s Cristian Garín, an achievement that Marca ranked as one of the best debuts in Spanish history. Currently, he is performing well at the Shanghai Masters, where he has reached the round of 16.

Granollers and Martínez will be the team's doubles specialists. They won both their matches during last year's Final 8, defeating Adam Pavlasek and Jakub Mensik from the Czech Republic, as well as Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, although Spain ultimately lost to Italy in the final.

Both Alcaraz and Granollers will arrive in Bologna having competed at the ATP Finals in Turin from November 15 to 22, providing them three days to recover before Spain's opening tie.

The conditions should be familiar, as both Turin and Bologna feature courts built by Greenset, a company owned by former Spanish player Javier Sánchez Vicario.

Ferrer will attend the final Masters 1000 event of the season in Paris from November 2 to 8 to finalize his roster. Three players are vying for the fifth spot: Jaume Munar, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, and Dani Mérida. Munar's availability may be uncertain due to family commitments, as he and his partner expect their first child in November.

Spain begins its campaign against Austria on Thursday, November 26, with matches starting no earlier than 17:00 at the SuperTennis Arena in Bologna. A victory would lead Ferrer's team into a semifinal on Saturday, November 28, against the winner of the matchup between Germany and Great Britain.

The final is set for Sunday, November 29. Italy, the host nation and defending champion, is on the opposite side of the draw, opening against South Korea on Wednesday, November 25, meaning the two favorites could only meet in the final.

Spain has won the Davis Cup six times, with victories in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2019. The most recent title was secured at the Caja Mágica in Madrid, led by Nadal.