David Ferrer reveals what has been his ‘toughest’ moment of captaining Spain at the Davis Cup so far

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David Ferrer has reflected on the challenges he has faced while captaining Spain at the Davis Cup.

Ferrer was announced as Spain’s Davis Cup captain in December 2022, having won the title three times as a player.

It has not been so smooth-sailing for the former world number three as a captain, with Spain only just qualifying for the Davis Cup Finals this year.

Ferrer has also had a fallout with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina after not selecting him to compete at the Davis Cup Finals, but he has picked something else as the toughest moment of his captaincy so far.

David Ferrer admits Rafael Nadal’s retirement was the toughest moment of his Davis Cup captaincy

Someone who Ferrer spent a lot of his time playing alongside was Rafael Nadal, which includes losing to him in his only Grand Slam final at the French Open in 2013.

Last year, Nadal decided to retire at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, which saw him play his final career match against Botic Van de Zandschulp.

There were a lot of questions pointed to Ferrer about his decision to choose Nadal to play singles, and he has now told Punto de Break that this was the toughest moment of his Davis Cup captaincy so far.

“No, I wouldn’t say they’re the toughest, because at the end of the day, we’re in the Finals,” said Ferrer when asked if Spain’s Davis Cup tie against Denmark earlier this year was his toughest moment as captain.

“Look, I remember in my debut as national team coach, we lost (laughs) two ties, six-nil, every single match. It was tough, especially at home. And I remember Marbella, which did end well, but it was tough, the beginning was quite difficult.

“However, I would say Malaga, when we lost against the Netherlands in Rafa’s farewell match, because it’s Rafa and I have a very special affection for him: for me, perhaps, that was the toughest.”

When did Spain last win the Davis Cup?

Spain are six-time Davis Cup champions, with all of their victories in the competition taking place in the 21st century.

Three of those wins have been with Ferrer as a player, but he is still yet to have won the Davis Cup as a captain.

The last time that Spain won the Davis Cup was in 2019, when Nadal was still the leading player for the nation.

This is the only time that Spain have won the competition under its new format, which the Davis Cup have been heavily criticised for.

Spain will begin their bid for a seventh title at the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna, taking on Czechia in their opening match on Thursday, November 20.