Toni Nadal believes Rafael Nadal will make a good Davis Cup captain as he is someone “who brings a team together” as he suggested it is only a matter of time before the tennis great throws his hat into the ring for the Spain job.
Spain will have a new Davis Cup captain from 2027 onwards as Marc Lopez will take over David Ferrer – who succeeded Sergi Bruguera in January 2023 – at the start of 2027 after the latter announced last week that he would step down after this year’s event in Bologna, Italy, in November.
Lopez has served as a technical assistant for Ferrer for the past few years and his promotion has not come out of the blue with the Spanish tennis association handing him a three-year contract until December 2029.
Spain, of course, will have several candidates to take over from Lopez when his tenure comes to an end and former stars Rafael Nadal, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Feliciano Lopez will no doubt all be in the conversation.
Although 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal has not put his hand up just yet, his uncle and former coach Toni says there is no doubt that the former world No 1 “would like” the job one day.
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“I think – and I do mean think – that Rafa would like to be Davis Cup captain; I don’t know when, but I suppose he would like to and his time will eventually come,” he said on Ondacero’s ‘Radioestadio Noche’ programme.
“What’s more, Rafa is the sort of person who brings a team together.”
Rafael Nadal won five Davis Cup titles with Spain, lifting trophies 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2019, and finished with a 37–6 win-loss record.
As for Lopez, Toni is delighted that the 44-year-old has finally been rewarded.
Lopez won the 2016 French Open men’s doubles title alongside Feliciano Lopez and later in the year he won gold in the men’s doubles with Nadal at the 2016 Rio Games
“It’s almost a reward for the careers of these great players who deserve it, and it has to be more or less a rotating role,” Toni said. “Marc Lopez is a wonderful person and gets on well with everyone; he knows a great deal about tennis.”
Lopez is yet to confirm his coaching team, but don’t be too surprised of Rafael Nadal is part of the squad as he prepares for the next step up.
Former doubles world No 3 Lopez was part of Nadal’s coaching team from 2021 until he retired in 2024. The Spaniard also had short coaching stints with Jasmine Paolini and Marie Bouzkova.
