The final Grand Slam of 2023 is now over, after Novak Djokovic lifted his 24th major title with a victory over Daniil Medvedev. But the culmination of the US Open does not mean the action stops. The group stage of the Davis Cup takes place from the 12th to the 17th of September. 16 countries are involved, and the new No. 1 Djokovic will play in the final two of Serbia’s three group ties.
However, there have also been three high-profile withdrawals from this week’s event. Read below to discover which players have announced their absence, and which personnel come into the teams as a result.
Three Top Players Withdraw From Davis Cup Group Stage
Which Players Have Withdrawn?
Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz has announced he will not take part in this stage of the Davis Cup. The world No. 2 has played a lot of tennis recently. Alcaraz suffered a tough semifinal loss to Medvedev in New York, which was undoubtedly physically as well as mentally bruising. It is understandable he needs some time to rest.
Alcaraz said the following in a statement:
“I was really looking forward to playing for Spain in the Davis Cup in Valencia, but I have to listen to my body after a very long tour. I need to stop and rest, physically and mentally. The schedule is very demanding, there is still a long season ahead, and it’s time to recharge my batteries. Best of luck to the Spanish team!”
Alcaraz’s rival, Jannik Sinner, is another man to withdraw from the Davis Cup. The Italian’s five-set loss in the fourth round of the US Open to Alexander Zverev was the longest match of the tournament. Hence the 22-year-old’s withdrawal is not a major surprise, but is disappointing for his Italian teammates nonetheless.
“Unfortunately I didn’t have enough time to recover after the tournaments in America and unfortunately I won’t be able to be part of the team in Bologna. It’s always an honour to play for our country and I’m convinced I’ll be back in the national team soon.”
Another Italian Matteo Berrettini is the third and final withdrawal from the Davis Cup. Sadly, the 2021 Wimbledon finalist endured an ankle injury at Flushing Meadows and had to leave the court in a wheelchair. Although his withdrawal was expected, Berrettini did share the positive news that his injury is not as bad as was first feared.
Who Replaces The Three Withdrawn Players?
Albert Ramos-Vinolas has replaced Alcaraz in the Spanish Davis Cup team. It is impossible to credibly argue that the 36-year-old can fully replace the two-time Grand Slam champion; However, the experienced Spaniard does have good previous results in the competition, holding a winning record. His best result so far this season was reaching the final on the clay courts of Gstaad.
The withdrawals of Sinner and Berrettini has created some controversy around the selections of the Italian team. Lornezo Musetti, Lorenzo Sonego, Simone Bolelli, Andrea Vavassori and Matteo Arnaldi are the players who have been chosen. However, this led to a furious reaction from former Monte Carlo champion Fabio Fognini.
The 36-year-old has had a difficult season. and failed to qualify for the US Open. But Fognini still felt he deserved to be part of the team, especially after the withdrawals of the two top-ranked Italian players. The Italian Davis Cup captain gave three reasons for the decision: the poor form of Fognini, his recent lack of fitness, and his recent decision to play at clay court Challenger Tour events, despite the Davis Cup being held on indoor hard courts.
Main Photo Credit: Mike Frey – USA TODAY Sports
