Davis Cup Director Reveals Whether Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s Absence Affected the Tournament

Italy claimed the Davis Cup title in Bologna after beating Spain 2-0 in the title match on Sunday (November 23).

Davis Cup Director Reveals Whether Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s Absence Affected the Tournament

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ)

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Davis Cup director Feliciano Lopez has revealed that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s absence affected the tournament. The Davis Cup Finals came to an end on Sunday (November 23) with Italy overcoming Spain in the championship match. If Sinner and Alcaraz had participated, they would have met in Bologna.

Alexander Zverev was the only top 10 player who participated in the Davis Cup Finals, after Sinner, Alcaraz, and Lorenzo Musetti withdrew. Sinner was heavily criticized for pulling out of the event in early November during the Paris Masters. Meanwhile, Alcaraz suffered an injury at the ATP Finals in Turin.

Sinner’s absence didn’t hamper Italy’s hopes of winning the title as they secured a historic third consecutive Davis Cup title. Matteo Berrettini and Flavio Cobolli stepped up to the occasion in front of a raucous crowd in Bologna against Spain. In the opening match, Berrettini opened the tie with a flawless performance against Pablo Carreno Busta.

The Italian star defeated Busta 6-3, 6-4, which gave Italy a 1-0 lead against Spain. Cobolli then recovered from a set down to beat Jaume Munar 1-6, 7-6(5), 7-5 ensuring that Italy celebrated the title with a packed crowd at the SuperTennis Arena. Italy became the first team since the United States (from 196 to 1972) to win three consecutive Davis Cup Finals.

During the Davis Cup press conference, Feliciano Lopez was asked whether the absence of Sinner and Alcaraz affected the tournament. The Spaniard acknowledged that their absence was a huge miss to the Davis Cup as they are currently the best players in the men’s circuit. He added that the reason for that is because of the packed schedule on tour:

I think the fact that the best players do not participate in all the best tennis tournaments in the world is something that affects all of us, all tournaments throughout the year. The calendar is packed. There are too many tournaments. It’s very difficult for them to participate in all the tournaments. The Masters 1000 also suffer from the same problem because in the end neither Carlos, nor Jannik, nor any other elite player in the world participate.

Spain participated in the Davis Cup Finals title match for the very first time since winning it in 2019, with Rafael Nadal leading the team. The former champion defeated the Czech Republic and Germany to reach the final. However, Spain relied heavily on Munar in the singles matches, as Alcaraz was heavily missed.

Feliciano Lopez says Davis Cup isn’t the only tournament big players skip on tour

The tour calendar has been one of the most discussed topics in tennis this season. Players such as Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek, and Alexander Zverev have complained about the hectic schedule on tour. That has led to top players like Jack Draper and Holger Rune sustaining injuries on the court and withdrawing from tournaments.

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K, Jannik Sinner HQ)

During the aforementioned press conference, Feliciano Lopez revealed that the absence of Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner isn’t just for the Davis Cup alone, as other tournaments have witnessed top players’ absence. He added that players are now selective of the events they participate in:

This is something that is happening throughout the year in most of the top tennis events in the world. I would not say that we are the only ones having this issue. It’s a main problem that tennis has. The fact there’s so many tournaments throughout the calendar, they have to be selective on picking where they play. Not necessarily related to Davis Cup only.

Alcaraz and Sinner ended their 2025 season at the ATP Finals in Turin. Both players won 14 tour-level titles combined, including the four Grand Slams. Nonetheless, Sinner won the ATP Finals after beating Alcaraz, which was his second win over the Spaniard this season.

Also Read: Lorenzo Musetti Calls Carlos Alcaraz ‘Midfield Artist Like Zinedine Zidane’ As He Highlights Spaniard’s Biggest Strength