"We Won't Have Carlos Alcaraz, But I See the Light and Have Faith"

David Ferrer already knows what it's like to win the Davis Cup as a player (2008, 2009, and 2011) but not as a captain, although he says it won't change his life if he does. Tomorrow, Spain debuts in the Final 8 against the Czech Republic, in "a tie that's 50-50," with an eye on Sunday's final at the SuperTennis Arena in Bologna. It's inevitable that the focus is on Alcaraz's absence, but the Alicante native isn't dwelling on it: "There used to be five players, and now there are four. We will have our chances."

-How does the Spanish team arrive at this special event after losing Carlos Alcaraz at the last moment?

-It's a shame for the team because he's the world number one, and of course, we feel it, but if we're here, it's thanks to all of them, and they're going to compete, and we're going to have our chances. The team is doing well and, above all, with enthusiasm. It was hard to get here, and after the last tie, where we came back from 2-0, I think everyone is eager to do well.

-Alcaraz's absence was the worst news the captain could receive.

-We're sad not to have Carlos, but we're going to compete. We're working hard. After the Turin final, I learned about Carlos's situation and the edema, and on Monday night, we decided it was a risk to play, talking with his medical team and ours.

-Undoubtedly, the chances in this Davis Cup have become more complicated with his absence...

-There used to be five players, and now there are four, it's okay, we're in this. We've already accepted that we won't have Carlos, but I see the light again and have faith and confidence that we can do good things. It's a tournament where you need the whole team, and Carlos alone couldn't win. We all have to be united to win.

-It's inevitable to ask about the absence of Alejandro Davidovich, world number 14 and Spain's second-best racket. Have you been able to talk to him yet?

-No. I already explained it at the time. The truth is there's little more to say.

-Let's focus then on those who are here. Jaume Munar, Pedro Martínez, Marcel Granollers, and Pablo Carreño. How would you define this group?

-Above all, it's a group with very good human quality. They're good people in every aspect, and with a player like Marcel, who has had a spectacular year, it gives us more level. Thanks to Pablo, Pedro, and Jaume, we're in the finals, and Marcel gives us that extra to win a competition like this.

-It's always been a very special competition for Spain. What does the Davis Cup have that continues to excite so much?

-It's a competition where you play for your country, and it's by teams. You spend the whole year playing individually with your own staff, and whether you like it or not, it's a tournament that makes it very different because it's played by teams.

-What does it mean for you, as a captain and former player, to lead Spain in this decisive phase of the tournament?

-It's nice because it's been a competition where I've lived so many emotions... Now I can share them and pass them on to the players, and it's nice. That's why I recognize that I'm lucky because it's a job I like and for which I'm very grateful.

-Do you enjoy it more as a player or as a captain?

-It's more enjoyable as a player because the emotions are on the court, and experiencing it there is different. As a captain, you empathize much more with the players because they play for their own country. There's pressure, and when a defeat occurs, you understand that the player is sad, but I try to convey to them that it's just another match in their career. It's true that when you're in there, you feel like you're letting the team down, but I try to make them see that it's a very beautiful competition and that you have to try to live it day by day.

-More than a captain, you seem like a psychologist...

-Not a psychologist either, but when you're a player, everything changes. The emotions, as I said before, are much more intense. As a captain, I would be very happy to win it also for myself because, in the end, I'm competitive, but above all for them. That they achieve important things in their career makes me very happy.

-You mentioned before that Granollers also brings that extra.

-Marcel is a very important player who has already won two Grand Slams and has that experience to lead the team.

-You said that "Spain has a great team." What qualities do you think make this group a real contender for the title?

-We have chances. Before Carlos's absence, I thought we weren't favorites, and now neither, because with the Czech Republic, I think it's fifty-fifty. It's a team to be reckoned with.

-What worries you most about that matchup?

-They have two very good singles players and a consolidated doubles team as a pair that always plays together. They have three very good players, like Tomas Machac, Jakub Mensik, and Jiri Lehecka, who play very well indoors and have shown that they are very competitive.

-And in the semifinals, Germany or Argentina.

-Yes, Germany or Argentina.

-You say it as if you don't think about it.

-It's just that I don't think about it because we haven't competed yet. First, we'll face the first round, and hopefully, we'll get to face Germany or Argentina.

-Do you allow yourself to dream of winning the Davis Cup as a captain?

-I'm a bit more practical in this regard. I only think about enjoying the day-to-day and the journey. Obviously, we think about the top, but in the end, what you also have left is the atmosphere, the day-to-day, and how we're going to face it. Obviously, our goal is to win, but I prefer to create a good atmosphere so that everything flows. It's the way to win.

-The absences of Sinner and Musetti in Italy have taken away their status as favorites.

-They still have a great team with Flavio Cobolli and Matteo Berrettini and a very consolidated doubles team. It's clear that without Sinner and Musetti, who are two top 10 players, they've weakened, but they'll have their chances.

-What seems clear is that the Davis Cup isn't won just on the court.

-I think it's a combination of everything. The players are the most important because they're the ones who play, but there's a technical staff that works to ensure they're in the best conditions.

-Any promises if you manage to win the Davis Cup as a captain?

-No, honestly. It doesn't matter to me. I'm already at an age where when we win, we'll celebrate, and the next day I'll be with my family, I'll ride my bike or do sports, which is what I like the most. I'll do the same as if we lose.

-I understand that winning the Davis Cup won't change your life.

-No, not at all. It didn't change me as a player, and it won't change me now as a captain.