Davis Cup limps through Finals with shortage of star power

The 2025 season struggles through to the end this week with the Davis Cup Finals plagued by a distinct lack of excitement due to the absence of Carlos Alcaraz.

The Spaniard who finished the year atop the ATP ranking but lost the weekend Turin year-end rival Jannik Sinner, withdrew from the Finals in Bologna.

With Sinner deciding weeks ago not to play as Italy defends the title, the once-proud year-ender is left with world No. 3 Alexander Zverev as the only true drawcard.

The lone top 10 player in the field has rolled back his recent criticism of the event after coming onside for his nation at the northern Italian venue where eight teams will compete for the trophy.

Alcaraz, winner of eight Tour tournaments in 2025, withdrew with a hamstring injury he reportedly picked up in his straight-sets Turin loss to Sinner and which is said to be bordering on a tear.

“I have [an] edema in my right hamstring and the medical recommendation is not to compete,” the No. 1 said..
“I’ve always said that playing for Spain is the greatest thing there is, and I was really looking forward to helping us fight for the Davis Cup. I’m going home heartbroken.”

Spain will be making due with 36th-ranked Jaume Munar, No. 89 Pablo Carreño Busta as point men in the upcoming quarter-final tie with the Czechs on Thursday.

Zverev has been critical of the revised Davis format which downgraded the international team competition from the classic home-and-away format to a winner-take-all scrum of quarter-finals, semis and final all played at one venue in consecutive November days.

With Germany last winning the trophy in 1993, this edition could be a chance for the Zverev’s outsiders.

He recently called the revised format an “exhibition” but rolled that back in Bologna.

 “I’m very happy to be with this team,” said Zverev.

“I said it before. The only reason I’m here is because of this team. I still say, and I will keep saying, that I prefer the old format of the Davis Cup.

“I always said it, and I will continue saying it. I think it was history. I think it was a big part of playing the home and away matches.

“I also love this team. I understand everybody’s not getting younger. We all want to have success together. We only have a couple more years left to do that within this formation. This is why I’m here.

“I truly believe that we have a great team. I truly believe we have a team that we can win this thing with. I’m looking forward to competing together with these guys.”

The Germans face Argentina in a quarter-final. The competition is missing tennis powerhouses Australia and the US, both of whom failed to qualify.