The 2024 tennis season is ending – and so is Rafael Nadal's career. After winning 22 Grand Slam titles and spending 209 weeks as the world No. 1, Nadal will retire after the upcoming Davis Cup Finals. The 38-year-old may be a shadow of his former self, but he may be able to go out on top because his Spanish team is playing at home and also has none other than reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz on the roster.
However, Spain isn’t the favorite. That distinction belongs to Italy, which lifted the trophy in 2023. The Italians are led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, Lorenzo Musetti and Flavio Cobolli. They are +175 to take the title, followed by Spain (+225), the United States (+450), Australia (+650), Canada (+800), Germany (+900), Argentina (+2800) and the Netherlands (+3500).
Let's look at the best bets to be made for the Davis Cup Finals, which begin on Tuesday in Malaga, Spain.
Outright Winner Tips
- ITALY
- SPAIN
- AUSTRALIA
Sinner, Italy Looks Poised To Defend The Title
Sinner is coming off a title at the singles year-end championship this past Sunday, but he should be fine with a few days off. Don’t forget that he also played in the final of that prestigious tournament last season (lost to Novak Djokovic) and got right back in gear to lead his country to Davis Cup glory.
Don’t be surprised if the story is the same in 2024. When each Davis Cup matchup involves only two singles contests and one doubles match (and the singles players can also play doubles), one guy can do damage himself. In other words, having Sinner on your roster is incredibly valuable. Italy has every reason to repeat.
Spain Eager To Triumph For Soon-To-Be-Retired Nadal
One story and one story alone will dominate the headlines this coming week in Malaga: the end of Nadal’s illustrious career. Does he have anything left in the tank for his grand finale? It remains to be seen just how much Nadal will play in Malaga, but he should be able to at least win his quarterfinal singles match against the Netherlands. There is a chance Roberto Bautista Agut will join Alcaraz in the singles lineup for the semis and potentially the final.
It’s also worth noting that the Spaniards have a favorable draw on the opposite side of the bracket from Italy. If they beat the Dutch, Canada or Germany would be up next.
Great Value In Australia As A Relative Longshot
If you are searching for value in one of the underdogs (i.e., any team other than Italy or Spain), look no further than Australia. Captain Lleyton Hewitt’s squad boasts Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin in singles as well as Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell in doubles. That is an outstanding lineup.
Australia vs. the United States in the quarterfinals is a matchup of by far the two most winningest countries in Davis Cup history. It wouldn’t be a huge shock if the winner goes all the way, adding to its historical title tally.
