The Davis Cup limps to the end of the season starting on Tuesday with only two members of the ranking Top 10 on court in Malaga.
The VIP section of the field will be populated by No. 6 Felix Auger-Aliassime and ninth-ranked Taylor Fritz, with both flying in from Turin and the ATP Finals.
Spain’s contribution to the home-centric event will be modest, with both Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz opting out, the latter through an abdominal injury he is rehabbing prior to the start of 2023.
The Spanish-managed Davis Cup which has drawn criticism for a sterile format and the elimination of the popular home-and-away concept, will stage knockout quarter and semi-finals ties with the final set for the weekend.
Serba – and Novak Djokovic – will be nowhere in sight through lack of qualification; other Top 5 names missing include Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
No Russians will be involved and Germany is without injured Alexander Zverev.
Italy will be a shadow with both Matteo Berrettini and Jannik Sinner out hurt.
Tuesday’s opening-day programme begins with a quarter-final featuring Australia and the Netherlands,
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