Carlos Alcaraz tests positive for COVID and will not be able to play Davis

MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 24: Davis Cup by Rakuten Madrid Finals 2021 at Madrid Arena on November 24, 2021 in Madrid, Spain.  (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos / Quality Sport Images / Kosmos Tennis)

New stick for the Spanish team in the Davis Cup Finals, which after losing Roberto Bautista due to an abdominal injury (replaced by Albert Ramos) is now left without Carlos Alcaraz. The 18-year-old from Murcia, great hope of the National Team for this edition of the country competition, has tested positive for coronavirus and will not be able to debut this Friday against Ecuador or participate in the tie against Russia on Sunday. His place will be occupied by Pedro Martínez (24 years and 60th in the world).

“Hello everyone, I wanted to communicate that I have tested positive for COVID-19, which will prevent me from playing the Davis Cup that I was so excited about “Carlos wrote on his Instagram account almost at the same time that the tournament organization and the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET) announced the discovery of a case positive of “a member of the Spanish National Team”. “After receiving the results of the tests carried out by the organization, the health response plan has been activated in coordination with the independent medical chief of the competition. The member who has tested positive will remain isolated under the supervision of the chief of the medical services of the RFET. The rest of the members of the Spanish delegation underwent a new PCR test this afternoon, “the statement read.

Alcaraz tells that Saturday was done “a PCR that was negative and antigen test every two days, all negative “. “I am sad about the way in which I miss a tournament as important and super special for me as the Davis Cup. It made me very excited to be able to play and represent my country here in Madrid in front of my people, but sometimes things They don’t happen the way you want them to and you have to get over it. It is a very hard stick, but we will have to get up in the face of this situation and come out stronger. “

Miguel Díaz, president of the Spanish Federation, confirmed to AS that Alcaraz was found “strange” in the morning. A first test was positive and a second PCR confirmed it. All the Spanish team immersed in the Davis bubble was isolated in the rooms from your hotel waiting for the results of the tests, which at 9:00 p.m. discarded more positives. “I hope there are not, because then Davis could be in danger for Spain,” Diaz explained earlier.

The International Tennis Federation allows up to three team changes, and Spain has already consumed two. “It was going to be the debut of Alcaraz, he was very excited and the public also with him. It is a real fatality. It seems that we are puzzled”, lamented the president of the RFET. Recruiting more players is difficult. Alejandro Davidovich (22 years and 50th in the world), for example, is very far from Spain on vacation.

Rafael Nadal, who is recovering from an injury to his left foot, had commented days before that Alcaraz would bring “energy” to the team. As soon as the news of the positive was known, he rushed to send him encouragement. “The most important thing is health,” recalled the Spaniard.

The ITF established a strict protocol against COVID at all three venues (Madrid, Turin and Innsbruck, where it is played behind closed doors). Tennis players and the whole environment (coaches, physios, doctor, press officers …) are prohibited from contact with people outside their bubble. The temperatures are taken daily, tests are carried out every 48 hours and at press conferences a safety distance is established with respect to journalists.


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