Player participation at the Davis Cup has been a hotly contested topic over recent years…
Once considered the most important event in tennis after the Grand Slams, the Davis Cup has lost some of its prestige over recent years.
The controversial changes in 2019 certainly didn’t help things, as removing the home and away ties, in favor of a one-week ‘finals’ event, made the tournament less attractive for some.
Photo by Oscar J. Barroso / AFP7 / Europa Press Sports via Getty Images
Top players on the ATP Tour often skip the Davis Cup, choosing instead to rest up ahead of the Australian Open in January.
All eyes are now on the world number one and two, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who must now decide whether they would prefer to represent their country in Bologna at the upcoming Davis Cup Finals or to enjoy a longer off-season.
Italian tennis president Angelo Binaghi has now shared his thoughts on their potential participation.
Angelo Binaghi says it’s ‘too early’ to know if Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will play Davis Cup
During a recent interview, Binaghi had this to say about Alcaraz and Sinner at the 2025 Davis Cup Finals.
Così Angelo Binaghi sulla partecipazione di Jannik Sinner alla Final 8 di Coppa Davis 🎙️
“Credo che un problema della Spagna anche per quanto riguarda Alcaraz. Credo sia presto per poter sapere se riusciranno, come Jannik ha fatto negli ultimi due anni, a giocare in Coppa Davis.… pic.twitter.com/93CDjRPnNJ
— Giovanni Pelazzo (@giovannipelazzo) September 17, 2025
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“I believe it’s also a problem for Spain regarding [Carlos] Alcaraz,” he said.
“I think it’s too early to know if they will manage, as Jannik has done in the last two years, to play in the Davis Cup.”
Binaghi was keen to praise Sinner for his performances with the Italian national team over recent years.
“He has been the true leader of our team in the last two victories, and I believe he has already proven everything, among many things, showing his attachment to the blue jersey and the values it represents more than anyone else,” he said.
The same could be said about Sinner’s teammate, Lorenzo Musetti, as Binaghi shared what he will be talking to Italian captain Filippo Volandri about over the coming months.
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for ITF
“This also applies to [Lorenzo] Musetti, who I hope will have a very strong end to the season because we want to see him at the Finals,” said Binaghi.
“We, with [Fillipo] Volandri, are in close contact with the teams and support them so they can make the best decisions for their players and for our country.”
Binaghi would love to see Sinner play at the Davis Cup Finals, just as his Spanish counterpart would love to see Alcaraz… But how have the pair performed at the event throughout their careers?
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s Davis Cup records
Sinner has played 19 total matches at the Davis Cup since making his debut at the event in 2021.
Jannik Sinner at the Davis Cup
Holding an impressive 15-4 record, Sinner hasn’t lost a match at the Davis Cup in 1,096 days, when he fell to Sweden’s Mikael Ymer in three sets.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, hasn’t played quite as often at the Davis Cup, contesting just eight matches during his career to date.
Carlos Alcaraz at the Davis Cup
Despite often having one of the strongest teams in the competition, Spain haven’t been able to add to their tally of six titles since their last triumph in 2019.
Alcaraz skipped Spain duties in 2021 and 2023 and was absent from the team that defeated Denmark last weekend to qualify for the 2025 finals.
While Italians can have no complaints over Sinner’s commitment to the team, some Spaniards may start asking questions about Alcaraz should he decide against a trip to Bologna in November.
Only time will tell if Alcaraz and Sinner decide to participate in this year’s Davis Cup Finals, but it will certainly be worth looking out for.
The 2025 Davis Cup Finals are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, November 18.