After Alcaraz's withdrawal, another blow for the Spanish Davis Cup team

This weekend in Marbella, Spain and Denmark will battle for a spot in the Davis Cup Final 8. While Holger Rune will be present, Carlos Alcaraz will not.

Fresh off his US Open title, the new world No. 1 on the ATP Tour will now take a break to prepare for the Asian tour. But that's not the only setback for the Spanish team, captained by David Ferrer.

Indeed, Marcel Granollers, a doubles specialist who just won the US Open alongside Horacio Zeballos, has suffered a right ankle injury and will not be able to take his place against the Scandinavian team.

"The 39-year-old from Barcelona, a brilliant US Open doubles champion last week, has been dealing with physical issues caused by an ankle sprain, in addition to the plantar fasciitis he has been suffering from since the beginning of the year.

Medical tests he underwent have forced him to withdraw from the Davis Cup qualifiers that Spain will play at the Puente Romano Tennis Club," reads a statement published on the official website of the Spanish tennis federation in recent hours.

Thus, Ferrer, a former Roland Garros finalist in 2013 and world No. 3 at his peak ranking, has decided not to replace the 39-year-old player. Spain will therefore face Denmark with only four players: Jaume Munar, Pedro Martinez, Roberto Carballes Baena, and Pablo Carreño Busta.