Losing is not a drama: being so close to the seventh Ensaladera is great for our tennis

Carlos Navarro | 23 Nov 2025 | 21.33

David Ferrer, one step away from conquering his first Davis Cup as captain. Source: Getty

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With our heads held high and feeling tremendously proud of what we have experienced and achieved. This is how Spain bids farewell to Bologna, from a Bologna Fiere where unforgettable experiences were lived, though the final cherry on top, the historic Davis Cup trophy, was missing. The team succumbed to Italy, but there is no doubt that the spirit of the Davis Cup of the People lives on.

Thus, satisfied and happy with the journey traveled, David Ferrer and the architects of the feat appeared. Jaume Munar, Pablo Carreño, Pedro Martínez, and Marcel Granollers: they have already secured a place in the history of Spanish tennis, generating a historic excitement through tie-breaks in which they were not seen as favorites. The press conference had a certain self-critique, yes, but optimism prevailed: what happened this week in Bologna may be the prelude to upcoming Davis Cups, where this team will compete driven by the love and motivation that this event ignites.

Ferrer and the entire Spanish team verbalized the emotions of the week, showing pride and emotion

- What can you say about this team and what does Spanish tennis take away from this Davis Cup?

FERRER: "About this team, I have to say, first and foremost, they are great individuals, and that's the most important thing. Working with them is a pleasure and an honor for me, they make it very easy for me. On the court... they are very good. And they proved it. For me, it has been a great year. I have had a great time, enjoyed it. Not just today: the whole week, with Pablo, Jaume, in doubles with Pedro and Marcel... I enjoyed watching how they supported and believed more and more in themselves. For me, as a captain, that is wonderful."

It is clear that we lost the Davis Cup final, but I don't see it as a disaster: I see it as something great, being so close to winning the seventh Davis Cup for our country. In the end, this is sports, and we have to accept it, it's okay. That's what I tell them, winning the Cup won't change their lives, but the experiences they have had this week will stay with them forever."

- What does what you experienced this week bring to you for the upcoming year in your individual careers?

CARREÑO: "It is clear that the Davis Cup is not a normal tournament, it is a unique competition, the only one we play as teams, representing Spain. I have been fortunate to be part of this team, both in Marbella and in these Finals, and I have enjoyed it greatly. Obviously, for me, it was a pleasure to be part of the team after what I have been through, the injuries, and after a tough year, I end the season with my personal goal achieved, enjoying the atmosphere we created here, reaching the final of the Davis Cup. Obviously, we are sad because we couldn't win it, but looking ahead to next year, this should help me build the confidence that if injuries permit, I have the level to be on the ATP circuit all year."

MUNAR: "From my perspective, the first conclusion I draw is... how glad I am that I chose to play tennis. This week has been phenomenal: emotionally, the Davis Cup gives you things that other tournaments don’t. In Switzerland, I took the first step, Marbella was a pleasant experience due to its final, but with challenging moments after the defeat, which helped me grow individually in subsequent tournaments, finishing the year very well, and arriving here with more experience, allowing me to contribute more than in Marbella. Putting aside the emotional part a bit, I take away many things from here to work on, personally and in tennis, as I believe there is room for improvement. I have given my all, I have given the best version I could, I have competed until the end, but realistically, there is room to play tennis better. Lastly, if David considers it, I carry a cart full of excitement for next year's Davis Cup: this is a competition I want to be part of."

- How did you experience the match against Cobolli and the entire Davis Cup?

MUNAR: "Right now, I feel more pain than anything else. Not just because of the match itself, but for the tie, for the team, because I would have loved to see Pedro and Marcel in that doubles that we all enjoyed so much. Drawing conclusions from the match is difficult: I competed from start to finish, I came in with clear ideas, felt very good for a good part of the duel, he raised the level... it's a match that, if I had to analyze it, I would need to do it more calmly because there were ups and downs, moments of high level and others not so much. I take away the personal enjoyment: within that suffering, I think I have taken a step forward as a Davis Cup player. Bittersweet feeling, but I believe that, as David said, we must be positive about what we have experienced, it has been a long road from Switzerland and we have all made progress. Proud of the team in general, conclusions from the Davis Cup should be drawn from the overall experience, and it's very positive."

- What would you highlight from this final that previous ones you experienced didn't have?

CARREÑO: "Well, I was in the one in Madrid, this is my second... and the difference is that there they cheered for us, and today for them (laughs). Both have been very special: in Madrid, I wasn't on the court, I had to support from the bench, and we managed to win. It is clear that in the Davis Cup, home advantage and playing with the public influence a lot. I'm sure if we played this tie in Spain, my match I don't know, but Jaume's match would have been won because it was a close match, very exciting, and where Cobolli felt the public's support."

GRANOLLERS: "I experienced the final in Argentina where the atmosphere was at another level... but I want to highlight the commitment this team has shown. We fought from the first day to the last in every point. We can hold our heads high: we have been a team, and that is what we should take away."

- What do you make of Italy and Spain, that, without their two best players respectively, have reached this final?

FERRER: "Well, it is important to have two special players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. When I say special, it's because they will make their mark in the history of our sport, as Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic did. We were lucky to have Carlos, but it's true that he had that injury... and not much more. I think Marcel explained it very well, I don't have to tell them anything: they are capable of achieving big things. We lacked nothing. For me, we have achieved something very significant: surpassing ourselves and making them believe in themselves. That's what I take away. I have enjoyed it a lot: I have felt things I hadn’t felt since I stopped being a professional. I have been a captain for two years, and this year they made me feel that adrenaline. They will rest… and so will I (smiles). I will do some cycling, a bit of everything."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Perder no es un drama: estar tan cerca de la séptima Ensaladera es algo buenísimo para nuestro tenis"