The tennis circuit walks towards the last tournaments of the season still nostalgic for the withdrawal of Rafa Nadal. His final goodbye will be in the Davis Cup in Malagaalthough before, the Spaniard paraded in Riyadh for the last time in a singles match, if Ferrer does not remedy it next November.
The artificial congress of Riaddeceived by holograms and, especially, millions of euros, sealed a historical series between Rafa and Novak. Nadal’s blows exude nostalgia, they lead inexorably to the times when it was the Spaniard who overwhelmed and unleashed winning forehands. It’s not like that anymore. He gave in to the Serbian, but his pocket was filled anyway.
In addition to the Balearic Islands, all participants pocketed a succulent loot just for participating. The amount rose to 1.5 million dollars, translated into 1.3 million euros. In the case of Nadal, he has earned more than 600,000 euros for each of the two matches he played in Riyadh. While Alcaraz has increased his income by reaching the final in which he was surpassed by Sinner.
As tax residents in Spain, Alcaraz and Nadal’s income is taxed in their income tax return according to the general rates. The personal income tax is divided into a state part and a regional part that depends on each region. So both are taxed at the state level and also for the sections that are taxed in Murcia and the Balearic Islands.
It sounds familiar to Alcaraz. After winning Wimbledon a little over three months ago, he saw how the Treasury kept 1.5 million euros of the 3.2 million he pocketed, that is, 47% of the total income. Similar percentage to which both he and Rafa himself must respond to the Spanish entity.
Of the participation bonus of 1.3 million euros, the Spanish Treasury will keep 611,000 euros in the case of Alcaraz and 640,000 from Nadal’s loot. Which represents 47% and 49% respectively, practically half of the income. If Alcaraz had won the final against Sinner, of the 5.5 million euros prize, a third would have gone to the state coffers. 2,585,000 euros specifically.
Nadal and Alcaraz, with their eyes on the Davids
After Riyadh, the compass points to Malaga. There he will play the last games of his sporting career next November. The Armada will play against the Netherlands in the first qualifying round which, like all of them, consists of two singles matches and one doubles match. With a singles match for Alcaraz, Ferrer will have to decide between Rafa Nadal, Roberto Bautista, Pablo Carreño and Marcel Granollers for the next one.
«I have a lot of confidence that Rafa will arrive in good condition for whatever it takes. I don’t know if he will play or not, but if he is fit and I see him well, it is possible that he will be there. For a definitive point, the one I can put best is Rafa Nadal, for his experience, his ability and his pressure management. If I have to give someone a decisive point and Rafa is fine, it is Rafa Nadal,” says Ferrer, who despite not transmitting an answer, is clear about the conditions. Like Rafa Nadal himself.
The Balearic stands out. «I am going to be in the team because my captain has considered it that way. I will try to prepare in the best possible way, but obviously, I will not be playing my game if the captain did not see me as having more possibilities than my teammate. Just because I’m going to retire, I don’t have to play an individual match. I will do it this way if I am better prepared than my colleagues. I have the responsibility of representing Spain,” he says.
