Carlos Alcaraz is set to return to the court at the Australian Open, having once again decided to skip the United Cup.
Alcaraz has opted out of the United Cup for a fourth year in a row, choosing instead to take part in an exhibition match against Jannik Sinner in South Korea before heading to Melbourne.
His absence has been felt by Spain, who have found it tough going at the tournament, managing just one tie victory in their history.
In a press conference ahead of this year’s event, Jaume Munar was asked what it might take for Alcaraz to consider joining up with Team Spain in the future.
Munar says Alcaraz’s schedule is likely reason for missing United Cup
“I have no idea. This is a question for him,” said Munar.
“I suppose that he feels that he’s playing a lot, and he wants to be a little bit more at home.
“I don’t know what to say. This is the feeling I have.”
Even though Munar knows how important it would be to have Alcaraz in the team, he also understands why he chose not to play and says they still get along well.
“I have a very good relationship with him. Of course, I can learn a lot of things with him,” he said.
“We’re talking about one of the best players in the world. Of course, he can do great.
“During my career, I shared a lot of time with people who are not here anymore, like [Albert] Ramos-Vinolas, Bautista, and Carreno [Busta].
The topic then shifted to whether Munar thinks there’s any chance he could one day replace Alcaraz as Spain’s top-ranked player.
Right now, there doesn’t seem much chance of seeing Alcaraz at the United Cup in the near future — news that won’t be welcomed by Spain after their opening loss at this year’s tournament.
Argentina handed Spain a 3-0 defeat at the United Cup
Playing without Alcaraz, Spain suffered a 3-0 defeat in their opening match of the 2026 United Cup.
Their chances of advancing from the group stage now look slim, but there’s still a path forward.
Next up is a match against Team USA, who are favourites to win the tournament. That tie takes place on Monday, January 5.
The Americans have already won two titles (2023, 2025), making them one of the most successful teams in competition history.
Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff lead their side again this year, and most would back them to make it three titles in four years.
That might actually help Spain. With little expectation on them, Munar and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro could play with freedom and maybe even pull off an upset that keeps their quarterfinal hopes alive…
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