MALAGA, Spain — Rafael Nadal’s professional tennis career is over after he lost his final Davis Cup match to Dutchman Botic Botic 6-4, 6-4. Van de Zandschulp.
That loss was coupled with Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers losing 7-6(4), 7-6(3) in doubles to Wesley Kouchov and Van de Zande Schulp, who caused Spain to be eliminated from the Davis Cup. The end came to an end for Nadal, one of the most successful athletes in the history of the sport, who confirmed in October that he would retire from the event.
Nadal showed flashes of his old self in his loss to Van der Zande Schulp, but they were all too brief. Two aces in a row at the critical moment. A backhand overhead. In pursuit of a lob, he hit the ball back with an overhead spin while escaping the net.
Ultimately his skills proved to be too modest to survive against a powerful modern player like van der Zande Schulp. Shots that once sent the ball across the court ended up short, allowing the Dutchman to take advantage of Nadal’s racquet.
With Nadal out, it’s up to Carlos Alcaraz to rescue him and save Spain. Alcaraz won the singles match midway through, but then he and Granollers lost in straight sets to Van der Zand Schulp and Koukhov. Nadal sat courtside with his teammates, urging Granollers and Alcaraz moved on. He stood up and pumped his fists two at a time, trying to make them stick and give him another chance on the court.
The game entered two tie-breaks. Koolhoff and van der Zandschulp played their best tennis when it mattered most, and the burden of salvaging a few days of Nadal’s career fell on the Spaniard. The Dutch team won the first tie-break 7-4. In the second period, Van de Zandschulp’s volley broke the outside of the touchline and followed up with a fierce pass to seal the victory for the Netherlands. Koolhof, 35, is also retiring here. He wasn’t ready to go yet. He fell to his knees with joy.
Nadal stood up and crossed his arms. The end has come.
Rafael Nadal retires from tennis
Rafael Nadal won four Davis Cup titles with Spain. But that’s not the case. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
When it was over, he attempted to address the crowd in Spanish. The slogan “Rafa, Rafa, Rafa” followed him around the world, drowning out his voice. Then they let their heroes speak.
“I feel very lucky to have received so much,” he said.
“This is an incredible privilege that we have had. We have achieved a lot,” he said to past and present members of the Spanish tennis team. Alcaraz looked crestfallen on the sidelines.
“No one wants to get to this moment – I’m not tired of playing tennis,” Nadal said.
“My body has reached the point where I can no longer play. I am honored to have been able to extend my career longer than I expected. Thank you to life and my team,” he added.
Video tributes from legends and rivals: Serena Williams, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Conchita Martinez, Juan Martin Delpo Tro. Celebrities from Spanish sport, including Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, former Spain captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas and forward Raul, as well as golfer Sergio Garcia, have all spoken out. David Beckham addressed Nadal in Spanish.
“I strive to achieve my goals with respect, humility and appreciation for the good things I have experienced. I have always strived to be a good person and hope you feel the same. I have found many friends since leaving the world of professional tennis,” Nadal said.
Later, Alcaraz also expressed his respect to X in Spanish. “There will be more Davis Cups. There is only one Rafa.
“Thanks to you, I became a professional tennis player. It was a blessing to spend my life in your career, as an idol as a child and later as a teammate! The best ambassador, leaving a lasting legacy,” he wrote.
Nadal has struggled with form and health since winning his last Grand Slam title at the 2022 French Open, an ending that has lasted two years.
He retired with 22 Grand Slam titles, second only to Djokovic in men’s tennis history with 24 Grand Slam titles. doubles) and four Davis Cup titles, ultimately winning a career total of 92 singles titles.
Nadal, 38, made his professional tennis debut in 2001 at a Futures event, the third level of the ATP Tour. In late 2002, he began playing in Challengers (one tier above the ATP Tour, but still below the ATP Tour Main Event), and made his Grand Slam debut the following year, reaching the third round at Wimbledon.
Two years later, he won his first Grand Slam at Roland Garros, the first of 14 titles he would win at Roland Garros, finishing with 116 matches, 112 Retired with a record of wins and 4 losses. He won four consecutive French Open titles between 2005 and 2008, and after his fourth title, he defeated Roger Federer at Wimbledon a few weeks later to win his first non-clay major. A major championship, this is a classic event of the 2000s.
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Nadal won his first Australian Open title in January 2009, but that year he also suffered his first loss at Roland Garros, losing in the fourth round to Robin Soderling. In response, he won five consecutive French Opens between 2010 and 2014, and completed the “career Grand Slam” by winning the 2010 U.S. Open at the age of 24.
Injuries and a crisis of confidence put him through two sluggish years in 2015 and 2016, but he rebounded under new coach Carlos Moya to win his 10th French Open and 2017 French Open title. Three U.S. Opens. Kovic was often his bet.
In 2022, he won the 21st and 22nd Grand Slam titles at the Australian and French Opens, surpassing Federer in the men’s Grand Slam rankings, and the 14th title in Paris proved to be his last major. Grand slam.
While Nadal is best known for his ferocity and indomitable will to win, he is also one of the greatest hitters in tennis history and perhaps the most complete baseline player in the sport alongside Djokovic. The forehand was torn and the topspin shot was high. His rivalry with Federer and Djokovic (later known as the “Big Three”) produced some of the most memorable and high-quality matches in tennis history, each pushing the other to greater heights and creating the Three of the greatest players of all time.
Two of them have now quit.
(Top photo: Oscar J. Barroso/Getty Images)
