Adios Rafa: Rafael Nadal plays his last match as Netherlands beat Spain at Davis Cup Finals

Tennis witnessed the farewell of one of its greatest players on November 19. The sport bid adieu to Rafael Nadal as Spain lost their Davis Cup Finals quarter-final tie to the Netherlands. In a surprising move, Spain’s captain, David Ferrer, opted for the 38-year-old champion to take the singles draw. Nadal then squared off against Botic van de Zandschulp, who defeated the seasoned Spaniard 6-4, 6-4, giving the Netherlands a 1-0 lead against Spain. Struggling with multiple injuries for quite some time, Nadal put up a significant challenge to the Dutchman. However, Nadal’s form couldn’t match the pace of van de Zandschulp, and he ultimately concluded his illustrious career with a defeat in Malaga.

Rafael Nadal concludes his illustrious career at Davis Cup Finals in Malaga

To boast 22 Grand Slam titles and a record 14 French Open championships, Nadal’s career fell short of no record. However, his illustrious 22-year journey came to an end with a defeat at the Davis Cup Finals on home soil. Before the tournament began, Nadal was uncertain about being included in the singles lineup. Yet, Spain’s captain, David Ferrer, placed his trust in the legendary Spaniard and sent him out to face Botic van de Zandschulp. Ahead of the Davis Cup Finals, Nadal had expressed his intent to keep his emotions in check and focus on securing victory for Spain. His determination was evident during the match against the Dutchman. However, with his body still battling injuries, there was only so much Nadal could achieve.

The opening set saw Nadal put up a strong fight, but van de Zandschulp gained the upper hand in the crucial moments to take the lead. The second set began with the Dutch player firmly in control, racing to a 4-1 advantage. Rafael Nadal, renowned for his tenacity, staged a spirited comeback to narrow the gap to 3-4. However, van de Zandschulp held his nerve, closing out the match in two sets. Notably, the Dutchman delivered the fastest serve of the encounter, clocking an impressive 218 km/h in the second set.

Before the encounter at the quarter-final tie in Malaga, Nadal had faced van de Zandschulp twice in his career, winning both the clashes without dropping a set. Interestingly, the loss marked only Nadal’s second defeat in Davis Cup singles play. After losing his opening clash at the tournament in 2004 against Czech Republic’s Jiri Novak, Nadal had a 29-match winning streak. The 29 consecutive singles victories in the tournament is recorded as the longest streak by any player with a minimum of 15 matches. Nadal was quick to note the coincidence as he explained that the loss against the Dutchman scripted a full circle of his career.

“It’s in some ways good, maybe, if that was my last match,” said Nadal following the match. “I lost my first match in the Davis Cup, and I lost my last one. So we close the circle,” he added.

The Spaniard opened up about the emotions that ran high as he played the final match of his professional career. The 38-year-old shed a tear or two when the Spanish national anthem was played before the match. However, the competitor in him took over as he quickly regained his composure to face the Dutchman.

“Of course it has been an emotional day,” said Nadal. “That’s the way that I felt. And then of course the emotions, feeling the national anthem for the last time are very special. And then of course a little bit of mixed feelings makes things a little bit more difficult,” he further expressed.

Nadal’s loss had not confirmed the ousting of Spain from the Davis Cup Finals. Carlos Alcaraz came up with his best to push ahead the inevitable. The reigning Roland Garros champion briefly kept Spain’s hopes alive by levelling the score at 1-1 with a hard-fought 7-6 (0), 6-3 victory over Tallon Griekspoor. However, the Netherlands secured their place in the semi-finals when Wesley Koolhof and Botic van de Zandschulp edged out Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers in a tense doubles match, winning 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3).

After the result shaped up, Nadal stayed on the court for an emotional farewell ceremony where he expressed heartfelt gratitude to his family and everyone who had supported him throughout his remarkable career. Overwhelmed with emotion, Nadal teared up as a touching video montage featured tributes from his peers and rivals, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, and Andy Murray, honouring his legendary journey in the sport.

“The truth is that you never want to get to this point. I’m not tired of playing tennis, but my body doesn’t want to play anymore and you have to accept that,” said Nadal. “I feel super privileged, I’ve been able to make my hobby my profession for a long time. I also remember my family, my team, you have been an unforgettable part of my life for all these years,” Nadal concluded.