MALAGA, Spain (AP) — As Rafael Nadal stood with his Davis Cup teammates during Spain’s national anthem on Tuesday, his emotions were palpable; he bit his lower lip and wiped away the tears welling in his reddened eyes, aware that this match could mark the end of his illustrious career.
Unfortunately for Nadal, hours later, his fears became a reality. After suffering a 6-4, 6-4 defeat against the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp, the 22-time Grand Slam champion bid farewell to professional tennis as his team was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Before the match, the 38-year-old Nadal had insisted that he wouldn’t let his emotions take over; this week was meant to be about striving for one final title for Spain, not about reflecting on his recent retirement announcement, which he made last month, stating he would retire after this event.
Post-match, Nadal admitted that he struggled to keep his emotions in check. “The emotions were difficult to manage,” he said. He felt the pressure during the match, heightened by the cheers of a passionate crowd that had gathered largely to support him.
Despite his loss, Nadal transitioned into a supportive role for the young Spanish talent, Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz managed to bring Spain’s score to 1-all by defeating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (0), 6-3 in the other singles match. However, the final blow came when van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof clinched victory for the Netherlands by winning the decisive doubles match against Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3).
Even if Spain had advanced past the Netherlands in the best-of-three quarterfinals, Nadal expressed humility, stating he wouldn’t select himself to play in the semifinals after his performance against van de Zandschulp, who ranks 80th in the world. “Probably the easy move,” he said with a smile, “and maybe the right move, is to change.”
Nadal’s defeat ended an impressive 29-match winning streak in Davis Cup singles; ironically, his only prior loss in this event occurred in his debut back in 2004. Reflecting on the match, he remarked, “I lost my first match in the Davis Cup, and I lost my last one. So we close the circle.”
As the match concluded with Nadal’s forehand going into the net, he made his way to the net to embrace van de Zandschulp, who had grown up idolizing him. “That was a tough, tough match to play,” acknowledged the Dutch player.
Throughout the match, there were glimpses of the Nadal that fans have cherished: the signature white headband proudly displaying the red bull logo, the white tape wrapped around his fingers, and the carefully arranged water bottles at his side. There were flashes of brilliance, including aces and serve-and-volley plays, alongside moments of emotional celebration marked by Nadal’s iconic “Vamos!”
However, it was also evident that Nadal is grappling with the effects of age and injury. He made 26 unforced errors, with only 10 winners from groundstrokes, far fewer than van de Zandschulp’s 19. These performance traits underscored the natural decline of a once-dominant player.
“I mean, (at this) moment of my career, I can’t complain much. I go out there, I try my best, I try to enjoy and play with the right energy, with the right attitude,” Nadal reflected. “Just didn’t work.”
Nadal had struggled with hip issues and underwent surgery in June 2023, compounding his abdominal problems, which limited him to just 24 matches in two years, resulting in a 12-8 singles record in 2024.
This match against van de Zandschulp was Nadal’s first competitive outing since his early August defeat at the Paris Olympics, where he lost in singles to Novak Djokovic and exited in the doubles quarterfinals alongside Alcaraz.
Hours before the match, Nadal and Alcaraz had practiced together. The run-up to this Davis Cup has been filled with tributes to Nadal, including heartfelt messages from his rival and friend Roger Federer on social media.
Nadal’s legacy is etched alongside Federer and Djokovic as part of “The Big Three” of men’s tennis, a trio that has dominated the sport for nearly two decades. Federer, now 43, announced his retirement in 2022; only Djokovic, 37, continues to compete at the highest level.
All three have showcased remarkable talent, immense success, and significant fan appeal. Nadal’s humble nature and fierce competitive spirit earned him admiration beyond just his tennis— with even Dutch fans expressing their appreciation as he was introduced before the match. “When we heard the news that Rafa was retiring, this really became something special — a chance to see the greatest sportsman in the country’s history,” remarked Luis Julve, a 19-year-old college student who traveled with his family from Madrid to witness the occasion.
Throughout the event, the crowd continuously showered Nadal with love, offering a standing ovation upon his entrance and again after the match concluded. In a demonstration of the team spirit characteristic of this event, Spanish fans rallied against the small group of Dutch supporters attempting to cheer on their player.
Ultimately, Nadal concluded the match with a humble acceptance of his defeat. “I went on court with the goal to help the team… It just didn’t work, and there was a possibility that would happen,” he conveyed. “He played better than me today. There’s nothing more to say.”
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
