Rafael Nadal has performed his final aggressive tennis match. The 38-year-old Mallorcan’s profession got here to an finish on Tuesday night: Spain misplaced to the Netherlands within the Davis Cup in Malaga.
Nadal was crushed 6-4 6-4 by Botic van de Zandschulp. Carlos Alcaraz beat Tallon Griekspoor within the second singles match to maintain alive Nadal’s hopes of one other potential farewell look. However Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers had been crushed within the deciding doubles.
It was an emotional evening on the 11,500-capacity Palacio de Deportes enviornment. Nadal’s household had been in attendance; the group recurrently chanted “Rafa, Rafa”.
Spain’s defeat confirmed, he was given a standing ovation and a spherical of applause lasting over a minute. He stared on the court docket for a number of moments, chewing his lip as he fought again the tears. Extra applause after which he blew kisses as he exited an enviornment for the ultimate time as knowledgeable participant.
On the pre-tournament information convention, Nadal stated that the emotion of the event would not be a distraction. However it clearly was. He was tearful and shaky in the course of the taking part in of the nationwide anthem. Afterwards he admitted that “after all” it had been an emotional day and that he had felt nerves.
“I attempted my greatest, I attempted to take pleasure in and play with the suitable vitality and the suitable perspective.”
However the reality was that he was nicely under his greatest, not having performed a aggressive match for over three months. Now he has performed his final one.
