Rafael Nadal expressed his desire to be remembered as a good person and a young man who accomplished more than he ever dreamed during an emotional goodbye to tennis in Malaga.
Nadal faced a straightforward defeat, 6-4, 6-4, against Botic van de Zandschulp, marking his first singles loss in Davis Cup in two decades after an impressive 29-match winning streak. The quarter-final match concluded in the early hours of Wednesday, with the Netherlands overcoming Spain 2-1, ending Nadal’s career.
Just before the match began, Nadal was seen in tears as he and his teammates listened to the national anthem on-court, but he managed to gather himself to compete.
“It has certainly been an emotional day,” Nadal reflected. “That’s how I felt. Moreover, experiencing the national anthem for the last time was very special. And, of course, having a mix of emotions makes things a bit more challenging.”
During a post-match ceremony, he expressed gratitude to his family, his team, and the thousands of fans waving Spanish flags who came to support him at the Martin Carpena Arena.
A video tribute showcased messages from notable figures such as Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, David Beckham, Raul, Andres Iniesta, and Sergio Garcia, as the Spaniard struggled to contain his tears as he received accolades from all around.
