Rafael Nadal retires from tennis after Spain lost in the Davis Cup

MALAGA, Spain (AP) Rafael Nadal bit his bottom lip and his red eyes filled with tears as he stood next to his Daviscup teammates for the Spanish national anthem Tuesday, before what he and everyone knew could be the last match of his career.

Hours after Nadal's 6-4, 6-4 loss Botic from the Zandschulp of the Netherlands was over, the evening turned out to be the representative of the 22-time Grand Slam champion farewell to professional tennis, as the Dutch eliminated the Spaniards in the quarter-finals just after midnight.

And it was during an on-court ceremony after the match in honor of Nadal that he cried and cried, to the spectators' lilting chorus of Raaa-faaa, to the highlight video from have been touring for over twenty years and the collection of recorded tributes from current or former players, such as his Big Three rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Conchita Martinez and Andy Murray, and stars from other sports such as golf Sergio Garcia or football David Beckham.

The titles, the numbers, are thereso people probably know that, but the way I would like to be remembered is as a good person from a small village in Mallorca, the 38-year-old Nadal told the flag-waving crowd at the sold-out venue. Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena. Just a kid who followed his dreams and worked as hard as he could. …I've been very lucky.

He had said beforehand that his feelings had to be put on hold, that this week was about trying to claim one last trophy for his country, and not about contemplating his impending retirement, as he announced last month. would come after this event.

But he acknowledged after playing that the emotions were difficult to manage, and that he felt nerves amid the roar of an adoring crowd that usually showed up for one player and one player only.

After Nadal, fourteen-time French Open champion, was defeated on the indoor hard court in southern Spain, he became a cheerleader for his heir apparent, Carlos Alcaraz, who tied the match against the Netherlands by edging past Tallon Greek Spoor. 7-6 (0), 6-3 in the other singles match. But then Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof achieved victory for the Dutch team by beating Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) in the decisive doubles match.

Even if Spain had managed to get past the Netherlands, Nadal said that if he were the captain of his team, he would not pick himself to play in the semi-finals again after that performance against 80th-ranked Van de Zandschulp.

He was certainly in a joking mood after the result ended his 29-match Davis Cup singles winning streak. The only other blemish on his record, which stood at 29-1 on Tuesday, was his debut in 2004.

“I lost my first match in the Davis Cup, and I lost my last,” Nadal said with a broad grin. This is how we close the circle.

When a forehand found the net to end his final match, Nadal walked to the net for a quick hug with his opponent.

That was a tough match to play, Van de Zandschulp said, noting that he idolized Nadal growing up.

In some ways, this was unmistakably the Nadal that Van de Zandschulp and so many others remember. The white headband, marked with the Red Bull logo that Nadal made famous. The white tape wrapped around all four of his left fingers holding the racket. The water bottles next to his side bench, placed just so.

Every now and then an ace would be right on the line. An occasional serve-and-volley outing. An occasional over-the-shoulder stash. And yes, the occasional uppercut and scream from Vamos! Also, neither Nadals nor most of the 9,200 spectators liked certain points, with him looking like a once dominant figure diminished by age and injuries.

Nadal just couldn't give his best, no matter how many Ra-fa chants! or Espaa! or Si, se puede! (Yes, you can!) broke out no matter how many scarves read Gracias, Rafa! or red and yellow Spanish flags of all shapes and sizes filled the arena.

This version of Nadal has had hip problems, including surgery in June 2023, and abdominal problems that have limited him to 24 matches over the past two years. In 2024, he went 12-8 in singles.

The match against Van de Zandschulp, which upset Alcaraz at the US Open, was Nadal's first significant appearance since early August at the Paris Olympics. He lost there in the second round of singles against Djokovic and dropped out alongside Alcaraz in the quarter-finals of the doubles.

Nadal and Alcaraz practiced with each other hours before the start of the game. The day, like the entire run-up to the Davis Cup, was largely dominated by memories and praise for Nadal.

You know very well what you have meant to the tennis world, said Spanish captain David Ferrer, who lost to Nadal in the 2013 French Open final. We will miss you very much.

Nadal's appeal was reflected in the way he played tennis, ruthless and hitting every shot as if it could be his last, and the humility he showed away from competition. No one cared about him as much as his fellow Spaniards. He is a national hero who transcends sport, and that was evident in the love expressed again and again through shouts and standing ovations when Nadal took the court, when he won a point, when his match ended, and so on.

When we heard the news of Rafa's retirement, this really became something special: a chance to see the greatest sportsman in the country's history, said Luis Julve, a 19-year-old student who made the trip from Madrid with his mother and aunt. .

When the matches, the ceremony, the evening and his career were over, Nadal hugged his teammates and left the court, pausing to wave goodbye to his fans one last time.

The truth is that no one ever wants to arrive at this moment, Nadal said. I'm not tired of playing tennis yet, but it's my body that doesn't want to play anymore, so I have to accept the situation. To be honest, I feel super privileged because I was able to turn my hobby into a career, and because I've been playing for much longer than I ever could have imagined.

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AP Sports Writer Tales Azzoni contributed to this report.

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis