by Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
The illustrious and unparalleled tennis career of Rafael Nadal is now over.
In the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga in his home country of Spain, his announced final event of his career, Nadal and Team Spain were unable to advance in the premier international team event in tennis in a 2-1 loss to The Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
Nadal was selected by Spanish captain David Ferrer to play in the No. 2 singles spot behind reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz. However Nadal, playing in his first official match of any kind since the Paris Olympics in July, was unable to conjure the magic that led him to 92 singles titles and 22 majors singles titles in a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Botic van de Zandschulp.
After Alcaraz evened the best-of-three match series at 1-1 win a win over Tallon Griekspoor by a 7-6(0) 6-3 margin, it was speculated that Nadal would return to play the decisive doubles match with Alcaraz. However, Marcel Granollers was selected and Nadal’s career would only continue with a Spanish victory. Alcaraz and Granollers, however, could not fend off the brilliant play from Wesley Koolhof, also playing his final career event, and van de Zandschulp as the Dutch duo clinched the decisive doubles rubber 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3).
Following the singles loss to van de Zandschulp but before the overall tie was decided the 38-year-old Nadal said to reporters “I feel that this was my last professional match.”
Entering the 2024 season, Nadal strongly hinted that the year would be his final as a professional. Many speculated that he would end his career at Roland Garros, the site of his incredible 14 singles titles. However, following a first-round loss to Alexander Zverev, Nadal was still uncommitted in public statements that he would retire. He also was publicly announced as participating in the Laver Cup competition in Berlin for September, the same stage where his chief rival Roger Federer left the professional tennis stage. Nadal, however, put his hat in the ring to play in the Paris Olympics – also at Roland Garros – and some also thought this would be his career finale, also partnering with Alcaraz in the doubles in a Spanish generational partnership. After a second-round loss to his other main rival Novak Djokovic in the singles, Nadal was unable to medal with Alcaraz in the doubles, falling in the quarterfinals to Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.
When Nadal announced his would not play the U.S. Open and also the Laver Cup, Nadal’s career was thought to be over. However, with Spain clinching a spot in the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain, Nadal announced that he would play his final career event on his native Spanish soil in the Davis Cup. Unfortunately for Nadal and his fans, the goodbye only lasted one round and with a loss.
Nadal’s impact on Spanish tennis will live on for generations. The culture and methods that helped him become the legend that he became is documented in the book “The Secrets of Spanish Tennis” by Chris Lewit, for sale and download here The Secrets of Spanish Tennis (2): Lewit, Chris: 9781937559984: Amazon.com: Books
