Rafael Nadal soaked up the emotion of a memorable however bittersweet night in Malaga as his skilled profession got here to an finish.
The 38-year-old opted to make the Davis Cup Finals his final occasion having accepted final month that his physique would now not enable him to compete on the highest degree.
Spanish followers, a few of whom had paid seven-figure sums for tickets, flocked to the Martin Carpena Enviornment of their hundreds, draped in crimson and yellow flags and scarves and able to cheer on their nationwide hero yet one more time.
Nadal hoped for one last victory on dwelling soil however Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp spoiled the get together with a 6-4 6-4 victory, and Spain’s quarter-final elimination was confirmed after Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof defeated Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers within the deciding doubles.
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Pic: AP Picture/Manu Fernandez
“What I have tried to do is to be a good person and I hope you have perceived that,” Nadal instructed the Malaga crowd.
“I leave the tennis world having met so many friends along the way. I have so many people to thank.
“I go away with the peace of thoughts of getting left a sporting and private legacy I will be proud about.
“Because of all of you, the general public. It is over 20 years, good years, dangerous years. I’ve been in a position to dwell with all of you.
“I have felt very fortunate to feel so much affection from all over the world, especially here in Spain.”
It was solely Nadal’s second ever Davis Cup loss in singles, with the opposite approaching his debut towards Czech Republic’s Jiri Novak approach again in 2004.
