Spain’s tennis legend Rafael Nadal smiles throughout a coaching session on the Martin Carpena Sports activities Corridor, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photograph/Manu Fernandez)
MALAGA, Spain — Rafael Nadal’s impending retirement will loom over the Davis Cup Remaining 8 from the second it begins Tuesday in southern Spain.
If that weren’t already apparent, simply look on the banner measuring 28,000 sq. toes (2,600 sq. meters) — about half the scale of a soccer subject — that wraps across the soccer stadium throughout the road from the sector internet hosting the tennis. The blue signal, seen from the freeway leaving Malaga’s airport, is marked with massive white letters that learn, “GRACIAS, RAFA.” Between these two phrases is a picture of Nadal toting a tennis racket in his left hand whereas sporting one among his trademark sleeveless shirts and his just-as-ever-present headband.
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He’s proven together with his again to the world, strolling away, symbolizing the 38-year-old Spaniard’s goodbye to the game after a exceptional profession.
READ: Rafael Nadal defeated by Alcaraz in Saudi as profession nears finish
“It’s going to be very thrilling for everybody,” mentioned match director Feliciano Lopez, a former participant who confronted Nadal 14 instances on tour as an opponent in singles and in addition was his Davis Cup teammate. “Very emotional, on the identical time.”
That sentiment doubtless applies to Nadal’s followers, different gamers, his household — his spouse and their son have attended apply — and, fairly understandably, the 22-time Grand Slam champion himself as Tuesday approaches. That’s when Spain faces the Netherlands on an indoor arduous courtroom on the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena.
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“It’s superb that it is perhaps the final match that Nadal performs,” Dutch captain Paul Haarhuis mentioned Sunday, “and we hope to present him a pleasant ‘Adios.’”
Nadal had hip surgical procedure in June 2023 and missed almost all of that season. He handled a brand new hip muscle downside this 12 months and an stomach harm, a part of an extended collection of points that contributed to his physique feeling like what he described as “a jungle” in Might after dropping within the first spherical of the French Open, the clay-court Slam he’s received a document 14 instances.
That was his solely Grand Slam look all 12 months; Nadal performed a complete of simply 23 official singles matches over the previous two seasons mixed. That features going 12-7 in 2024. His final actual matches got here on the Olympics in early August, when he misplaced within the second spherical of singles to Novak Djokovic and within the quarterfinals of doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz.
Spain’s captain, David Ferrer, the 2013 French Open runner-up to Nadal, has not but instructed the world how he’ll make use of the star in Malaga.
Might be for singles, though Nadal mentioned he’ll step apart if he doesn’t suppose he can win. Might be in doubles together with his 21-year-old inheritor obvious, Alcaraz, in a renewal of their “Nadalcaraz” partnership. Might be each. If Spain will get previous the Netherlands, it could face Germany or Canada within the semifinals on Friday.
“I actually need him to retire with a title,” Alcaraz mentioned.
READ: Djokovic tells Rafael Nadal: ‘Your legacy will reside without end’
Thursday’s quarterfinals characteristic america towards Australia, and defending champion Italy — whose roster options No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner — towards Argentina. The winners of these matchups will meet within the semifinals on Saturday; the championship might be determined Sunday.
When Nadal defined final month that the Davis Cup could be it for him, he spoke in completely happy phrases about his greater than twenty years within the sport.
“Actually, all the things I’ve skilled has been a dream come true,” he mentioned.
He turns into the second member of the so-called Huge Three of males’s tennis to retire.
Roger Federer introduced his departure in 2022 — teaming with Nadal in doubles on the Laver Cup, then crying alongside his longtime rival and, ultimately, buddy — whereas Djokovic remains to be close to the highest of the sport.
Djokovic’s Serbia didn’t qualify for the Davis Cup quarterfinals, however he wrote on social media that he could be readily available in Malaga. Who is aware of who else would possibly present up within the sellout crowd of 9,200 on Tuesday, not simply from the world of tennis, and never simply athletes from different sports activities, however different celebrities, as properly?
“I don’t know if we’re going to have seats for everybody,” Lopez mentioned. “Everybody desires to be there for his farewell.”
There might be loads of people tuning in on TV from afar, together with different tennis gamers, after all.
“I’m going to observe it. I’m going to take pleasure in it,” mentioned 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who misplaced to Nadal in two Grand Slam finals. “It’s an enormous second for the game, as a result of he did a lot for the game.”
