MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Rafael Nadal bit his lower lip and his reddened eyes welled with tears as he stood alongside his Davis Cup teammates for Spain’s national anthem Tuesday before what he — and everyone — knew might be the last match of his career.
Hours after Nadal’s 6-4, 6-4 loss to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands was over, the evening did turn out to represent the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s farewell to professional tennis, because the Dutch eliminated the Spaniards in the quarterfinals just after midnight.
And it was during an on-court, post-match ceremony to honor Nadal that he cried and cried, at the singsong chorus of “Raaa-faaa” from the spectators, at the video showing highlights from his more than two decades on tour 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’s Sergio Garcia or soccer’s David Beckham.
“ The titles, the numbers, are there, so 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, sign-toting crowd at the sold-out Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena. “Just a kid that followed their dreams, worked as hard as possible. … I have been very lucky.”
He had said beforehand that his feelings would need to be put on hold, that this week was about attempting to claim one last trophy for his country, not about pondering his impending retirement, which 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 out there amid the roars of an adoring audience that mostly showed up for one player and one player only.
After Nadal, a 14-time French Open champion, was beaten on the indoor hard court in southern Spain, he became a cheerleader for his heir apparent, Carlos Alcaraz, who evened the matchup against the Netherlands at 1-all by getting past Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (0), 6-3 in the other singles match. But then van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof clinched the victory for the Dutch by defeating Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) in the deciding doubles match.
Even if Spain had managed to get past the Netherlands, Nadal said that if he were his team’s captain, he wouldn’t pick himself to play again in the semifinals after that performance against the 80th-ranked van de Zandschulp.
At least he was in a joking mood after the result put a stop to his 29-match winning streak in Davis Cup singles. The only other blemish on his record, which stood at 29-1 entering Tuesday, came in his 2004 debut.
“I lost my first match in the Davis Cup, and I lost my last one,” Nadal said with a wide grin. “So we close the circle.”
When a forehand found the net to close his last match, Nadal walked to the net for a quick hug with his opponent.
“That was a tough, tough match to play,” said van de Zandschulp, noting that he idolized Nadal while growing up.
In certain ways, this was, unmistakably, the Nadal that van de Zandschulp — and so many others — can remember. The white headband, marked with the red bull logo Nadal made famous. The white tape wrapped around all four of his left, racket-holding fingers. The water bottles by his sideline bench, placed just so.
There was the occasional ace right on a line. The occasional serve-and-volley foray. The occasional over-the-shoulder putaway. And, yes, the occasional uppercut and scream of “Vamos!” There also were — neither to Nadal’s or most of the 9,200 spectators’ liking — several points where he looked like a once-dominant figure diminished by age and injuries.
Nadal was just not able to bring his best, no matter how many chants of “Ra-fa!” or “España!” or “Si, se puede!” (“Yes, you can!”) broke out, no matter how many scarves reading “Gracias, Rafa!” or red-and-yellow Spanish flags of all sizes filled the arena.
