Rafael Nadal's career ends with Spain's Davis Cup exit

Rafael Nadal's legendary tennis career ended Tuesday not in victory, as had so often been true for the 22-time Grand Slam champion, but with a loss in his singles match for Spain against the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarterfinals.

With a tremendous home-country advantage making for an electric atmosphere in Malaga, Spain, the 38-year-old Nadal fell 6-4, 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, which went on to knock out Spain two matches to one.

"It's been an emotional day," Nadal said afterward. "I knew it could be my last match as a professional tennis player. The moments leading up to it were emotional, kind of difficult to handle, in general. So many emotions. I tried to do it as well as possible."

Nadal had announced in October that he would retire from professional tennis following Spain's Davis Cup run. Hampered by foot, hip and abdominal injuries in recent years, Nadal had last competed in matches that counted at the Paris Olympics in July.

He was a career 2-0 against van de Zandschulp, 29, eliminating him at both Wimbledon (round of 16) and Roland Garros (round of 32) in 2022. Nadal was a dominant force in Paris with a record 14 French Open titles.

"I tried to have the best attitude possible, with the necessary energy, whatever the result," Nadal on Tuesday. "There was a glimmer of hope at the end, but it wasn't to be. My opponent was better than me today and that's that."

van de Zandschulp had an 8-2 advantage in aces to compensate for seven double faults. Nadal saved half of his break points (3 of 6) and converted only one of three.

Nadal won 66.7 percent (30 of 45) of his first-serve points, to 76.7 percent (33 of 43) for van de Zandschulp, who had more winners (19-11) in the match lasting one hour, 52 minutes.

"In the beginning, I think we were both nervous," van de Zandschulp said. "The first set didn't go too smoothly, the crowd was tough, understandably. That's what it's like to play in Spain against Rafa. He's the biggest sportsman that (has) ever lived here in Spain. It was a really special event.

"It's tough to close out a match against him, knowing that it could be his last or not. I was hoping more than going for it, but in the end, I just went for it and that helped."

Nadal, who because of injuries has played only 24 matches in the past two years, going 12-8 in 2024, said at this point in his career he can't complain.

"I go (out) there, I try my best, I try to enjoy and play with the right energy, with the right attitude," he said. "Just didn't work."

He found some levity in his 29-match winning streak ending in Davis Cup singles.

"I lost my first match in the Davis Cup (in 2004), and I lost my last one," Nadal said. "So we close the circle."

Spain's hopes were not closed after one match. Teammate and heir apparent Carlos Alcaraz kept hopes alive for a future Nadal appearance when he defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (0), 6-3 in one hour and 25 minutes. Alcaraz recorded more winners (14-5) while Griekspoor piled up unforced errors (22-12).

Alcaraz won 96.6 percent (28 of 29) of his first serve points and faced only one break point, which he failed to save while converting 2 of 5.

But Alcaraz and teammate Marcel Granollers fell in doubles to Wesley Koolhof and van de Zandschulp 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3).

In his 23-year career Nadal won the French Open 14 times in 18 years (2005-08, 2010-14, 2017-20, 2022). He also captured the U.S. Open four times (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019) and both Wimbledon (2008, 2010) and the Australian Open (2009, 2022) on two occasions.

Nadal is second to Novak Djokovic (24) in men's Grand Slam singles titles. Roger Federer is third with 20.

Nadal is a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008 men's singles, 2016 men's doubles). He also won 92 ATP tour-level tournaments and spent 209 weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

--Field Level Media