Rafael Nadal may not have secured his dream retirement, but the Spanish icon bows out from tennis a legend regardless.
Nadal lost 6-4, 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp in the first match of the Davis Cup Finals, with Spain going on to lose 2-1 to the Netherlands.
The hosts disappointingly fell at the quarter-final stage in Malaga, where much of the attention has unsurprisingly focused on Nadal.
His compatriot Carlos Alcaraz was feeling emotional over Nadal’s retirement in Spain, with the duo having formed a close bond over the years.
But now it is time for the former to take over the latter’s mantle, having already made a stunning start with four Grand Slam titles at the age of 21.
Rafael Nadal breaks 30-year record despite Davis Cup loss
Nadal meanwhile hangs up his racket with 22 Grand Slam successes, just two behind all-time men’s leader Novak Djokovic.
And he has now broken a 30-year record following his appearance in Malaga, with OptaAce having written before the match that Nadal will become the player with the most Davis Cup matches played for Spain in the last 30 years, with his tally of 43 surpassing Feliciano Lopez.
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo messages Rafael Nadal
Nadal leaves tennis a living legend, with his legacy set to last for many years to come thanks to his elegance and power on the court.
His determination meanwhile was perhaps second to none, with Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner praising Nadal’s fighting spirit ahead of his last match.
| Tournament | Best Result |
| Australian Open | W (2009, 2022) |
| French Open | W (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022) |
| Wimbledon | W (2008, 2010) |
| US Open | W (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019) |
| Olympics | W (2008) |
The 38-year-old’s fellow former world number one and multiple major winner Amelie Mauresmo meanwhile is among those sharing tributes to the Spaniard.
It was an emotional atmosphere for Nadal’s final outing in Malaga, with Van de Zandschulp the unfortunate player tasked with taking on the Spaniard on home soil.
But the Netherlands man held his nerve and played the role of the villain to send Nadal into retirement with a defeat.
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