Retiring Rafael Nadal beaten on ’emotional day’ at Davis Cup farewell

Rafael Nadal soaked successful the emotion of a memorable but bittersweet evening successful Malaga.

The 38-year-old is playing successful his farewell tourney astatine the Davis Cup Finals having yet accepted past period that his assemblage would nary longer let him to compete astatine the highest level.

He was hoping for 1 last triumph connected location soil – and that could yet still travel if his Spanish team-mates tin move astir the quarter-final against the Netherlands to nonstop the location federation to the semi-finals – but Botic van de Zandschulp spoiled the statement pinch a 6-4 6-4 victory.

The Spanish fans, immoderate of whom had paid seven-figure sums for tickets, flocked to the Martin Carpena Arena successful their thousands, draped successful reddish and yellowish flags and scarves and fresh to cheer connected their nationalist leader for possibly the last time.

Nadal said astatine a property convention connected Monday that he wanted to time off the emotion for erstwhile the extremity came, pinch his attraction connected trying to triumph Spain a sixth Davis Cup title during his agelong and historical career, but location were tears successful his eyes during a stirring rendition of the nationalist anthem.

“Of people it has been an affectional day, nerves earlier what tin beryllium my past singles match,” he said.

“Feeling the nationalist anthem for the past clip for illustration a master has been very special. And past of people a small spot of mixed feelings makes things a small spot much difficult.

“But that’s it. We went connected court. We unrecorded that moment. I tried to do my best. I tried to, astatine the aforesaid time, to enactment arsenic affirmative arsenic imaginable successful each azygous moment, to play pinch the correct energy. It was not enough. Congrats to Botic. That’s all. He was amended than me.”

It was only Nadal’s 2nd ever Davis Cup nonaccomplishment successful singles, pinch the different coming connected his debut against the Czech Republic’s Jiri Novak measurement backmost successful 2004.

It was later the aforesaid twelvemonth that Nadal sent waves done the athletics by beating Andy Roddick successful the last arsenic an 18-year-old, 1 of 29 consecutive singles victories until now.

Nadal backed skipper David Ferrer’s determination to prime him up of higher-ranked Roberto Bautista Agut, contempt insisting location was nary unit to do so, but admitted he is not expecting different telephone should Spain progress.

“Of people it hasn’t been an easy determination for the captain,” said Nadal. “But astatine the extremity I really judge that David put connected the section the subordinate who he feels that had the amended chance to win.

“Because I springiness him, since the beginning, the input that he doesn’t request to consciousness immoderate unit to put me, honestly, and I was not judge to play. I moreover springiness him much chances to put Roberto connected the section than maine during the full week.

“Probably watching that today, the determination to put maine connected the tribunal arsenic 2nd subordinate didn’t work, astir apt the easy move, and possibly the correct move, is to change. If I would beryllium the captain, astir apt I will change.”

He added pinch a smile: “It’s successful immoderate ways bully possibly if that was my past match. I mislaid my first lucifer successful the Davis Cup, and I mislaid my past one. So we adjacent the circle.”

This was only Nadal’s eighth charismatic tourney this season, while his only singles matches since the Olympics successful July came in an accumulation arena successful Saudi Arabia past month.

There were glimpses of the aged Nadal successful immoderate full-blooded forehands; fist pumps and roars greeting each constituent won.

But Van de Zandschulp is simply a value subordinate and, though Nadal made it tight aft trailing 4-1 successful the 2nd set, he could not rather conjure the aged magic.

After shaking hands pinch his opponent, Nadal waved and blew kisses to his adoring crowd, not knowing if it would beryllium for the past time.

“I tried to thief the squad to put a triumph retired there, but it was not possible,” said a philosophical Nadal.

“And that’s it. In that infinitesimal of my career, I can’t kick much. I spell there, I effort my best, I effort to bask and play pinch the correct energy, pinch the correct attitude. It conscionable didn’t work. And it was a anticipation that that would happen.

“Hopefully we tin support going and I will support moving difficult each time to beryllium connected the squad successful lawsuit the squad needs maine 1 much time. If not, conscionable support from the bench.”

PA