Photo: Reuters

Rafa Nadal's career did not conclude with the fairytale ending he had hoped for, as the Spanish 22-time Grand Slam champion bowed out with a defeat in the Davis Cup on an emotionally charged and tearful night in Malaga on Tuesday. The 38-year-old's determination remained undiminished, but the magic was absent as he fell 6-4 6-4 to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in what turned out to be his final competitive match. Spain's rising tennis star, Carlos Alcaraz, managed to level the quarter-final tie by defeating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(0) 6-3. If Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers had then triumphed over Wesley Koolhof and Van de Zandschulp, Nadal would have had another shot in the semi-final on Friday against either Germany or Canada. However, it was not meant to be, as Koolhof, also playing his last event, delivered an outstanding performance to upset the script and propel the Dutch to a 7-6(4) 7-6(3) victory.

Nadal cheered on the Spanish duo from the sidelines, hardly sitting down, but looked visibly disheartened as the realization that his career was over began to set in. The Mallorcan, who was part of four Davis Cup-winning teams for Spain, was tearful as the national anthem played before the tie. After a heartfelt speech on court in front of his fans, family, friends, and teammates, tears flowed once more as a video montage of his illustrious career was shown. "I was just a kid from a small village who was lucky because my uncle was a tennis coach and had a family that supported me," Nadal said. "Many people work hard, but I am one of the fortunate ones who had the chance to live unforgettable experiences through tennis. I just want to be remembered as a good person and a kid who followed their dreams."

Nadal had won 29 out of his previous 30 singles matches in the team event, with his only prior loss occurring in his first tie in 2004. Last month, he announced his retirement from the Davis Cup Final Eight, raising the possibility of one final addition to a career that was largely defined by his record 14 French Open titles on Parisian clay. Selected for the singles by captain David Ferrer, Nadal displayed glimpses of his former brilliance, but with only his 24th match since the start of 2023, the rust was evident, and he struggled to fend off the formidable Dutchman, who admitted he would have been rooting for Nadal had their roles been reversed.

When French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz leveled the tie by defeating Griekspoor, he declared, "I did it for Rafa." However, he could not inspire a Spanish victory in the doubles, as the Dutch duo dashed those hopes. Nadal had been philosophical after his singles defeat, which was his first in the event since losing to Jiri Novak in 2004. "In some ways, it's good, maybe, that this was my last match because I lost my first match in the Davis Cup and I lost my last one. We close the circle," he said. His fans in Malaga, many of whom wore scarves emblazoned with "Gracias Rafa," stood to honor him in a special presentation to Spain's greatest sportsman, and there was hardly a dry eye in the house as he signed off.

The only thing missing was his old rival and dear friend, Roger Federer, walking onto the court to give him a hug. Earlier in the day, Federer, whose final career match at the Laver Cup in London in 2022 ended with him and Nadal in tears and holding hands, published a letter to his friend. "Let's start with the obvious: you beat me - a lot. More than I managed to beat you," the Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion said. "You challenged me in ways no one else could."

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