Rafael Nadal has been one the greatest tennis players of this open era. The 22-time Grand Slam winner did not have a fairytale finish, as he lost his final match in Spain’s Davis Cup quarterfinal against the Netherlands. The Spaniard lost to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in straight sets, 4-6, 4-6. The 38-year-old looked like a shell of himself. So it’s no surprise that the 14-time French Open champion.
He lost the singles match in straight sets. Playing in front of his home crowd in Malaga, Nadal gave his best and showed some signs of a return, but in the end, the Dutchman proved to be too much of a task. In the opening set, Nadal fought hard against his Dutch opponent. It was not until the finish that the 29-year-old could pull away.
However, the second set began differently, with the Dutchman dominating from the get-go. However, Nadal demonstrated his typical appetite for a fight, rallying from 1-4 down to make it 3-4. Botic van de Zandschulp kept his composure to win the match in straight sets. He also had the match’s fastest serve in the second set, delivering the ball at 218 kmph. Rafael Nadal was expected to play the doubles in the Davis Cup.
Is the icon’s era truly over?
Before the Davis Cup quarterfinals, Nadal has only met the Dutchman twice. He had won both matches without losing a single set. This is Nadal’s second loss in Davis Cup singles matches. He has won 29 out of 30 singles matches in the competition thus far. Following the loss in 2004, Nadal won 29 consecutive matches. It is the highest victory percentage of any player (minimum of 15 matches).
In October 2024, Nadal announced his retirement from competitive tennis. Rafael Nadal was compelled to decide due to his numerous ailments. He first sustained a hip ailment at the start of the 2023 season. After returning in 2024, he suffered an abdominal injury. Before this Davis Cup match, Nadal had previously competed for Spain in the Paris Olympics 2024.
