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Serena Williams said it had been an honour to witness Rafa Nadal's tennis journey and that he would leave the game a "lasting legacy" following the Spaniard's defeat in the final match of his glorious career.
Superstar Rafael Nadal's glittering career in professional tennis came to an end on Tuesday as Netherlands eliminated Spain in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer's rivalry started in the sweltering heat of Miami and ended almost two decades later in tears and hand-holding in an emotional London farewell. In between, the great friends met 40 times, battling out epics on European clay, London grass and hard courts from the United States to Australia. "What a career, Rafa! I always hoped this day would never come," said 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer in a post on social media after news of Nadal's retirement broke.
Rafael Nadal's rivalry with Roger Federer will forever be remembered for a series of classic clashes, but his head-to-head record against Novak Djokovic featured more matches and was more closely fought. A record-breaking 60 meetings saw Djokovic come out on top 31 times, although Nadal won 11 of 18 Grand Slam matches. In the Open era, no men met more often on the ATP Tour, with Djokovic and Federer having played 50 times. "My greatest rival is Novak Djokovic," Nadal told Globo Esporte in a 2022 interview.
Rafael Nadal, whose career ended on Tuesday when Spain were knocked out of the Davis Cup, was the "King of Clay" who also reigned on every other surface as he accumulated 22 Grand Slam titles while his even-keeled and humble demeanour, on and off the court, endeared him to rivals and legions of fans. One of his defining qualities was the astonishing ability to tough out marathon wins, but he clearly enjoyed playing and competing and showed humility in victory and poise in defeat.
MALAGA, Spain : Spain's Davis Cup captain David Ferrer said he had no regrets about fielding Rafa Nadal in their quarter-final singles opener against the Netherlands on Tuesday after the 22-times Grand Slam champion fell to defeat in the last game of his career.
Rafael Nadal said he has left both a sporting and personal legacy after retiring from professional tennis on Tuesday at the Davis Cup. The 38-year-old was beaten in the opening singles rubber of the quarter-finals as Netherlands defeated Spain 2-1 to reach the final four. Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, enjoyed a glittering and historic career over the past 23 years. "I leave with the peace of mind that I have left a legacy, which I really feel is not just a sporting one but a personal one," Nadal told fans in Malaga in a speech during a ceremony to honour his retirement. "I understand that the love I have received, if it was just for what happened on the court, would not be the same."
Superstar Rafael Nadal's glittering career in professional tennis came to an end on Tuesday as Netherlands eliminated Spain in the Davis Cup quarter-finals. The 38-year-old Spaniard, a 22-time Grand Slam winner, was defeated in the first singles rubber and after Carlos Alcaraz won the second match to send the tie to a doubles decider, the Dutch triumphed to snatch a 2-1 win. Nadal was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening singles clash, before Alcaraz defeated Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (7/0), 6-3. In the deciding doubles rubber, Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof secured a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) victory to set up a semi-final clash with Canada or Germany.