by Mick the Ram

Rafael Nadal wiped away tears as he spoke on court after Spain had been knocked out of the Davis Cup by the Netherlands at the quarter-final stage in Malaga.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion had just watched his country bow out meaning that his defeat 24 hours earlier, had turned out to be his final match, as a partisan crowd saw him fall to a 6-4 6-4 defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp, to ultimately bring down the curtain on a remarkable career.

As tennis bid a poignant farewell to one of the greats, the 38-year-old said he would like to be remembered as “a kid who followed their dreams”.

Even though the Dutch were successful, they took a back seat as the crowd in the 11,500-capacity Palacio de Deportes arena, chanted “Rafa, Rafa, Rafa” as he stepped forward to speak to his adoring audience.

His retirement sees him finish as the second-most successful men’s singles player of all time, behind only long-time rival Novak Djokovic.

Astonishing figures

The brilliant Spaniard’s achievements are quite spectacular: 22 Grand Slam titles, 92 ATP Tour titles, two Olympic gold medals, four Davis Cup final triumphs, 209 weeks as world number one, and 912 consecutive weeks in the top 10.

Those numbers go some way to explain why the court was packed and created an atmosphere more aligned to a local derby football fixture, than a tennis match.

One of their own

Nadal, connects with the man in the street, but also has the king of Spain on speed dial. He has values that are relatable and the crowd wanted so much for their man to end on a winning note, but it wasn’t to be.

His career closed with a performance which he will admit saw him some way from his best and it ended a quite incredible 29-match winning run in Davis Cup singles matches, spread over a 20 year period.

Family affair

Nadal’s family, including his wife Mery, young son Rafael junior, parents Ana Maria and Sebastian and sister Maribel, were present in the stands when the spotlight trained on the man of the moment.

Taking the microphone, the clearly emotional tennis great said he hoped to be remembered primarily as “a good person from a small village in Mallorca”, adding: “I have been very lucky in the life I have had the opportunity to live, I have lived unforgettable experiences”.

He made the point to a crowd who were hanging on his every word, that although he was not tired of playing tennis, his body was telling him to stop, but quickly added: “I feel super privileged, I’ve been able to make my hobby my profession for a long time.”

Tributes from fellow players

Carlos Alcaraz called Rafa his “idol” and insisted that Nadal’s legacy would be “eternal” and almost impossible to follow.

Roger Federer, who famously cried alongside Nadal when he retired in 2022, said his friend had “made the whole tennis world proud” during an epic career; whilst Novak Djokovic said he felt “honoured and thrilled” to have been called his rival.

Britain’s Andy Murray got in on the act and paid special tribute to the Spaniard’s playing ability. “The passion and intensity you played with was something I think all tennis players aspire to, and what all tennis fans will remember you for. It has been incredible watching you,” he said with genuine admiration for a fellow player.

One of the true greats

Nadal retires as the second-most successful men’s singles player of all time in terms of Grand Slam victories, behind just Djokovic.

Known as the “King of Clay”, he lifted the French Open singles title a record 14 times, winning 112 of his 116 major matches at Roland Garros. No player has won as many Grand Slam singles titles at the same tournament.

He leaves a big hole in the men’s game that is unlikely to be filled any time soon.