Dutch plan ‘nice adios’ for Rafael Nadal at Davis Cup retirement party
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Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal will call time on his iconic career at the Davis Cup Finals on home soil in Malaga this week.
PHOTO: AFP
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MALAGA – The Netherlands’ Davis Cup team plan to gatecrash Rafael Nadal’s retirement party by giving him “a nice adios”.
Spanish superstar Nadal will call time on his iconic career
However, the Dutch will not be swayed by sentiment or the huge support and goodwill which will accompany 38-year-old Nadal into retirement when the two teams meet in the quarter-finals at the Martin Carpena Arena on Nov 19.
“It’s amazing that it might be the last match that Nadal plays and we hope to give him a nice adios,” Dutch team captain Paul Haarhuis told a news conference on Nov 17.
“It’s the Davis Cup, anything can happen. We want more than being in the quarter-finals, so we are going to have to play well and that’s what we focus on.”
The Dutch have had plenty of experience facing Spanish players in 2024. Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof lost to Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in the doubles at the Paris Olympics. Botic van de Zandschulp then sent Alcaraz crashing to a shock second-round loss at the US Open.
“Rafa retiring here of course brings something special to the occasion. I’m really looking forward to the tie. It will be something special. Let’s see how the madness is going to be,” said van de Zandschulp.
Two-time Olympic champion Nadal amassed 92 ATP singles titles despite playing in an era which also boasted Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, the two other members of tennis’ dominant “Big Three” for more a decade.
However, injury setbacks in the twilight of his career have seen his ranking slump to 154th. He has not played a competitive singles match since losing to Djokovic at the Olympics in July,
Nadal said he will not dwell on his impending retirement and focus on helping Spain, captained by David Ferrer, claim their sixth title and their first since 2019.
The former world No. 1 said on Nov 18: “If I’m on the court, I hope to control my emotions. I’m not here to retire. I’m here to help the team win.
“It’s my last week in a team competition and the most important thing is to help the team. The emotions will come at the end. Before and after, I will be focused on what I have to do.
“I feel good, I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time. I’ve been trying to give myself a chance and I decided over time. I’m enjoying the week, I’m not paying much attention to the retirement thing.
“It will be a big change in my life after this week. I’m very excited and happy to be here.” AFP, REUTERS
