Casper Ruud says Rafael Nadal’s retirement caught him ‘by surprise’ as he reveals if he’d go to Malaga to watch the Spaniard in Davis Cup

Rafael Nadal, after years of struggles with injury, has announced his retirement and will hang up his racket at the Davis Cup.


Casper Ruud says Rafael Nadal’s retirement caught him ‘by surprise’ as he reveals if he’d go to Malaga to watch the Spaniard in Davis Cup

Casper Ruud, Rafael Nadal (Images via X)

Casper Ruud revealed whether he would go to Malaga to watch Rafael Nadal play for the last time. Nadal has announced his retirement and the Davis Cup for Spain will be the final tournament of his career.

Ruud is in Turin for the ATP Finals. After beating Carlos Alcaraz in his first group-stage match, the Norwegian, who had trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca, said he would probably watch Nadal’s last tournament on TV.

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He also mentioned the first round of the French Open this year that Nadal played. Nadal registered his fourth defeat at Roland Garros in the first round match he played against Alexander Zverev in front of Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz, and Iga Swiatek who were in the stands of Court Philippe-Chatrier to watch him play. But they probably had no idea that it was the Spaniard’s last match at the French Open.

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One match that showed it quite clearly to me was during Roland Garros this year, there were a lot of players that came out to watch Rafa-Zverev. Typically, you don’t have Swiatek, Novak, Carlos, everyone coming out to watch the first round of a slam. But when it’s Rafa, it’s different. It caught me a little bit by surprise that he announced it because I was maybe thinking he would give it one more try on clay next year.

Casper Ruud said at the press conference 

Nadal, however, once again came to Roland Garros when he participated in the Paris Olympics. He played singles and lost to Djokovic in the second round. Then he and Alcaraz bowed out of the doubles event with a defeat in the quarterfinals.

Casper Ruud wants to see Spain in the final for Rafael Nadal

The Davis Cup in Malaga is scheduled to start on November 19. On that day, Spain will be locking horns with the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Casper Ruud wants Spain to reach the final as it will give him and other Rafael Nadal fans the chance to watch the 38-year-old’s matches for a few more days.

Casper Ruud and Rafael Nadal
Casper Ruud and Rafael Nadal (Via Imago)

As a big fan myself, I hope they make it to the final, and you get to watch him at least for a few more days.

Casper Ruud said at the press conference 

Nadal was last seen in action at the Paris Olympics. He also played an exhibition match, the Six Kings Slam, in Riyadh, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals and to Novak Djokovic in the third-place match.

Ruud, on the other hand, will be playing against Alexander Zverev next. In his third match, he will face Andrey Rublev.