Rafael Nadal loses final potential career match to Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup
Rafael Nadal has officially played his last professional tennis match, with the Spanish fate in the Davis Cup yet to be decided.
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22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal lost his final professional tennis match to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-4, 6-4, in the Davis Cup tie. The Spaniard showed moments of brilliance and had opportunities to turn the match around but ultimately fell short.
Nadal will remain on the sidelines to support his Spanish teammates in the remaining matches. Up next is four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, who will face Tallon Griekspoor.
Spanish Davis Cup captain David Ferrer faced significant pressure over the decision to include Nadal in the tie. The left-hander had not played much in 2024, but the importance of the occasion could not be ignored. Ferrer ultimately decided to field Nadal against Van de Zandschulp.
This is Van de Zandschulp’s second notable victory over a Spanish player in recent times. Earlier this year, he defeated Alcaraz in the second round of the US Open, which is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in tennis history.
Rafael Nadal’s incredible Davis Cup record
Rafael Nadal has achieved many incredible milestones in his legendary tennis career, and his success in the Davis Cup is one of the highlights. The Spanish superstar is set to retire after playing in the 2024 Davis Cup Finals in Málaga, which will take place from November 19 to 24. The left-hander has featured in every Davis Cup final for Spain except in 2008, when an injury sidelined him after the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Spain has never lost a final with Nadal on the team.
In singles, Nadal has an extraordinary Davis Cup record of 29 wins and just two losses (including today’s loss), giving him a 93.54% win rate. His only defeat (barring today’s) came over 20 years ago, in his first match at the event, against Jiri Novak in 2004. Since then, he has won all 29 of his singles matches, never being pushed to a deciding set. Nadal is unbeaten on clay (19-0) and hard courts (9-0) and has an impressive record both indoors (15-1) and outdoors (14-0).
In doubles, Nadal also boasts a strong record, winning eight of his 12 matches. He struggled early in his doubles career, losing four of his first five matches in 2004 and 2005. However, he has won his last seven Davis Cup doubles matches, a streak that began in 2006. His most recent doubles victory was in 2019, and he has had success on both clay and hard courts.
Nadal will play at least one more Davis Cup match, as he has been selected for singles in Spain’s quarter-final clash against the Netherlands. Over his career, he has been part of five Spanish teams that won the Davis Cup titles in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2019.
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Fahad Hamid
(624 Articles Published)