Rafael Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion, ended his illustrious tennis career with a loss in Spain’s Davis Cup quarterfinal against the Netherlands. Playing in Malaga before a supportive home crowd, Nadal faced Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp and succumbed in straight sets, 4-6, 4-6.
Despite showing glimpses of his iconic fighting spirit, the 38-year-old Nadal fell short in what was his farewell singles match. In the opening set, Nadal kept the contest close before the 29-year-old van de Zandschulp pulled ahead in the final stages. The second set began more one-sided, with the Dutchman dominating early on. Nadal attempted a spirited comeback from 1-4 down to close the gap to 3-4 but ultimately could not overcome van de Zandschulp, who delivered the fastest serve of the match at an impressive 218 kmph.
Originally slated to play doubles in this Davis Cup tie, Nadal was instead assigned to singles by Spain’s captain David Ferrer just hours before the match. The Spanish icon had a flawless record against the Dutchman in two prior encounters, not dropping a single set. This loss marked only the second Davis Cup singles defeat of Nadal’s career. Out of 30 singles matches in the tournament, he has won 29, with his only previous loss occurring in 2004 against Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic.
After battling multiple injuries in recent seasons, including a hip issue in 2023 and an abdominal injury in 2024, Nadal announced his retirement from professional tennis in October 2024. While he made one final appearance representing Spain in the Paris Olympics earlier this year, he declared the Davis Cup as his official farewell to the sport.
Nadal’s legendary career concludes with a staggering 29-match Davis Cup singles win streak, the best percentage record for any player with a minimum of 15 matches.
