Rafael Nadal soaked up the emotion of a memorable but acridpleasant evening in Malaga as his professional atsoft came to an finish.
The 38-year-better chooseed to produce the Davis Cup Finals his last event having accomprehendledgeed last month that his body would no extfinisheder apverify him to contend at the highest level.
Spanish fans, some of whom had paid seven-figure sums for tickets, flocked to the Martin Carpena Arena in their thousands, dsexual batteryd in red and yellow flags and scarves and ready to cheer on their national hero one more time.
Nadal was hoping for one final triumph on home soil but Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp spoiled the party with a 6-4 6-4 triumph, and Spain’s quarter-final elimination was verifyed after Van de Zandschulp and Wesley Koolhof lossed Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers in the deciding doubles.
Pic: AP Pboilingo/Manu Fernandez
“What I have tried to do is to be a excellent person and I hope you have seed that,” Nadal tbetter the Malaga crowd.
“I exit the tennis world having met so many frifinishs aextfinished the way. I have so many people to thank.
“I exit with the peace of mind of having left a sporting and personal legacy I can be self-beginant about.
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King Ricdifficult III donaten Yorksemploy accent
“Thanks to all of you, the accessible. It’s over 20 years, excellent years, horrible years. I have been able to inhabit with all of you.
“I have felt very blessed to sense so much impaction from all over the world, especipartner here in Spain.”
It was only Nadal’s second ever Davis Cup loss in ones, with the other coming on his debut aacquirest Czech Reaccessible’s Jiri Novak way back in 2004.
