Match Response
Defeated Nadal hopes for another match: ‘I would expertise it each day if I may’
Spaniard fell to Van de Zandschulp in singles, however Spain nonetheless alive in Davis Cup
November 19, 2024
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Rafael Nadal salutes the group after his Davis Cup defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp on Tuesday in Malaga.
By ATPTour.com/es Employees
It was not a simple scenario to deal with, even for Rafael Nadal, who has confirmed all through his profession that he has a unprecedented capability to handle his feelings. Earlier than taking to the court docket on Tuesday, the previous No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings was unable to carry again the tears as he listened to his nation’s anthem, understanding that it may be the final time he did so earlier than going to battle on court docket.
“It’s been an emotional day,” stated Nadal later after falling to a straight-sets defeat in his Davis Cup Ultimate 8 conflict with Botic van de Zandschulp. “I knew it might be my final match as knowledgeable tennis participant. The moments main as much as it have been emotional, type of troublesome to deal with, normally. So many feelings. I attempted to do it in addition to attainable.”
Seeing the humour even on occasions like this… solely Rafa 🥲@RafaelNadal | @DavisCup | #RafaSiempre | #DavisCup pic.twitter.com/mv5WVKcxvU
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 19, 2024
The Spanish legend’s greatest effort was unable to see off the Netherlands’ Van de Zandschulp, who earned his nation a 1-0 lead within the quarter-final tie with a 6-4, 6-4 win after one hour and 51 minutes. Carlos Alcaraz then downed Tallon Griekspoor in straight units to power a deciding doubles rubber in Malaga.
“I attempted to have one of the best perspective attainable, with the mandatory power, regardless of the outcome,” continued Nadal. “There was a glimmer of hope on the finish, but it surely wasn’t to be. My opponent was higher than me at the moment and that’s that.”
Nadal had not competed since bowing out to Novak Djokovic within the second spherical on the Olympic Video games in Paris in July. Since then, he has solely been in a position to prepare on the observe court docket. Nonetheless, he felt prepared sufficient to be out there to his captain, David Ferrer, for the tie.
“The choice was made that I might play. We knew it was a barely dangerous determination. David had seen us all practising and all of us thought I used to be the suitable participant for the match,” defined the 92-time tour-level champion. “I attempted, it wasn’t to be, ultimately you may’t management your stage, simply your perspective, your power, and your dedication. That didn’t let me down. I merely wasn’t in a position to do what was required to get Spain a degree.”
Nadal’s kind was all the time an unknown issue: “I stated that if I didn’t really feel it, I wouldn’t play,” he reminded journalists. “I feel my observe was adequate, however in competitors I wasn’t in a position to carry out as I might have appreciated. However the preparation was good.”
With the top of his profession so shut, two inevitable questions come up. First, will he ever play a singles match once more? The person himself answered: “Hopefully there’s one other alternative, and we progress at the moment. I feel I might play a unique participant if I have been captain, though I don’t have the ability to make that call now, it’s less than me.”
Secondly, does that imply he want to expertise another match?
“I might expertise it each day if I may,” answered Nadal with out hesitation. “However one factor is that I would really like, and one other is what’s greatest for the workforce. What a person appears like isn’t essentially one of the best for the workforce.
“It’s not for an absence of need, after all I’ve the need. I’m right here due to my need. Hopefully the scenario arises. I’ll hold working to be out there in doubles or singles. I’m simply saying that having seen my stage in competitors, I feel if I used to be captain, I wouldn’t choose me.”
With nothing for the Spaniard left to show and with a legendary profession already within the bag, no one can blame him for at the moment’s outcome. He battled till the ultimate level. He fought to return again when nothing was going for him: the velocity of the court docket, an absence of match time, and an opponent who was higher on the day.
“Even after I’ve gained, I’ve all the time been powerful and self-critical of myself,” stated the 22-time main champion. “To try to enhance, I’ve all the time appeared for the negatives. However at the moment, which can be my final match, I’m not going to be onerous on myself. I had nothing extra. That’s the truth.”
Editor’s observe: This story was translated from ATPTour.com/es
To rejoice the top of Rafael Nadal‘s historic profession at this week’s Davis Cup Ultimate 8, ATPTour.com is publishing a sequence of articles paying tribute to the Spaniard. View our #RafaSiempre sequence.
