The 22-time Major winner Rafael Nadal is preparing for his final dance at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga. Rafa will end his career in the national jersey, although he does not want to pressure anyone, especially Spain's Davis Cup captain, David Ferrer. Nadal trained at home in the previous weeks, hoping to raise his level ahead of the Netherlands clash.
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However, the legend keeps things realistic, admitting he will not play in singles alongside Carlos Alcaraz if his teammates showbetter form. Nadal is ready to sit out the tie against the Netherlands and support his country from the stands, placing the team's result above his retirement.
Rafa's 2023 and 2024 struggles
Rafa made a great push in the GOAT race in early 2022, winning two Major titles and standing on 22. However, he got injured atWimbledon, withdrawing ahead of the semi-final and never recovering tothat level! The Spaniard struggled for the rest of the year and experienced another setback at the beginning of 2023.
Nadal tried to defend the Australian Open crown despite lacking form or confidence. He injured his left hip in the second round against Mackenzie McDonald, missing the rest of the season and undergoing surgery. The veteran worked hard in the second part of the year, setting his return for the first week of 2024.
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Competing for the first time in almost a year, Rafa defeated Dominic Thiem and Jason Kubler en route to the quarter-final in Brisbane. However, he experienced a setback against Jordan Thompson, blowing three match points and losing after three and a half hours.
The Spaniard felt the pain around his troubled hip and decided to withdraw from the Australian Open. To make his recovery even more challenging, Nadal injured his abdominal muscles in February, struggling to serve and staying away from the court until April. He entered four beloved events on clay, but the results were not there.
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The king of clay fell to Alex de Minaur in Barcelona before scoring three wins in Madrid for his best result since the 2022 US Open. Hubert Hurkacz defeated him easily in Rome, and the 14-time champion traveled to Roland Garros with low confidence. Also, he did not have the luck in the draw, facing world no. 4 Alexander Zverev in the first round.
Rafa gave everything but suffered a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 defeat, his earliest at the beloved Major. They fought for three hours and five minutes, and the legend could have extended the battle. He served for the second set but failed to bring it home, losing the tie break and allowing his rival to seal the deal in the third.
Nadal's last push at the Olympic Games
Nadal did not want to compete on grass, so he trainedon clay in Mallorca and Greece and headedto Bastad for his final preparations ahead of the Olympic Games. The veteran stopped the clock and defeated four rivals in his first appearance in Bastad since 2005!
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He ousted Mariano Navone in almost four hours en route to his first ATP Finals in over two years. However, he lost steam and experienced a defeat to Nuno Borges, missing a chance to win his 93rd and final ATP title. Also, Nadal felt pain in his right thigh, gathering dark clouds ahead of his second Roland Garrostest.
Rafa made a winning start at the Olympic Games, ousting Marton Fucsovics and arranging the 60th duel against his greatest rival, Novak Djokovic. The Serb was the favorite, and he proved that on the court with a 6-1, 6-4 triumph. Novak stormed over Rafa in the opening set, taking it 6-1 in no time.
The Spaniard trailed 4-0 in the second set, standing powerless against such a strong rival. However, he produced his last Court Philippe-Chatrier magic and pulled both breaks back to lock the result at 4-4. Djokovic kept his composure and sealed the deal with a break in game nine.
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As was expected, Nadalmissed the US Open and theLaverCup. He announced his retirement at the Davis Cup Finals, waking up the emotions of the entire tennis world. Rafa is ready for his final dance in Malaga, and we will see if he will defend the national colors two decades after debuting in the Davis Cup.
"First, we have to see how my body feels after a couple of days of training. If I do not see myself ready to win a singles rubber, I will rule myself out before everyone else. I have often told David to forget about my retirement and base his decision on our current form. The team comes first, and David should not feel pressured about me. I want him to do what's the best for our country," Rafael Nadal said.
