38-year-old Rafael Nadal is all set to bid farewell to his favourite sport during the Davis Cup in Málaga next week. The veteran Spanish player has already helped his country win the tournament in 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2019. However, the 22-time Grand Slam winner has been plagued by injuries in recent years, causing his global ranking to drop to 155.
Nadal hasn’t been at his best in 2024, with his last contest being at the Paris Olympics in August, where he lost to longtime rival Novak Djokovic. Since then, Rafa hasn’t played any competitive singles matches and has participated in only a handful of singles games since 2023.
Despite the Davis Cup being his farewell tournament, Rafa has requested captain David Ferrer not to let his farewell interfere with the team’s plans. He added that he is happy to limit his appearances to doubles, skipping singles if he feels he isn’t at his best.
“First off, we’ll have to see how I feel in training and, if I really don’t feel I have a chance to win the singles, I’ll be the first to not want to play.” Nadal said in an interview to Spanish tennis federation.
‘If I don’t feel ready, I’ll be the first to speak to the captain.. I’ve already told him (David Ferrer) on a few occasions not to make any decisions based on the fact that it’s my last week as a professional tennis player.’
Rather than feeling sad about the end of his illustrious career, Rafael Nadal says he is trying to “relish” the final moments as normal. Speaking on the subject, he said, ‘So I’m excited to bring to an end a long and beautiful part of my life, relishing these last moments as normal, accepting that everything has a beginning and an end,’
Nadal’s farewell is expected to be a star-studded affair, with tennis legends and athletes from various sports in attendance. Among the highlights could be his long-time rivals, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
