Retired tennis superstar Rafael Nadal lost 6-4, 6-4 to Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup singles quarter-final on Tuesday as the Netherlands took a 1-0 lead against Spain. The 22-time Grand Slam winner will end his career in professional tennis at the end of Spain's participation in the Malaga tournament, after two injury-plagued years. Doubts remained about Nadal's involvement until team captain David Ferrer's official announcement confirmed that he would play in the first singles match of the opening final.
The 38-year-old appeared emotional during the Spanish national anthem, and fans filled the arena with chants of 'Rafa, Rafa' as it ended. Nadal had won his last 29 of 30 Davis Cup singles matches played (after making his debut in the tournament in 2004) and both of his previous clashes with the Dutchman.
Any initial nerves the veteran had were settled when he came from 15-30 down to hold the first game. World number 80 Van de Zandschulp made three double faults during his first service game at 40 love up, but also managed to stabilize.
No doubt with his diminished physical fitness in mind, Nadal, ranked 154th in the world, tried to keep the points short, with big serves and occasional flashes of his deadly forehand, followed by a classic fist pump and roar.
Van de Zandschulp wanted to put Nadal on his backhand and the Spaniard had difficulty returning, with the indoor hard court tournament being a far from ideal surface for the record forty times that Roland Garros 'King of Clay' won.
The Dutchman opened two break points at 4-4 and grabbed the second with a fine cross-court winner to claim the lead, before converting his second set point to dampen the Spanish mood.
Give everything
Nadal fought back from 0-30 at the start of the second set but could not convert it into a hold and his opponent secured the first break as the Spaniard went long and consolidated to pile on the pressure.
After a set and a break, Nadal, chasing a foothold, survived heavy pressure on his serve in the third game for a nervous hold that led to the loudest roar of the night.
Van de Zandschulp denied Nadal the chance to gain momentum by holding on and then broke for a second time to take a 4–1 lead with another cross-court winner after a thrilling rally that left the Spaniard with no chance.
Nadal showed his never-say-die mentality by reclaiming a break in the sixth game, converting his third break point into a glimmer of hope that grew as he held on to cut the deficit to 4-3.
The Spaniard survived a break point to claim back-to-back games for the first time in the match, as he gave everything in what his final match could prove.
Van de Zandschulp held his ground, closed the eighth game with two blistering aces and was allowed to serve for the match after Nadal followed suit. Nadal went long to concede match point and then fired into the net to give his Dutch opponent the victory.
World number three Carlos Alcaraz will take on Dutchman Tallon Greekpoor in the second rubber to try to keep Spain's Davis Cup dream alive and extend Nadal's farewell.
The winner will face Germany or Canada in the semi-finals.
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