- Rafael Nadal, 38, will retire later this week after Spain’s Davis Cup campaign
- The Spanish legend won 22 Grand Slam titles throughout his storied career
- He and the rest of team Spain – including Carlos Alcaraz – face the Netherlands
Rafael Nadal insisted he is at peace with his decision to retire, as he addressed the media before his final tournament at the Davis Cup Finals.
Rafa fever is fully endemic here in Malaga and the hosts’ pre-event press conference had to be moved to Spain’s team hotel to accommodate the demand.
All five members of the squad were lined up on stage but all eyes and ears were on the man in the middle. Even superstar Carlos Alcaraz was cast into the shadow of his idol.
‘It’s something I have been thinking for quite a long time,’ said Nadal, 38, who announced last month that this would be his last event before retirement.
‘I could hold for one more year, but why? To say good-bye in every single tournament? I don’t have that ego to need that.
‘For me it doesn’t make sense to keep going knowing that I don’t have the real chance to be competitive the way that I like to be competitive, because my body is not able to give me the possibility to do that very often.
Rafael Nadal will compete at his final event before retiring from tennis later this week
Spain, also featuring Carlos Alcaraz (second left) begin their Davis Cup campaign on Tuesday against the Netherlands
‘So I’m enjoying the week. I know it’s going to be a big change in my life, but that’s going to happen later. Now I am here on the team, and I am very excited. I am happy for that.
‘I am not here for retiring. I’m here to try to help the team.’
Spain begin their Davis Cup campaign on Tuesday against the Netherlands.
As much attention as there has been on the 22-time Grand Slam champion, the focus will now switch to David Ferrer, Nadal’s former rival and now his Davis Cup captain. Ferrer must decide whether to select Nadal in singles or just the doubles.
Asked if he is fit enough to play singles, Nadal replied: ‘That’s a question for the captain, not for me. I think the improvement is there every day but we have a great team.’
Ferrer played the straightest of bats. ‘I don’t know yet,’ he said. ‘You will know tomorrow. For the moment, I am not decide the players that are going to play tomorrow.’
The deadline for teams to be finalized is one hour before the tie begins, so 3pm UK time on Tuesday.
As a pure sporting decision that would depend on Nadal’s physical condition. With Alcaraz inked in as the No 1 player, by rankings the second singles spot ought to be filled by Roberto Bautista Agut, the world No 47 who won a title just last month in Antwerp.
Nadal is a superb doubles player, and that format could be kinder on his body this week
Nadal is a superb doubles player and, given that format would test his body far less, he would form a strong partnership with Marcel Granollers.
But tickets to watch Nadal on Tuesday have been changing hands for thousands of Euros and if he is not selected in the singles that would raise the possibility that – if Spain win or, heaven forbid, lose both of the singles – the great man would not appear on court at all.
The convention here is that if the best of three tie is already over the deciding doubles is not played. The ITF are so far insisting that would remain the case on Tuesday but there would be huge pressure to get Nadal out on court.
The man himself would hate the idea of Ferrer making a decision based on anything other than maximising Spain’s chances of winning a seventh Davis Cup title.
Asked how special it is to be finishing his career in Spain, he replied: ‘Everybody knows how much I love my country. I have never been able to move from the country ever, so I enjoy living here.
‘And to play my last event in Spain, it’s something that I am very happy with. I will never have the chance to thank enough everybody here in Spain, the support that I receive and the love that I felt always.
‘I have been very fortunate to feel myself the way that I feel during all those years.’