Málaga. The great myth of Spanish sport Rafael Nadal closed two decades of career this Tuesday in Malaga with the elimination of Spain against the Netherlands (2-1) in the Davis Cup quarterfinals, a tie that began with the defeat of the winner of 22 titles of the Grand Slam against Botic Van de Zandschulp.
The Dutch couple composed of Wesley Koolhof and Van de Zandschulp himself won 7-6 (7/4) and 7-6 (7/3) against the duo formed by Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers to give the final point to their team.
The day had begun with Nadal’s defeat in the opening match, by a double 6-4, in a Martín Carpena Sports Palace dedicated to the local idol.
Nadal, who had only lost in singles in his first Davis Cup match, in 2004 when he was 17 years old against Jiri Novak, gave in more than two decades later, after 29 victories and five Salad Bowls on his record.
“It was probably my last game, I lost the first and the last. The decision is not up to me, but if I were the captain I would put another player [si España se hubiera clasificado a semifinales]. “Maybe the easy decision is to change for Roberto (Bautista),” the Mallorcan crudely stated at a press conference, anticipating what would happen hours later.
Emotion with the anthem
The excitement had skyrocketed in the Martín Carpena Sports Palace since the Spanish team stepped onto the court.
The anthem, with Nadal’s tears infecting a large part of the almost 10,000 spectators, and the minute of silence for the victims of the floods that caused more than 200 deaths, mainly in the Valencian Community, completed the solemn ceremony.
“The previous moments were exciting, difficult to manage. I have tried to do it in the best possible way, to control, but sometimes it is difficult,” Nadal acknowledged.
Van de Zandschulp, 80th player in the world, started nervous, disoriented by the significance of the duel and failed up to six consecutive serves with his first service game.
At another time Nadal would not have wasted a tremendous gift. But his current version led him to forgive and he never had a similar opportunity again in the entire first round that he lost without having a breaking point.
Nadal, also gripped by nerves, conceded another break at the beginning of the second set. Van de Zandschulp was 2-0 and the Martín Carpena crowd began to chant “Yes we can! Yes we can!” to raise the idol.
It was Nadal’s turn to come back, as he did so many times in his epic career, but the Spaniard had a hard time closing the points against an opponent who was growing in size, increasingly solid in the exchanges to seal the match in one hour and 53 minutes.
No comeback
It was Alcaraz’s turn to dress as a superhero, who equalized the tie by beating Tallon Griekspoor with authority, 7-6 (7/0) and 6-3 in one hour and 25 minutes.
The Dutchman started better, leading 4-2 in the first set, but the world number three then scored with a blank tie break that melted his rival, who fought with the local crowd.
“Carlos! Carlos!” Martín Carpena shouted while the Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion, enjoying himself, flew in the second set with impossible points, putting his finger in his ear to ask for more noise from the stands. He didn’t waste an ounce of energy and closed the duel in one hour and 25 minutes.
“I did it for Rafa. I tried to play my best tennis to qualify for Spain, it is the Davis Cup, a great tournament for me and for everyone,” Alcaraz said.
After a brief rest he jumped back onto the court together with Granollers but Van de Zandschulp and specialist Wesley Koolhof were colder in the two tie breaks to leave Nadal looking disconsolate on the Spanish bench.
“You have carried me along, in the good times and the bad. Sincerely thank you, I have been very lucky,” said the idol in the tribute he received after the doubles.
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