Absent from the courts since July, the 38-year-old Majorcan lost in two identical sets (6-4, 6-4) against Botic van de Zandschulp, 80th in the world. This setback could mark the end of his career if Carlos Alcaraz, world number 3, fails to beat Tallon Griekspoor (40th) in the second singles of the evening.
Despite two victories against van de Zandschulp in 2022 on clay and grass, Nadal did not find the solution this time.
In the first set, Nadal was put in difficulty from his service games, giving up a crucial break at 4-4 before seeing van de Zandschulp close the set at 6-4. The second set followed a similar scenario, with two new breaks in favor of the Dutchman. Although Nadal briefly revived hope by recovering a break to get back to 4-3, he was unable to turn things around, losing again 6-4.
With 22 Grand Slam titles and four Davis Cup titles (2004, 2009, 2011, 2019), Nadal remains a legendary figure in world tennis. This match marked his return to competition after an absence of several months, his last official appearance dating back to his doubles defeat at the Paris Olympic Games on July 31.
Spain, seeking a seventh Davis Cup title, must now count on Alcaraz and the double to avoid elimination. The Netherlands, for their part, hope to at least match their best performance in the competition, reaching the semi-final in 2001.
Morocco
