Aurélien Canot, Media365, published on Tuesday November 19, 2024 at 1:03 p.m.
The Spanish media have just announced that Rafael Nadal, who will end his career after this final phase of the Davis Cup, will play the first singles of the quarter-final between Spain and the Netherlands, this Tuesday in Malaga against Botic van de Zanschulp. The atmosphere in this first match should be hot.
Nadal will open the ball. Rafael Nadal feared that his lack of competition such as this physical form which led him to say that the time had come to hang up lead David Ferrer not to select him for his farewell week, in Malaga during the final phase of Davis Cup which takes place this Tuesday and will end on Sunday. The Spanish champion's efforts in training since his arrival at the end of last week have visibly paid off, and convinced the captain of the Spanish team to trust him. The day after a practice match against Carlos Alcaraz which ended at 4-4 in the first set between the two men, the former Roland-Garros finalist decided to throw Nadal from the first single of the quarter-final between La Roja and the Netherlands.
Monday's training against Alcaraz made the difference
The Spanish media revealed at the end of the morning that the Mallorcan had only appeared since last summer during an exhibition in Saudi Arabia which saw him lose against Alcaraz then against Novak Djokovic and had benefited from the favors of Ferrer to face the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp, 80th in the ranking, in the first singles. The rather surprising decision to relaunch Nadal three and a half months after his last match for such an important meeting would have been taken Monday evening after the eight games played against Alcaraz, it is understood Markwho recalls that the man with 22 Grand Slam titles had promised to inform his captain, who is also one of his friends, if he did not feel up to the level to play a match.
Nadal has never lost a set against van den Zandschulp
On Monday, the former world number 1 announced that he seemed ready, but without having the cards in hand. “I tried to work as hard as possible over the last month and a half. Of course, when you don't play a lot of matches, it's a little more difficult to keep a constant level,” said Nadal, winner in three sets of the two matches he has played (at Roland Garros and Wimbledon) against van de Zandschulp so far. The Bull of Manacor, to whom Roger Federer had paid a vibrant tribute a few days for his ex-rival and friend to retire, will be able to count on a bullfight atmosphere in a José Maria Martin Carpena Sports Palace entirely acquired by his cause. And who perhaps never imagined seeing their idol at work again. Knowing that if the Spaniards lose against the Netherlands, this match would be Nadal's last.
