Full stop or semi-final? Rafael Nadal, who played and lost the first singles of the Davis Cup match between Spain and the Netherlands on Tuesday in Malaga, is going through a day as uncertain as it is moving.
After 23 years on the circuit, Nadal lost in two sets against the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp (ATP 80), winner of the Spanish legend 6-4 6-4. His heir, Carlos Alcaraz (ATP 3) will then take the field against Tallon Griekspoor (ATP 40), before a possible decisive doubles between the two teams.
If Spain is eliminated, Nadal will have delivered his last match; if Spain passes, a semi-final will take place against Germany or Canada.
During the day, while it was still unknown whether Nadal would be lined up by Spanish captain David Ferrer, spectators were already present in large numbers in the fan zone.
Coming from Elche (southeast of Spain), Miquel Zapata Diez and Sergio Medina were convinced: as the Spanish media had announced since Tuesday morning, “Rafa” was going to play and Spain would win. “Rafa is one of the last legends” of Tennis, judged Sergio, a 25-year-old firefighter who would not have missed his farewells for anything.
While his start against the Netherlands was only confirmed around 4:15 p.m., Nadal argued at a press conference on Monday that he had “tried to work as hard as possible over the last month and a half”.
“I think I’m improving every day,” concluded the left-hander from Manacor, who has not played in an official tournament since the Paris Games this summer and whose career has been punctuated by countless injuries.
For Nadal, the priority is for Spain to be “competitive” to be able to run for a 7th Silver Bowl, which is also coveted by the Italy of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner or the United States of Taylor Fritz (ATP 4), Tommy Paul (ATP 12) and Ben Shelton (ATP 21).
Of the six coronations of the Iberians, the 38-year-old Majorcan participated in five victorious campaigns (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2019) but having not played the final in 2008, he only has four Saladiers d ‘money.
