Following Spain's failure in the Davis Cup against the Netherlands, Rafael Nadal announces his definitive departure from professional tennis. What does he have in store for us for the rest of his career?
Tl;dr
- Rafael Nadal retires from professional tennis.
- Spain's defeat in the Davis Cup marks the end of his career.
- The Netherlands reach their second Davis Cup semi-final.
The end of an era: Rafael Nadal retires
On Wednesday November 20, 2024, in the city of Malaga, a page in tennis history was turned. Rafael Nadalone of the pillars of the “Big 3” of world tennis, announced the end of his professional career. This decision comes following Spain's defeat against the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.
A decisive match
The decisive match saw the Dutch pair, made up of Wesley Koolhof and Botic van de Zandschulp, win 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3) against world No.3 Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers . A victory which ended the career of the 38-year-old double Olympic champion from Majorcan, holder of 22 Grand Slam titles and four Davis Cups with Spain.
An exemplary journey
“Rafa’s” career is marked by prestigious titles and records. Among them, there are 14 victories at Roland-Garros and a place of choice in the “Big 3” of tennis, alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. The latter is also the only member still active, after Federer's withdrawal in 2022.
Hope for the Netherlands
The Netherlands, thanks to their victory, qualify for the second semi-final in their history in the Davis Cup, after that of 2001. A performance which offers them a chance to snatch a seventh title from Spain, and which marks the start of a new era for Dutch tennis.
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