Video - "I will never forget this moment": Nadal's tears for his last career match
The images will remain etched in memory. Rafa Nadal, 38 years old, eyes misty, as if trying to hold back time. In the Davis Cup, the Spaniard gave Malaga the final duel of a legendary career.
This Tuesday, November 19, 2024, facing Botic van de Zandschulp, Nadal played the opening match of the Davis Cup quarter-final against the Netherlands. However, after two sets (6-4, 6-4), the Majorcan was defeated, often outplayed, unable to dictate his game.
Ranked 154th in the world at that time, Nadal had not played in an official competition since his defeat in the second round of the Olympic Games against Novak Djokovic (6-1, 6-4).
But while this loss contributed to his team's elimination, the main point was not there. At 38 years old, the Spaniard had played his last match. And that, he fully realized during the national anthem.
Since then, Spain has lost its warrior, the fans their gladiator, but Nadal enters something greater: timelessness. His statistics may one day fade into the archives, but his emotions, never.
