Nadal bows out with a defeat in his career finale.

Rafael Nadal’s illustrious tennis career came to an end with a loss to Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup Finals quarter-finals. Van de Zandschulp defeated Nadal 6-4, 6-4, giving the Netherlands a 1-0 lead over Spain in the tie.

This marked only the second time Nadal had been defeated in Davis Cup singles, with the first loss occurring during his debut in 2004 against the Czech Republic.

Nadal, who won 22 Grand Slam titles and helped Spain secure five Davis Cup victories (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2019), reflected on his career after the match.

While acknowledging his achievements, he expressed a desire to be remembered as “a good person from a small village in Mallorca” rather than just for his titles.

Botic van de Zandschulp, who had previously faced Nadal at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in 2022, shared his admiration for the Spanish legend, describing Nadal as his childhood idol and highlighting the honor of playing in his farewell match​​​​.

The Netherlands’ victory in the tie advances them to face Germany or Canada in the Davis Cup Finals​​.