As Rafael Nadal hit his final ball on a pro tennis court, as part of a Spanish team knocked out of the Davis Cup quarter-finals by the Netherlands yesterday, his family struggled to contain their emotions watching on in the stands.
The 38-year-old lost his singles match against Botic van de Zandschulp and was given a standing ovation by tennis fans as he walked to the net – and watched the sun finally set on his outstanding tennis career.
Up in the stands in the Malaga stadium, his nearest and dearest – including his 36-year-old wife Maria Francisca Perello, who is known as ‘Xisca’ – dissolved into tears.
Beyond Rafa himself, the star of the show was his two-year-old son Rafa Jr, who cheered his father on throughout. The toddler has become a regular sight at his father’s European matches in recent months.
While Xisca looked chic in smart beige chinos, a white blouse and camel sleeveless cardigan, little Rafa Jr also came dressed for the occasion, wearing pale green chinos with a matching striped shirt and pristine cream hi-top sneakers.
As Nadal enjoyed a final lap of honour at the match’s end, his family, including his mother and father, Ana Maria Parera and Sebastian Nadal Homar, and sister, Maria Isabel, wiped away tears.
Nadal is famously close to his family; the star has been known to rent houses when visiting tournaments, hosting an array of family and friends, rather than staying in a hotel room.
Well done Papa! Rafa Jr, the two-year-old son that Nadal shares with his wife Maria Francisca Perello, cheered on his father during his final professional tennis match at the Davis Cup in Malaga
Emotional: The 38-year-old tennis legend, who announced he would retire earlier this year, was met with a standing ovation as he waved goodbye to a stellar career
Not a dry eye in the house: Nadal’s family, including his wife Maria ‘Xisca’ Perello and sister Maria Isabel Nadal (middle row, left and centre) dissolved into tears as Nadal conceded to Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp in the Davis Cup match
The prelude to this tie was was pure theatre.
The Spain players trooped out one by one, then in the tunnel there appeared a slash of white in the darkness and the most famous headband in the world emerged.
As fans in the arena bellowed along to the tune of the wordless Spanish national anthem emotion was etched across Nadal’s cragged face.
During the warm-up the announcer went through all of Nadal’s Grand Slam titles and each was cheered to the steel rafters. It took a while, especially when they reached the French Open. ‘Champion de Roland Garros dos mille cinco’ – ‘ OLE!’ – ‘Dos mille siete’ – ‘OLE’ and so on 14 times.
A video tracing through the highlights of his incredible career with tributes from the likes of Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and David Beckham left few eyes dry.
The Spanish veteran, 38, was moved by the video and lingered on court draped in red, yellow, and white as he gave his final 12-minute speech to 11,500 adoring fans. The famous headband, by this point, was off.
As a celebration of this champion of champions it was breathtaking but once the serious business it became clear Nadal was in trouble. He covered the court well enough but struggled to get much thrust behind his groundstrokes, his forehands lacking their former fizz.
The toddler looked happy to be cheering on his father; the youngster has become a regular at Nadal’s close to home matches in recent months
Rafa Jr was dressed in pale green chinos with a matching striped shirt and pristine cream hi-top sneakers
One last time! Rafa Jr holds his hands aloft as his Dad took to the court, and Nadal’s wife was in equally vocal form as the tie got underway
Rafael Nadal’s career is over after Spain were knocked out of the Davis Cup by the Netherlands
Nadal said goodbye to fans after his glittering time in the game reached a conclusion
Nadal was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Botic van de Zandschulp in what proved to be his final ever game
Asked after the match if he was happy with his performance, Nadal was philosophical, saying: ‘It was not the case, I lost my match. But in this moment of my career, I can’t complain much. I tried my best, I tried to enjoy it and play with the right energy. It just didn’t work.
‘It’s in some ways good if that was my last match: I lost my first match in the Davis Cup, and I lost my last one,’ said the 22-time Grand Slam champion. ‘So we close the circle.’
Nadal’s selection was controversial: in pure sporting terms, surely captain David Ferrer ought to have picked the dependable Roberto Bautista Agut? But with Nadal playing his final event before retirement it would have been a brave man to deny the 11,500 crowd the sight they had come to see.
Nadal’s insisted he had been selected purely on merit and not sentiment.
‘I really believe that David put on the field the player who he feels had the best chance to win,’ he said. ‘Since the beginning I told him he doesn’t need to feel any pressure to put me in.
The tennis legend married his wife Maria, pictured, in October 2019 after 17 years of dating
Xisca shares a joke during the match as Nadal hit the tennis court to huge support from the home crowd
Nadal insisted he was selected on merit rather than sentiment, but struggled during the clash
The 38-year-old claimed it was not a satisfying end but also said that he had no complaints
The decision from Spain captain David Ferrer (right) to pick Nadal over Roberto Bautista Agut (left) had been a major talking point ahead of the clash in Malaga on Tuesday evening
‘Of course, putting myself on the field to play the first match was a risk. But that’s the work of the captain. I’m sure he made the decision thinking what’s the best for the team, not for myself.’
‘Probably today the decision to put me on the court didn’t work,’ he admitted. ‘If I would be the captain, probably I will not pick myself the next day if we go through, that’s my feeling.’
In a quirk of fate, the doubles was destined to end a Grand Slam winning career either way. Dutch doubles specialist Wesley Koolhof will retire after the Davis Cup and he was utterly inspired in combining with Van de Zandschulp to beat Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers.
Koolhof’s tale goes on but one of the greatest stories tennis has ever told had its ending on Tuesday night.