MALAGA, Spain — Rafael Nadal’s professional tennis career is over, his final match a 6-4, 6-4 defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands at the Davis Cup.
That defeat, coupled with Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers losing the doubles rubber 7-6(4), 7-6(3) to Wesley Koolhof and Van de Zandschulp, saw Spain eliminated from the Davis Cup and with it came the end for Nadal, one of the sport’s most successful players of all time.
Nadal had flashes of his old self during the loss to Van de Zandschulp, but they were all too brief.