By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Photo credit: Mike McNulty/Getty for ITF Davis Cup
Champions come and go.
Legends live forever.
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Before an adoring home crowd serenading him with chants of “Rafa! Rafa!”, 38-year-old Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal received a heroic send-off in his final professional event at Davis Cup in Malaga, Spain today.
Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp defeated Nadal 6-4, 6-4 in the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s final singles match.
Wesley Koolhof and Van de Zandschulp stopped Carlos Alcaraz and Marcel Granollers 7-6(4), 7-6(3) clinching The Netherlands 2-1 Davis Cup quarterfinal conquest of Spain and ending Nadal’s storied career.
Former world No. 1 Nadal spoke with gratitude about his career and grew emotional when a tribute video was played on the big screen.
Grand Slam champions including Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Serena…
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