MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Rafael Nadal bit his lower lip and his reddened eyes welled with tears as he stood alongside his Davis Cup teammates for Spain's national anthem Tuesday before what he — and everyone — knew might be the last match of his career,
MALAGA, Spain — Rafael Nadal bit his lower lip and his reddened eyes welled with tears as he stood alongside his Davis Cup teammates for Spain's national anthem Tuesday before what he — and everyone — knew might be the last match of his career, and turned out to be a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands.
The 38-year-old Spaniard announced last month this event would be it for him as a professional tennis player after two years of injuries that allowed him to compete only sparingly. When the match ended — with Nadal ranging to his left but not quite able to get into proper position and putting a forehand into the net — he walked to the net for a quick hug with his opponent.
There also were, neither to Nadal’s or most of the 9,200 spectators’ liking, several points where he did look like what he truly is right now: a once-dominant figure diminished by age and health issues. His forehand didn’t always have the same verve: His 10 groundstroke winners were barely half of van de Zandschulp’s 19. His footwork and speed were hardly ideal and partly responsible for his 26 unforced errors.
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