"I thought mine was good" - Boris Becker makes his feelings known about Rafael Nadal's Davis Cup record as he retires
Boris Becker expressed his feelings about Rafael Nadal's Davis Cup record as he retired from tennis. The German compared his own record in the tournament to emphasize the Spaniard's feat.
Nadal made his debut for Spain in the Davis Cup in 2004. Following a defeat in his first-ever appearance, the 22-time Grand Slam champion went unbeaten for two decades. He registered 29 wins in this period, making it the third-longest winning streak in the competition's history. Marcos Baghdatis (36) and Bjorn Borg (33) are the only players with a better record than the Spaniard. His chances of extending the record went futile after losing against Botic van de Zandschulp, 4-6, 4-6, in the 2024 Davis Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday, November 19. The match also marked the Spaniard's retirement from professional tennis.
Becker, who boasts a 22-match winning streak in the Davis Cup, praised the Spaniard on his achievement. Taking to social media on Wednesday, the German said it was "one hell of a record" to achieve such a feat in the tournament.
"That's one hell of a record in DC (Davis Cup) and I thought mine was good," Boris Becker wrote on his Instagram stories.
Rafael Nadal's loss against Van de Zandschulp meant Spain had to win their remaining two fixtures against the Dutch side to qualify for the semifinals. However, they lost their doubles fixture. The Spaniard signed-off from the Davis Cup, winning five titles (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2019).
"Rafael Nadal gave us unbelievable moments on the court" - Boris Becker on the Spaniard's retirement
Boris Becker penned a heartfelt note on Rafael Nadal's retirement from professional tennis. Following years of injury struggles, the 38-year-old announced last month that the 2024 Davis Cup Finals would be his final campaign on the tour.
After Spain's exit from the year-end tournament, Becker took to social media to post a couple of memorable moments he shared with Nadal on the tour. One picture was of Becker interviewing the Spaniard, while another showed him presenting the Laureus World Sports Award to the Spaniard.
Becker wrote that the 22-time Grand Slam champion was "one of the most iconic sportsmen ever". He expressed gratitude for gifting tennis enthusiasts with "unbelievable moments" on the court.
"One of the most iconic sportsman ever, sadly left the game of tennis. You gave us unbelievable moments on court that will be remembered forever. A deep sense of gratitude from me and anybody that loves the game," Becker captioned his Instagram post.
Rafael Nadal retired from the sport after winning 92 ATP titles including 22 Grand Slams. He holds the record for the longest streak of consecutive weeks (912) in the ATP top 10.