Rafael Nadal not yearning for Hollywood-style ending to career at Davis Cup Finals: "My farewell will be whatever it needs to be"
Rafael Nadal is playing the last week of his career as a tennis professional, appearing in front of fans at home one last time at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals. Yet, the 22-time Grand Slam champion has made clear one thing -- he does not want a fairytale ending that rivals Hollywood stories.
Nadal's retirement has been a topic of discussion for the last several months, which finally ended after the Spaniard announced his official decision to retire at the end of this season. His last singles tournament was the Paris Olympics, where he played in both doubles and singles.
Although the former World No. 1 was scheduled to play at the Laver Cup, lack of physical fitness dashed that dream. He could only play an exhibition event since then, appearing at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Now, the Mallorcan is in Malaga for the Davis Cup Finals, where he and the Spanish contingent led by Carlos Alcaraz will look to topple defending champs Italy. In the quarterfinals, the team is set to take on the Netherlands on November 19.
Speaking at his pre-tournament press conference to Spanish media, Nadal touched on his farewell plans, stating that he was not worried about not having a grand send-off this week. What was more important for him was that his impending retirement did not become a source of distraction for his fellow countrymen.
"Movie endings are for American movies. I realized a long time ago that I wouldn’t have one of those. It’s not something that worries me. My farewell will be whatever it needs to be," Rafael Nadal said (as quoted by CLAY).
"We’re here to compete, and everything else must not distract us from what we came to do," he added.
The 38-year-old further added that he has fully accepted his retirement decision, regretfully noting that while he would like to keep playing, his body simply does not allow him to do so anymore.
“I’m not on an emotional rollercoaster because I’ve accepted this. Life goes on; all professional athletes face this process. I’m no exception. I’m not burnt out from tennis… If I could, I’d keep playing. But the truth is, I can’t train or compete at the level that justifies it anymore," Rafael Nadal said.
"I leave with the peace of mind that I gave it one last effort" - Rafael Nadal
In the interview, Rafael Nadal reiterated once more that the retirement decision was made only after serious consideration on his part, and that it is not something he is double-minded about.
With this being the final tournament of his tennis career, Nadal emphasized that he was leaving this part of his life with complete peace of mind that he gave one last try to the sport he has always loved.
“I never managed to play without limitations, and that’s led to my decision to retire. What I said earlier stands—this will be my last year. I wanted to give myself this chance for several reasons, like ensuring that what I’m doing is what I needed to do. I didn’t want to have any doubts. I leave with the peace of mind that I gave it one last effort," Nadal said.
As of now, it is not clear whether Nadal will be tasked to play the singles matches against the Netherlands in the quarterfinals at the Davis Cup Finals.