“It’s been an emotional day,” is what Rafael Nadal said Nadal later after falling to a straight-sets defeat in his Davis Cup Final 8 clash with Botic Van de Zandschulp. In a career that spanned over 2 decades, the Spaniard witnessed it all, from titles to defeats, glory to agony. However, in a quest to end everything on a high, he came a full circle at Davis cup-he lost to Czechia’s Jiri Novak on his Davis Cup debut in 2004. So, what led to Nadal’s disappointing loss in his final match? His uncle, Toni Nadal, offered a possible explanation.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Spain’s Davis Cup quarter-final hopes were dashed by a 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands. Despite a valiant effort from Carlos Alcaraz, who leveled the tie with a 7-6 (0), 6-3 win over Tallon Griekspoor, Spain couldn’t secure the victory. Thus putting an end to Nadal’s legendary career. Despite the loss, Nadal’s career record in Davis Cup singles matches remains incredible, with 29 wins out of 31 matches. Now, Toni Nadal, Rafael’s uncle and longtime mentor, explained the factors that affected the match.

In a November 24 interview with Marca, he said, “What happened to him on this occasion is that the emotion made him come out a little more tense than normal, and he couldn’t get rid of his nerves throughout the game.”

Nadal’s participation in the singles match came as a surprise. Spain’s captain, David Ferrer, chose him to play singles just hours before the match, a decision that faced criticism. Initially, Nadal was expected to play doubles, but the last-minute change seemed to add pressure on Nadal. Which was evident in his match against the current world No. 80.

Van de Zandschulp’s erratic start, plagued by double faults, nearly gifted Nadal an early break. However, he recovered his composure amidst the hostile crowd, dominating the opening set with 10 powerful winners. The second set saw Van de Zandschulp seize the initiative, breaking Nadal’s serve early on. Despite Nadal’s valiant effort and strong serving, his fading energy and Van de Zandschulp’s unwavering focus ultimately sealed the Spaniard’s fate.

This match came after Nadal’s return from a series of injuries. A hip injury sidelined him in early 2023, followed by an abdominal injury in 2024. After competing at the Paris Olympics, Nadal announced his retirement in October 2024. While the Davis Cup match didn’t end in victory, it marked the end of a remarkable era for one of the greatest players in tennis history. After defeating the Spaniard, Botic Van de Zandschulp opened up on how he is feeling following a major turnaround.

Botic Van de Zandschulp opens up on his experience of defeating Rafael Nadal at his home

“I think the one against Rafa mentally, the whole occasion here, playing in Spain against Rafael, it’s the hardest thing to do,” van de Zandschulp shared in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com. “Maybe Roland Garros is even harder. But that one was one of the toughest.” When asked if he had fully processed the significance of being Nadal’s final opponent, van de Zandschulp admitted that it hadn’t yet sunk in.

“For me, this stuff always takes some time, especially when you’re during a tournament,” he said. He added that he remains focused on his next challenge but expects the impact of the moment to hit him later. “You want to focus on the next match; same happened in the US Open, for example, with Carlos Alcaraz,” he explained, recalling his stunning second round upset in Flushing Meadows against the world number three, Carlos Alcaraz. “That’s how I process things. Maybe in the next week I will process it.”

Van de Zandschulp’s victory not only made a big blow to Spain’s Davis Cup campaign but also the conclusion of an era in tennis. As Nadal bid farewell to a career that defined the sport for decades, what are your thoughts on the Spaniard’s legacy? Do let us know in the comments below!