MALAGA, Spain: Rafael Nadal hopes to save his emotions over his retirement until the end of the Davis Cup competition and says the focus remains on Spain´s upcoming quarter-final tie against the Netherlands.
Ahead of the final professional tournament of his career, Nadal and his Spanish teammates spoke to the media in anticipation of the hosts´ clash against the Dutch in Malaga on Tuesday. “I am not here for retiring. I´m here to try to help the team,” Nadal said on Monday
“It´s of course going to be my last week on the professional tour, but at the end, we are here in a teams competition.” “The most important thing here is to stay all focused on what we have to do, that is play tennis and to do it very well. Because the rival is going to be difficult, and the conditions are difficult too.
“So then the emotions are going to be for the end.” Nadal, who will draw the curtains on a record-breaking career that has spanned nearly 23 years, has not competed in an official singles match since his second-round exit at the Olympics in July.
The former world number one has worked hard for the past six weeks to be ready for the Davis Cup but said it will ultimately be the decision of Spain captain David Ferrer on whether he will be playing in singles or doubles against the Netherlands.
“Of course when you are not competing very often, it´s a little bit more difficult to hold the level on a constant basis, I´ve had good moments and more difficult moments. I think the improvement is there every day, but, I mean, we have a great team on Spain,” said Nadal.
“All these players on the tour are playing very well, having great seasons. It´s the work of the captain to decide what he feels is better for the team.” Ferrer says he hasn´t decided on his lineup for the quarter-finals and will reveal his selections on Tuesday ahead of the tie.
Nadal, who owns a 29-1 win-loss record in Davis Cup singles matches and an 8-4 record in doubles, has not competed in the inter-nation team competition since 2019, when he helped Spain win a sixth Davis Cup title.
