Rafael Nadal bade farewell to tennis as his fans saluted their retiring hero in a bittersweet and emotional ceremony at a sold-out Malaga arena following his last professional match in Spain’s 2-1 Davis Cup defeat to the Netherlands on Tuesday (November 19) evening.
Holding back tears as he tried to compose himself, Nadal gave a near 15-minute speech in the early hours of Wednesday (November 20).
READ: After long fight for glory, Nadal leaves with a legacy of memories
The 22-time Grand Slam champion had earlier lost 6-4 6-4 to the Netherlands' Botic van de Zandschulp, ending a 29-match singles winning streak in the Davis Cup and bringing the curtain down on his glittering career.
After the 38-year-old announced last month he was ending his playing career following the Davis Cup Final Eight, his farewell party was not what he would have hoped for as he lost his last match and Spain crashed out.
While his teammate Carlos Alcaraz leveled the tie by beating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6(0) 6-3, Spain's new tennis king and Marcel Granollers were defeated in the decisive doubles by Wesley Koolhof and Van de Zandschulp.
(Production: Guillermo Martinez, Miguel Gutierrez, Henry Rounce)